How to Start Homeschooling: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

So you’re thinking about homeschooling. Maybe you’ve been considering it for years. Maybe the decision happened suddenly - a child struggling in school, a health crisis, a move, or simply the growing feeling that there must be a better way.

Whatever brought you here, you probably have a million questions. Can I really do this? What about socialization? How do I choose curriculum? What are the legal requirements? Will my kids fall behind?

Take a deep breath. Thousands of families have walked this path before you, and you can too. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to start homeschooling with confidence.

Step 1: Understand Your Why

Before you dive into curriculum catalogs and state laws, take time to clarify why you want to homeschool. Your “why” will guide every decision you make - from your educational approach to how you structure your days.

Common reasons families choose to homeschool include:

Academic concerns: Your child is ahead, behind, or simply not thriving in a traditional classroom
Social and emotional well-being: Bullying, anxiety, or the pressure of standardized testing
Family values: Wanting to integrate faith, values, or lifestyle into education
Flexibility: Travel, athletics, arts, or medical needs that don’t fit a school schedule
Relationship: Desiring more time together as a family
Individualization: Recognizing that one size never fits all

Write down your reasons. Keep them somewhere visible. There will be hard days (every educational path has them), and reconnecting with your why will help you persevere.

Step 2: Research Your Country/State’s Homeschooling Laws

This is the critical first step. Requirements vary signficantly by country, or even by states, but requirements vary significantly. Some countries/states have minimal paperwork while others require portfolios, evaluations, and standardized testing.

How to Find Your Country/State’s Requirements

Visit HSLDA (if US based): The Home School Legal Defense Association maintains state-by-state information at hslda.org
Check your country’s Department of Education website: Look for “home instruction” or “compulsory attendance” pages
Connect with local homeschool groups: They’ll have practical experience navigating your state’s requirements
Save documentation: Keep copies of all paperwork submitted to school districts or state authorities

Don’t Let Requirements Overwhelm You

Even in high-regulation states, families successfully homeschool every day. The requirements may feel intimidating on paper, but they become manageable in practice. Many states offer flexibility in how you demonstrate progress - you don’t necessarily have to replicate school at home.

Step 3: Choose Your Homeschooling Approach

One of the beautiful things about homeschooling is that there’s no one right way to do it. You can choose an approach that fits your family’s values, your child’s learning style, and your lifestyle. Here is a short, but by no means comprehensive run through of various approaches.

Traditional/School-at-Home

What it looks like: Structured lessons, textbooks, grades, similar to a classroom but at home

Best for: Families who want clear structure and measurable progress

Pros: Familiar structure, clear scope and sequence, easy to explain to others

Cons: Can be rigid, may not suit all learning styles, parent becomes teacher

Classical Education

What it looks like: Three-stage approach (grammar, logic, rhetoric) based on how children naturally develop

Best for: Families who value rigorous academics and traditional liberal arts

Pros: Time-tested method, produces strong critical thinkers

Cons: Can be intense, requires significant parent preparation

Charlotte Mason

What it looks like: Literature-based learning with nature study, art, music, and short lessons

Best for: Families who want a gentle, rich educational environment

Pros: Beautiful materials, respects childhood, develops lifelong learners

Cons: Requires parent investment in learning the method

Unschooling

What it looks like: Child-led learning through life experiences rather than curriculum

Best for: Families who trust children’s innate curiosity and want maximum flexibility

Pros: Preserves natural love of learning, highly individualized

Cons: Can feel invisible, requires deep trust, may face misunderstanding

Eclectic

What it looks like: Combining elements from multiple approaches based on what works for each child

Best for: Most families!

Pros: Maximum flexibility, can adjust as you go

Cons: Can feel scattered, requires more decision-making

Unit Studies

What it looks like: Learning all subjects through a single theme (e.g., studying Ancient Rome across history, literature, art, science)

Best for: Families who want integrated, hands-on learning

Pros: Subjects connect naturally, engaging for multiple ages

Cons: Requires parent planning, may miss some skills if not intentional

Step 4: Choose Your Curriculum (Or Don’t)

Here’s a secret: You don’t have to buy a complete curriculum package. In fact, many experienced homeschoolers advise against starting with an expensive all-in-one program.

Curriculum Options

Complete Curriculum Packages: All subjects planned out for you (e.g., Sonlight, BookShark, Timberdoodle)

Pros: Open-and-go, comprehensive, less planning
Cons: Expensive, may not fit your child’s learning style

Subject-Specific Curriculum: Choose different programs for each subject

Pros: Customize to each child, can change what isn’t working
Cons: More coordination required

No Curriculum: Use real books, online resources, life experiences

Pros: Highly flexible, inexpensive, follows child’s interests
Cons: Requires more parent involvement and confidence

Tips for Choosing Curriculum

Don’t overspend initially: It’s tempting to buy everything that looks good, but you likely won’t use it all
Consider your teaching style: Are you comfortable guiding open-ended exploration, or do you prefer detailed lesson plans?
Think about your child’s learning style: Visual, auditory, kinesthetic? Hands-on or workbook?
Read reviews: But remember - what works for one family may not work for yours
Start simple: You can always add more later

Free and Low-Cost Options

Khan Academy: Free math, science, and more
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool: Complete free curriculum
Ambleside Online: Free Charlotte Mason curriculum
Library: The original homeschool resource!
Educational apps and websites: Many offer free or low-cost options

Step 5: Set Up Your Learning Space

Here’s the good news: you don’t need a dedicated schoolroom. Families homeschool successfully at kitchen tables, on living room floors, at the library, at parks, and in the car.

Creating a Homeschool-Friendly Home

Storage is key: Organize materials so they’re accessible but not overwhelming

Bookshelves for books and materials
Bins or crates for each child’s work
Art supplies in portable containers
File system for completed work and important papers

Designated learning areas (even if temporary):

Kitchen table for written work
Couch for reading aloud
Floor for building and projects
Outdoor space for nature study and active play

Minimize distractions:

Keep toys separate from learning materials during “school time”
Create a quiet space for focused work if needed
Consider background music - some families find it helpful

Remember: Learning Happens Everywhere

Don’t stress over creating Pinterest-perfect spaces. The best learning environment is one that works for your family - whether that’s a dedicated schoolroom or a blanket fort in the living room.

Step 6: Plan Your Schedule

One of the biggest advantages of homeschooling is flexibility. You can create a schedule that works for your family’s rhythm, not a school’s arbitrary timeline.

Daily Schedules

Morning routine families: Start lessons after breakfast, finish by early afternoon

Pros: Consistent, frees up evenings
Cons: Can feel rushed, not great for night owls

Block scheduling: Large chunks of time for subjects rather than rigid periods

Pros: Allows deep dive into projects, flexible timing
Cons: Requires self-discipline

Rhythmic routine: More of a flow than a schedule with specific times

Pros: Natural, less stressful
Cons: Can be hard to track progress

Weekly Schedules

4-day school week: Many families school Monday-Thursday, leaving Friday for field trips, activities, or catch-up

Block schedule weeks: Focus on different subjects on different days (e.g., Mon/Wed math and science, Tue/Thu language arts and history)

Year-round vs. traditional: Homeschoolers don’t have to follow the school calendar

Year-round: Shorter breaks throughout the year, less summer learning loss
Traditional: Longer summer break, aligns with community activities

Finding Your Rhythm

Expect to experiment. What works in theory may not work in practice. That’s okay. The beauty of homeschooling is you can adjust as you go.

Step 7: Find Your Community

You don’t have to homeschool alone. In fact, one of the richest parts of homeschooling is the community you’ll find.

Local Homeschool Groups

Homeschool co-ops: Groups that meet regularly for classes, activities, or enrichment

Can be academic (cooperative teaching) or social (playgroups, field trips)
Often require parent participation
Usually charge fees to cover materials and facilities

Homeschool support groups: More informal gatherings for park days, mom’s nights, field trips

Often free or low-cost
Focus on friendship and support

Online Communities

Facebook groups: Search for homeschool groups in your state or region

Forums and message boards: The Well-Trained Mind forums, secular homeschool groups, special needs homeschool groups

Instagram and YouTube: Follow homeschooling families for inspiration and ideas

Building Your Village

Your homeschool community will provide:

Friendship for your children
Support and encouragement for you
Resource sharing (curriculum, ideas, expertise)
Socialization opportunities (yes, really!)

Step 8: Track Your Progress

Even if you’re not required by law to keep records, documentation is valuable. It helps you see progress, provides evidence for concerned relatives, and creates a record of your child’s educational journey.

What to Track

The good news is you don’t need to track everything. Focus on the things that actually tell the story of your child’s learning: activities, field trips, projects, books they’ve read, skills they’ve mastered, photos of hands-on work, and simple attendance if your state requires it.

The Low-Tech Option (Totally Valid!)

Lots of families happily track everything on paper. Binders, portfolio boxes, bullet journals, printable planners - they all work great if that’s your style. Some people love the tangible satisfaction of flipping through a physical record at the end of the year. No shame in the analog game.

The Digital Option (Full Disclosure: This Is Us)

Full disclosure as this is an app we made… but we of course favour a digital, easier approach to tracking - Homeschooly. Yes, we’re totally promoting our own product here, but here’s why we built it in the first place: we felt the pain of the low-tech option. Loose papers, half filled A4 pads, journals we never finished, the list goes on. We wanted our learning journey in one place, that was easy to manage, and that helped us analyse what was working, and what wasn’t.

Will it be right for everyone? Nope. Some people love their binders (and that’s cool!). But if you want something that lives in your pocket, doesn’t feel like homework for you, and actually makes documenting feel enjoyable rather than burdensome - well, that’s exactly why we made it.

No pressure though. Seriously. The best tracking system is the one you’ll actually use.

Step 9: Start - and Expect to Adjust

Here’s the most important thing to know: Your homeschool will evolve. What works in your first month may not work in your sixth month. What works for your first child may not work for your second.

This is normal. This is good. This is the beauty of homeschooling - you can adapt and change as needed.

The Deschooling Period

If your child has been in school, they (and you) need time to adjust. This is called deschooling - a period of decompression where you recover from school-mode and discover your natural rhythms.

During deschooling:

Follow your child’s interests
Spend lots of time outside
Read together
Visit museums and libraries
Don’t worry about “academics” - learning is happening
Trust the process

Deschooling can take weeks or months. It’s not wasted time - it’s recovery time.

Your First Year

The first year of homeschooling is often the hardest. You’re:

Learning to be together all day
Figuring out what works
Dealing with doubts (yours and others’)
Building new routines
Discovering your child’s learning style

It’s also often the most rewarding. You’re:

Building relationships
Watching your child discover interests
Seeing learning happen in unexpected places
Gaining confidence
Creating a family culture

Common First-Year Challenges

”I feel like I’m failing”

Every homeschool parent feels this at some point. Usually it means:

You care deeply about your child’s education (good!)
You’re comparing yourself to an ideal that doesn’t exist
You’re in a transition period

Solution: Connect with other homeschoolers. You’ll quickly realize everyone has hard days, weeks, even seasons.

”My child resists doing work”

Common causes:

Deschooling isn’t complete
The approach isn’t a good fit
The work is too easy or too hard
There’s a power struggle happening

Solution: Back off, reassess, try something different. Relationships are more important than any worksheet.

”I’m overwhelmed by the choices”

Solution: Start simple. You don’t need to do everything. Focus on the basics and add from there. Remember that your relationship with your child matters more than any curriculum choice.

”People keep asking about socialization”

Solution: Prepare a confident response. “We’re part of a homeschool group, do sports, and have friends in the neighborhood. Actually, my kids have more time for social activities because they’re not stuck in a classroom all day.”

Then prove it: stay involved in activities and build real friendships.

You Can Do This

Homeschooling is a journey, not a destination. Some days will be magical. Some days will be hard. Most will be a mix of both - just like parenting, just like life.

You are qualified to homeschool your child. You know them better than anyone. You care about their success more than anyone. You can learn alongside them. You can find resources and community. You can figure this out.

Children are designed to learn. They’re born curious. They don’t stop learning just because they’re not in school. In fact, many families find that their children learn more authentically and enthusiastically outside of school.

What’s Next?

Now that you understand how to start homeschooling, take the next steps:

Research your state’s specific requirements at hslda.org
Connect with local homeschoolers who can answer your questions
Start simply - you can always add more later
Document your journey with a homeschool tracker app or simple notebook

Trust yourself. Trust your child. Trust the process.

You’ve got this.

Ready to start your homeschooling journey? Homeschooly makes it simple to track your child’s learning, maintain records, and create beautiful portfolios - so you can focus on what matters most: learning together.