How to Use the Summer to Prepare for Your Best Homeschool Year Yet - Pt 2

The summer months are one of my favorite times to plan for a new homeschool year. As the weather gets hotter and we're spending more time indoors during the middle of the day, it's the perfect opportunity to slow down, dream a little, and thoughtfully prepare for the months ahead.

Instead of scrambling to make curriculum decisions a week before school starts, I like to use this season to review what's available, compare my options, and choose resources that truly fit my family's needs.

If you've already taken the time to set goals for each of your children, you're ready for the next step: choosing curriculum that will help you reach those goals. If you haven't set goals check out this post.

With so many wonderful options available today, it's easy to become overwhelmed or distracted by the latest trends and glowing recommendations. The key is remembering that curriculum is simply a tool. The best curriculum isn't necessarily the newest or most popular—it's the one that helps your family accomplish what you've set out to do.

To help make the process a little less overwhelming, I've put together my top 10 tips for researching, reviewing, and choosing homeschool curriculum. These are the same strategies I use every summer to evaluate new resources, avoid impulse purchases, and build a homeschool year that supports both my children and my teaching style.

Curriculum is a tool! Each kid might need something different. No two people learn the same.

1. Start with Your Goals Before looking at curriculum, review the goals you've created for each child. Your curriculum should help move those goals forward, not distract from them. Think of curriculum as a tool—the right tool makes the job much easier.

   
   

2. Decide What Kind of Homeschool You Want Consider the overall feel of your

   homeschool. Do you want a literature-rich environment? An online program? Traditional textbooks? Hands-on learning? Your preferred homeschool style will naturally narrow down your curriculum choices.

   
   

3. Research Different Homeschool Philosophies Understanding different homeschool approaches can help you choose curriculum that fits your family's values and teaching style instead of simply following what's popular.

   
   

4. Be Thoughtful About YouTube Reviews Curriculum reviews on YouTube can be incredibly helpful, but always consider the reviewer's perspective. Ask yourself:

   • Do their educational goals match yours?

   • Are they coming from a secular or faith-based perspective?

   • Do they value academic rigor, flexibility, or unschooling?

   • Are they showing the curriculum itself or simply sharing their opinion?

     
     

5. Use Trusted Review Sites Resources like Cathy Duffy Reviews and homeschool blogs often provide detailed, organized reviews that can save you time and help you compare options more effectively.

   
   

6. Skip the Facebook Comment Section Try not to base curriculum decisions on a few social media comments. A couple of short opinions rarely give you enough information to evaluate whether a curriculum will work well for your family.

   
   

7. Download Free Samples Many publishers offer free sample lessons. Work through them with your child to see if the teaching style, pacing, and layout are a good fit before making a purchase.

   
   

8. Visit Curriculum Sales and Lending Libraries If you have access to a used curriculum sale, homeschool bookstore, or curriculum lending library, take advantage of it. Seeing materials in person often tells you much more than online descriptions.

   
   

9. Compare Before You Buy Don't purchase the first curriculum that catches your eye. Compare several options based on your priorities, such as teaching style, cost, preparation time, worldview, flexibility, and how well each one supports your goals.

   
   

10. Use a Comparison Worksheet Keeping your research organized makes decision-making much easier. I've created a curriculum comparison worksheet that I use both in consultations and for my own homeschool planning. It helps you evaluate your options side by side so you can confidently choose the curriculum that's the best fit for your family.

Remember, there isn't one "perfect" curriculum. The best curriculum is the one that supports your family's goals, fits your homeschool style, and helps your children grow and thrive.

Check out that comparison chart here.