Homeschooling doesn’t have to be expensive! Thankfully there are many free complete curriculum options to choose from that include everything you need to successfully homeschool!
If you’re considering homeschooling but aren’t sure you might want to check out my 10 Reasons Why You Should Homeschool, Can Homeschooling Improve Your Child’s Behavior, and 7 Big Misconceptions About Homeschoolers, or just click on the family tab in my menu and choose homeschooling from the drop-down menu!
When I first started homeschooling we used a local cyber school. They provided us with a computer, printer and a complete curriculum. It was before there were online classes so I did all of the teaching and it really helped me get used to homeschooling while having the safety net of knowing that we were covering all our subjects.
Years later I switched to a more eclectic style where I piece together programs for my kids based on what they like, what they’re interested in, and new things to try. It works well for my youngest but my middle one prefers a more complete program with everything in one place.
Well if you’ve looked at homeschool curriculum you might have gone into sticker shock. There are some great ones but often they come with a pretty hefty price tag. I’m not saying they’re not worth it, they are, but when you are just starting out homeschooling, if you are trying not to spend a fortune, or if you have multiple kids, those prices can add up.
Thankfully there are a bunch of programs out there that are complete homeschool curriculums that are completely FREE! Yes, free homeschool curriculum that will cover all the subject your child needs without costing a fortune.
With some of them, you will need supplementary materials like books or supplies. But you can always hit the library to keep costs at a minimum!
Also, I’ve included both secular and Christian options I’ve noted them in the description and included if it is easy to omit the religious portions if you would like to.
I haven’t personally used all of these and I encourage you to check them out to find one that will be a great fit for your family! The best part is if your child doesn’t like them you can try another because they’re free!
*note- some complete curriculums don’t include math, they cover all the other subjects though so that almost everything is in one place. I have made notes on the ones that don’t include math.
Khan Academy –
Khan Academy is one of the most complete free learning resources you will find. You can find math, science, grammar, arts & humanities and more! Their levels cover everything from elementary to AP high school level. Students can learn at their own pace with easy to understand videos, and lessons. Their content is created by experts and is used across the country by teachers and students to enhance learning and comprehension.
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool-
Easy Peasy All in One Homeschool is a program for kids kindergarten through high school! It was created by a mom who wanted her children to be able to work independently! You set up your child’s schedule and then they are able to click on each day and do their work!
” EP grade levels and individual courses include 180 days of homeschool lessons and assignments. It covers reading, writing, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, math, history/social studies/geography, science, Spanish, Bible, computer, music, art, PE/health, and logic. It uses only free materials found on the internet. “
Easy Peasy is considered a Christian program but can easily be made secular by skipping the Bible lessons, so it can be used by any family!
Ambleside Online–
Ambleside Online is, “a free homeschool curriculum that uses Charlotte Mason’s classically-based principles to prepare children for a life of rich relationships with everything around them: God, humanity, and the natural world. AO’s detailed schedules, time-tested methods, and extensive teacher resources allow parents to focus effectively on the unique needs of each child. ” (Not familiar with Charlotte Mason style homeschooling? Learn more here)
Ambleside’s curriculum includes reading classics, nature studies, composer studies and more. It does not include a math curriculum so you will have to supplement that (Khan Academy would be a great option!) It is designed to be done in bite-size chunks and should only take a few hours a day. It is a great flexible style homeschool curriculum!
Discovery K12
Discovery K12 is a completely secular program that covers all of your main subjects and more their courses include- Language Arts, Reading/Literature, Math, Science, History/Social Studies, Visual/Performing Arts, and Physical Education
The student account is completely FREE and includes access to the full curriculum. If you want to upgrade and add a parent account you can view grades, progress and more.
Discovery K12 is accessible from any device so your child can use a computer or tablet to get their work finished!
Virtual Homeschool Group –
Virtual Homeschool Group is a bit different from other free online curriculums. It is a virtual homeschool course co-op that is run by volunteers. Here’s what their website says-
” We offer 2 main types of classes: AYOP (at your own pace) and Live. AYOP classes seat any number of students and you can enroll year round. You use those classes however you choose at whatever schedule you choose. Saxon Math and Apologia Science classes are offered each year AYOP. Anyone can sign up for those classes at any time. Live classes vary year by year based on what we have volunteers for. In the past we have had live classes for math, science, literature, writing, study skills, foreign languages, and a great variety of electives. There is no guarantee of what live classes will be offered. It is totally up to the volunteers. “
Check the website for more information about joining classes or volunteering to teach!
An Old Fashioned Education-
Similar to Ambleside, An Old Fashioned Education is a Christian Charlotte Mason based program that focuses on classic literature and “living books”
They have organized these texts by subject and added supplementary materials to create an easy to follow program for ages k-12 complete with a schedule that you can follow.
Math is not included so you would need to add that in.
CK-12-
CK-12 believes that each student is different and that learning is a personal journey, they pair high quality content with the latest technology to create a unique and effective learning experience.
Content is broken down and presented in multiple modalities to fit different learning styles and you can access CK-12 on your desktop, tablet, or mobile phone.
Subjects included are Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and more! Lessons include reading from “Flexbooks”, watching videos, and practice questions. It is self-paced and can be done independently!
Georgia Virtual School– (High School)
Georgia Virtual School is a unique program in that it is the online offering through the state of Georgia. There are a limited amount of spots available for homeschooled students on a first come first-served basis.
Homeschool College USA- (High School)
Homeschool College USA is a great option for high school students who want to earn college credit!
” The aim of Homeschool College USA is to provide resources for students to earn their fully accredited college degrees from home at a small fraction of the cost of “going away to school.” You do not need to wait until you’ve graduated high school to begin earning your college credits, but we understand that for various reasons, you may not be ready or financially able to pursue this avenue at this time. The following course plans are provided for any students who want to homeschool through high school, but cannot afford to purchase expensive curriculum packages. All courses and resources are free. (You may wish to purchase the 4 novels used each year as part of your English/Language Arts program, or you can look for these books at your local library.) “
MobyMax-
MobyMax is a highly recognized and awarded program that was designed to help educate and fill in learning gaps. Originally designed for schools it has been widely used by homeschool families for years because of the quality of the programs. ( Here is how to sign up for a homeschool account)
” MobyMax is simply the best and most in-depth e-curriculum available. It’s research-proven curriculum, not “edu-tainment,” like many products marketed to homeschoolers.”
MobyMax covers all subjects and offers dynamic learning and student motivation to help your child learn and have fun! No schedule is provided, so it is up to the parent to either assign a certain number of lessons or amount of time per day. While the free version of MobyMax includes the entire curriculum, there is a paid version available that includes additional features like progress monitoring, custom assessments, printable worksheets, and student motivational tools.
Plain and Not So Plain-
Developed by a homeschooling mom of 10 this free Christian curriculum includes math & english for 1st-9th grade. Want to learn more about it? Check out this informative video
Under the Home- (K-4th Grade)
If you are looking for a program that is easy to navigate you’ll want to check out Under the Home.
“Under the Home seeks to provide homeschooling families free, convenient, and ad-free online access to music, art, narrated poetry and prose, time-proven texts, helpful teaching guides, and printouts for subjects such as copywork.
Under the Home is for those who desire to play a role in teaching their children, but do not want to spend countless hours seeking out materials and preparing for lessons. At Under the Home, all digital curriculum materials (e.g. digital textbooks, literature, music, art, poems, lesson guides) are included for the provided topics. Other than typical school supplies, inexpensive art supplies, and printer ink and paper, there are no additional materials or textbooks to purchase.
At the time of this writing, Under the Home offers instructors and children 52 courses in grades K-4. Lesson guides, enrichment activities, review questions, and/or audio recordings accompany most lessons.”
Core Knowledge –
The core knowledge curriculum covers Language Arts, History & Geography, Science. Their lessons align with common core so they may be a great option if you are taking a break from school and intend to send your child back.
” Knowledge-based schooling puts the emphasis of early education on teaching and learning an enabling core of broadly shared knowledge—enabling because it builds strong foundations for later learning and opens doors to effective participation and mutual understanding in the wider society. “
Curriculum Pathways-
*Note- Curriculum Pathways will retire at the end of the 20-21 school year and will no longer be available.
This resource is a little different than some of the others. Curriculum Pathways offers a ton of resources for grades K-12 in a huge variety of subjects. They have everything you need for a well rounded education.
However, there isn’t any specified schedule or order with which to use the resources so you would need to organize them in a way that works for your family.
Mater Amabilis-
Mater Amabilis is one of the most complete curriculums on this list (it does not include math) This program offers English, History, Geography, Science & Nature Study, Foreign Language, Music, Art, Latin and Bible/Religious studies!
This is a Charlotte Mason style program designed for Catholics. Even if you aren’t Catholic you may want to check it out. The extensive lessons are for K-12 and omitting the religious portions would be fairly easy.
HippoCampus-
I debated on including this one because it isn’t really a curriculum, but if you are creative or like a more eclectic approach it is an amazing resource! With over 7000 videos in 13 subject areas you could easily create lessons or supplement what your child is learning. Perfect if your student learns well from videos!
Brightly Beaming Resources (Pre-School – Elementary)
This simple curriculum focuses on the basics for young kids. You’ll find programs like “the letter of the week” to help teach foundational lessons. For older kids Science and Spelling are added in as well as studies about different countries. This is a great place to start for anyone who has young kids and is just getting started with homeschooling.
I hope there is something on this list of free homeschool curriculum that will serve your family well. Remember you can always change if one doesn’t work for you. You can also mix and match if you like aspects of one for some subjects and another for others.
Homeschooling doesn’t have to cost a fortune, you can use free resources like these to create a well rounded personalized education for your children!
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