I’m excited to share with you some of the wonderful resources that my kids love. Homeschooling doesn’t need to be boring, and subscriptions can help add a bit of spice to the monotony of your daily routine. My hope is that this list will provide you with some fun ideas for you and your family. So, let’s get started!
Letters From Afar
As a former middle school social studies teacher, I love resources that help bring history and geography alive. Letters From Afar does just that with tales from Isabelle as she journeys around the globe.
The letters are created by an artist (and a graduated homeschooler!) Shawnee Mills. She digitally crafts each monthly letter herself and prints them out on thick, high-quality paper with an accompanying map and field notes from Isabelle.
My kids and I love receiving these letters and store them in a binder for future reference. These letters are also my go-to Christmas gifts for family and friends with children.
Honest History
Another great resource that helps bring history alive is Honest History. These well-researched and thoughtfully crafted quarterly magazines are keepsakes much like Letters From Afar. Each issue explores people’s lives and events around a single topic and includes fun DIY crafts and activities.
The illustrations coupled with the deep dive into history are what makes these magazines stand out. I wish I had ordered our subscription earlier and plan on purchasing the Capsule Collection (use promo code ‘homeschoolfront’ for 10% off) to add to our bookshelves.
MEL Science
We’ve tried quite a few different science kits over the years, and MEL Science is by far our favorite of the bunch. The company now offers 4 different subscriptions, MEL Chemistry, MEL Physics, MEL Kids, and MEL Chemistry Lite.
We currently subscribe to MEL Chemistry and plan on getting the MEL Physics this next school year. The kits are expertly designed by scientists and include hands-on experiments, VR technology, and live lessons with teachers. I appreciate the latter as I don’t always have the answers, while my kids love doing the experiments and always fight over who gets to watch the VR videos first.
Art History Kids
Graphic designer and homeschooling mom Lotus offers a wonderful membership program at Art History Kids called The Studio. With the membership, you get access to a monthly art appreciation course and an open-ended art project that my kids love participating in.
Enrollment for The Studio only happens a few times a year, so be sure to get on her waiting list if you’re interested. If you’d like to glimpse what The Studio is like, I recommend you pick up an art guide, purchase a workshop, or sign up for her new Modern Art Course.
Universal Yums
This subscription box is by far my kids’ favorite thing to get in the mail. Universal Yums delivers sweet and salty snacks from a different country each month. In addition to the snacks, you’ll also get a booklet full of interesting facts and trivia and a gameboard to mark your opinion on each snack.
We like to couple our box with corresponding Letters From Afar if available. Together the two subscriptions make a fun and exciting way to explore geography with the kids.
Bitsbox
Laughter and giggles that’s all I hear when my kids are busy coding apps from Bitsbox. This monthly subscription includes a binder, app project cards, a parent guide, and more. I love how my kids can work independently on it while they love to modify and play the cool apps they create.
Final Thoughts
I hope you and your family end up loving these resources as much as we do. There are so many different ways to homeschool, and using subscriptions can not only help make your life a bit easier but also bring a bit more excitement to your homeschool.
Have you used any of these resources? What’s your favorite?
Xuan Klevecka is a Southern California-based homeschool mom, wife, and sometimes purveyor of vintage goods. She’s an Enneagram 5w4, a lover of good food, and a former middle school history teacher. You’ll either find her looking at road maps and daydreaming about her family’s next epic adventure or perusing recipes and cooking up a feast for the brood.
