You don’t have to spend lots of money to homeschool your kids.

You can homeschool for FREE.

I wasted so much money and time in the beginning on manipulatives, curriculum, books, toys, mostly from insecurity.

I was trained as a high school English teacher. Having preschoolers was terrifying! Homeschooling was scary.

So I spent money on curriculum, lessons, extracurricular activities, anything to get that responsibility off myself and onto others.

It took me several years of trial and error to gain confidence in our homeschool. We purged many unneeded items. We do still have lots of books and manipulatives that we’ve collected, but we’re so much more liberated in our education now than in the beginning.

So where can you get resources to homeschool for free?

Preschool

Enjoy life with your babies. Just include your preschoolers with everything you normally do as a parent. Cooking, cleaning, playing. None of it has to cost a thing beyond what you would normally do. Babies and preschoolers don’t need any formal education. They need a family to love and guide them. Let them play. Go outside a lot. Read a lot. Check out my preschool resources.

Follow Jennifer’s board Preschool on Pinterest.

Elementary

There are oodles of free courses online, books on public domain, and printables (we love notebooking.) I love how unschoolers learn and love life. Let your kids explore what they’re passionate about. I don’t stress about writing or much formal seat work. I want my kids to love learning. See how we homeschool.

Follow Jennifer’s board Notebooking on Pinterest.

Upper Grades

High school homeschool for free? Sure, just get creative! Use the library for literature, science, and history. Enter blog giveaways, do blog reviews for awesome curriculum, join a homeschool co-op and pool your teaching resources with other parents. Even do sports and PE at the YMCA or with other homeschooling families for course credits. I am so excited that my daughters are reaching the high school years and since we school year-round, she has so much freedom to learn what she likes and opportunities to do so many interesting things like Civil Air Patrol, theatre, Red Cross volunteering, and extracurricular activities.

Follow Jennifer’s board High School on Pinterest.

FREE Home Learning Ideas:

• Amazing Educational Resources Google doc
• Princess Awesome and Boy Wonder Google doc
• Homeschool for Free Series from Only Passionate Curiosity
• How to Homeschool for Free website
• Pioneer Woman Free Homeschool resources
• Easy Peasy All in One Homeschool – 1st through high school!
• Ambleside Online – a great Charlotte Mason free education
• An Old-Fashioned Education – with some Canadian resources!
• Free Homeschool Deals
• Homeschool.com Free Homeschool Curriculum and Resources
• Under the Willow Tree Nature Notebooking Printables
• Resources from Money Saving Mom
• Resources from The Happy Housewife
• Virtual Museums
• Virtual Berlin Symphony
• Classics for Kids
• SQUILT Music
• Masterpiece Society online art lessons
• Chalk Pastel
• Art for Kids Hub
• Khan Academy videos online
• Homeschool Math Worksheets
• Education.com has freebies and a membership site
• abcteach.com has free printables and a membership site
• Confessions of  Homeschooler Printables
• Homeschool Creations Printables
• Starfall Reading and More Online
• Currclick has freebies and newsletter sends a free product weekly
• Ask for museum memberships and educational subscription boxes for birthdays and other gift-giving holidays.

Don’t confuse virtual schools that are run by your county or school district with homeschooling. While it may not cost you much or any money, you’re at the beck and call of the public schools and their standardized testing and regulations. If you like that idea, great, but be aware. I prefer freedom.

Don’t fear homeschooling your kids and being confident in your education choices.

Do you have any great free learning tools?

Check out the other Crew members and their free homeschool ideas.