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Please note: this article discusses homeschool curriculums for elementary students with working parents. If you are a working parent looking for a homeschool curriculum for older kids, please check out our other articles: Best Homeschool Curriculum for Working Parents – High School and Best Homeschool Curriculum for Working Parents – Middle School.
- Best All-Around: Calvert Homeschool Complete Curriculum
- Best Christian-Based: SchoolhouseTeachers.com
- Most Budget-Friendly: ABCMouse.com
These days, many parents are interested in homeschooling their children but wonder if it’s really possible since they have to work. The answer is YES! Thanks to excellent online and independent, student-led curriculum options, homeschooling while working is becoming more and more feasible for many families. Every family’s situation is different, of course, and you’ll need to consider your children’s ages, special needs, and whether you have other helpers – such as family members or nannies – who can keep your kids on track while you’re at work. If you do choose to homeschool while working, check out our article Homeschooling While Working Part Time for tips!
If you do decide to homeschool an elementary child while working part- or full-time, you’ll want to make sure you choose a curriculum that your child can complete fairly independently and that requires minimal parental involvement on a daily basis. In this article, we’ll tell you about three of our favorite elementary homeschool curriculums for kids whose parents work.
Best All-Around
Calvert Homeschool Complete Curriculum
If you are looking for a solid, thorough homeschool curriculum for your elementary student, consider the excellent courses offered by Calvert Homeschool. Calvert has been publishing top-notch secular homeschool curriculums for many years. Its K-2 curriculum is still published in print format, while all of its grade 3-12 programs have now gone completely online. Both the print and online courses will provide your student with an approachable, user-friendly homeschooling experience that is easy for working parents to manage.
If your child is in grades K-2, you’ll want to purchase the complete curriculum kit at the appropriate grade level. The kindergarten kit covers language arts and math only, while the first and second grade kits include courses in language arts, math, science, and a combined history and geography. Each course in the kit is clearly organized, with teacher’s guides that give step-by-step daily lesson plans. There are 10 consumable workbooks for each course along with supplementary readers. If you purchase the curriculum kits on Calvert’s website, you’ll also receive a starter kit that includes supplementary materials like flashcards and math manipulatives.
If your child is in third grade or higher, he or she will need to take Calvert’s courses online. The online platform is media-rich and dynamic, and it makes homeschooling engaging for kids and simple for parents. There are no virtual courses or Zoom sessions. Students work at their own pace, any time of day, while parents can login to the “Teacher’s Dashboard” anytime to check on their kids’ progress. The platform keeps track of schedules and assignments and does most of the grading automatically. There are several different subscription options available for the Calvert’s online courses.
Because of their flexibility and simplicity, Calvert Homeschool’s print and online courses are an excellent option if you are homeschooling an elementary student while working part- or full-time. If your student is very young (early elementary) and will be using the print curriculum, you’ll need to make sure that a caretaker or family member is available to guide them through the material.
If you have an older elementary student that will be taking the online courses, he or she will likely be able to do much of the work independently, but you should still make sure there is an adult or older sibling available to help when needed. Remember also that, because of the flexibility built into Calvert’s homeschool courses, your child can also complete some or all of his courses at whatever time of day or week works best for your family.
Best Christian-Based
SchoolhouseTeachers.com
If you are looking for a thorough and user-friendly online homeschool experience that is Bible-based, consider the excellent programs offered by SchoolhouseTeachers.com. SchoolhouseTeachers makes homeschooling easier than ever for the modern Christian family! The website offers a full range of courses for grades K-12, including core courses and electives like art, music, foreign language, and Bible. Hundreds of videos and supplementary materials make the student experience rich and engaging.
SchoolhouseTeachers has affordable subscription plans that can be used for every child in your family. For the most convenient experience, choose a subscription option and then select the “School Box” for your child’s grade level. You will receive access to all the online, downloadable, and streaming materials for your child’s grade, and you will also be sent supplementary materials such as art supplies.
SchoolhouseTeachers also makes planning and record-keeping a breeze for parents. Step-by-step lesson plans are provided as well as a digital planner so you can design a schedule that works best for your family. You can easily track your kids’ progress, assignments, and grades through the website. You can even print reward and achievement certificates for your children!
One of the unique features of SchoolhouseTeachers is the sheer variety of courses offered. Students can take not only standard core classes but also many different electives, and there are tons of shorter, unit-study options such as breadmaking, African-American literature, and a course called “Discovering disgusting creatures”. With SchoolhouseTeachers, your children can truly immerse themselves in fascinating courses that aren’t available to them elsewhere.
Most Budget-Friendly
ABCmouse.com
If you are a working parent who homeschools, another excellent curriculum option is ABCmouse.com. The website, which can be accessed through a desktop, smartphone, iPad, or other tablet, educates children in reading, math, science, social studies, and art using fun, colorful, interactive games. It is also very budget-friendly, with subscription plans that cost less than $10 per month (special discount plans are also available, including one that costs $59.95 for an entire year).
ABCmouse is an excellent supplement to other homeschool curriculums, but it can also be used as a stand-alone curriculum. There are two programs appropriate for different age groups. The ABCmouse Early Learning Academy is designed for kids ages 2-8 and covers reading, math, science, and art. The second program is called Adventure Academy and is designed for kids 8-13. It covers language arts, math, science, and social studies.
Both ABCmouse programs are easy for kids to navigate and learn from independently. The programs are carefully designed with different levels so that kids gradually progress through the material, building on their skills as they go. Kids can read books, watch educational videos, color pictures, complete puzzles, play math games, and do tons of other activities. Meanwhile, the program itself keeps track of students’ progress and guides them level by level to the activities they are ready for next. While kids feel like they are just playing fun games, they are actually working through a complete elementary school curriculum! We highly recommend this effective and engaging curriculum for all kids, especially those with working parents!
Conclusion
If you are a working parent homeschooling an elementary student, research your curriculum options carefully and choose a program that your student can complete with minimal parental involvement. If you want more tips about homeschooling while working, see our article Homeschooling While Working Part Time. If you are homeschooling an older child, check out our related articles Best Homeschool Curriculum for Working Parents – Middle School and Best Homeschool Curriculum for Working Parents – High School.