It's really fun to get started homeschooling! But, there is so much out there that you have to sift through. Here are some recommendations as you begin.
Figure out what style of curriculum you can use well (one that is written the way that you think). For years I wanted books that had 1 lesson per day so that I would know exactly what was expected. I could always do something different, but I knew what a normal progression would look like. I did not like (as much :0) when a book suggested that I could spend "a week or two on a lesson." I did not know how this would look day to day. Find something that is laid out in a way you can understand. A variety of options could work well for your kids if you, as the teacher, are having fun, energetic, able to know what is going on, and able to communicate it to your child with patience.
Figure out how your kids learn. If you have an extremely energetic boy who wants to climb the walls all the time do not expect him to sit and do workbooks all day. If you have a kid that wants to get done quickly with school don't drag it on and on with fancy games if he would rather do a black and white math sheet. This requires insight. I am a big fan of giving kids freedom and being fun about when and where school happens. However, little kids need the skill of sitting still and focusing on a task. Do some of both. Work with them as much as you can and stretch them some to strengthen the things they are not good at. Familiarize yourself with learning styles but don't box your kids in.
This is a helpful guide.
Establish cheerful, exact, first time obedience. I know at this point you are looking for an actual book recommendation, but these things are truly more important as you get started. Your older kids will set the tone for your home. If you can cheerfully require them to do what you ask them to do, the first time with a good attitude it will make all of your homeschooling years much easier and more fun. So, be very clear about what you are asking them to do. Make them stop and look you in the eye. Ask them to repeat it if you think they need that. Then discipline them (sweetly and kindly) every time that they don't do it (when you can...sometimes life makes it hard to do EVERY time :0). I said exact above because sometimes they will do a version of what you asked, but it is obvious to them and you that they are still trying to keep control and not do exactly what you are asking. The discipline could be a spanking (if it is willful disobedience), or, if you have a compliant-but-spacey kid that just has trouble remembering what you say, then you could have them run a lap around the house or go to their room and sit there for 5 minutes, or clean something. Anything to shake them out of their slumber and make them realize that they need to obey. Praise your kids tons when they obey and do a good job!! They need to get more attention when obeying than when disobeying.
Create a fun learning environment! Get out paints, spend money on good books, bring the things they find outdoors in and set them on your table. Hang up their drawings. Draw with them. Play scrabble with them as they sound out 3 letter words. Go on field trips everywhere. Just try to be fun. This is always a challenge. When you have all little ones it can seem like there are no big helpers and you are exhausted. When your older ones get bigger then you have "more important things" that can't fall through the cracks so you quit fitting in the fun things with your littles. But, making time to create a fun learning environment should be a huge priority. Let go of decor a little and hang up maps and other cool learning things if you your kids get into it.
Now, for a few recommendations for what to use.
Bible. It's by far the most important thing to teach them. The fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom and knowledge. I said elsewhere that if they have read tons of great literature, but don't love the Lord, His Word, and their neighbor then we are missing the boat. Use the
Bible Project animated videos (they are amazing!), Bible Story Books, and printable resources like
this or like
these. Teach them anything you can about the Bible so that they know it as well as possible. Use Proverbs a lot and use songs a lot! We love the
Harrow Family,
Jamie Soles, and
Randall Goodgame. I have only heard the albums by Randall Goodgame and have not seen the videos yet. Dance around with them and sing them.
I have used
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Teaching Reading for all of my kids (after trying a few other things first). I also use the
Leap Frog Letter Factory DVD and skip the first 26 lessons in The Ordinary Parent's Guide. I don't recommend lots of videos, but if you are going to do 1 a day make it something really useful that teaches phonics or Bible. You could also use
this free guide that I am using with one of mine right now. We just needed to change it up. This is only 52 pages and it has been fun! I recommend focusing on one kid at a time when teaching reading. Let the oldest get pretty solid before you start adding the next one in. It can be very discouraging if a younger sibling passes the older one. But also don't get stressed if it takes a while for someone to "get it". My latest reader is one of my best readers.
The
Revised McGuffey Readers. I don't use this to teach reading, but after they are reading a little bit these are terrific resources for copywork, narration, dictation, spelling, and drawing. Especially when used in conjunction with these
Lesson Books. I love this system!
We have never been part of a Classical Conversations co-op, but we have used their memory work at home. We have enjoyed the
history sentences (set to a song) from cycles 1-3 and the
timeline song and cards that go with it.
I have used the
Ambleside Online booklist and love it though I might do things in later grades than they suggest.
My kids LOVE
Storytime with the Millers and all of the others in the series.
I have used the
Explode the Code series and I think it has reinforced things that I teach them in other ways. There are also books A, B, and C that go before books 1-4 if you want to start them in something easier. Those 3 are more pre-reading.
Math U See is great.
Read aloud as much as you can! Read everything to them. This really helps when they begin reading because they are used to the flow of written language and can anticipate what the next word might be. It is also just lots of fun and a good way to educate them on a variety of topics. Let them play with blocks or color as long as they are not too loud. This will never look perfect and it will always be interrupted! But just keep plugging along. Read stuff at their level, just above, funny stuff, non-fiction, and really good literature.
Make them go outside (with you and without you) and start learning about nature together.
These are great!
I started off reading the
Three R's. You could only get this one book and have everything you needed if it was up your alley. I wanted something a little more structured, but the ideas here are great!
You could use
Montessori. I think this is especially helpful for boys because it challenges them to sit and do an activity precisely, but they are very quick. This book will help your kids learn to do things for themselves that will help you.
We have also used
My Father's World and
Sonlight at different times and enjoyed them when we did.
Last, but not least, pray all through this process. Ask for divine guidance and insight and He will give it to you!
