Can you homeschool without internet?
If you’ve ever considered unplugged homeschooling, here are ideas on how to create your own offline homeschooling programs so you can homeschool without a computers or the internet and home educate with things you probably already have for internet-free homeschooling experiences!
You can homeschool without a computer and internet access successfully and have fun learning without technology for screen-free learning or when the internet is down.
How To Homeschool Without Internet
We’re so accustomed to learning with internet that we wonder how is homeschooling offline even possible, is screen-free learning fun, or how can I homeschool my children without the internet?
You really can homeschool without internet connected and still have effective and interactive lessons!
I’ll cover back-to-school tips and help for students without internet or if you want to incorporate more unplugged homeschool materials.
Can you homeschool without a computer and internet access?
You may be wondering, do you need a computer for homeschooling?
Although homeschooling is much easier with a computer and internet access, it is possible to school at home without them:
- Check out a boxed homeschool curriculum that doesn’t use internet access
- Plan unit studies around topics that involve library books and hands-on activities
- Use gameschooling with fun learning games
Remember, learning comes in many different forms and it doesn’t have to be an in-person class or taking an online course or even following a curriculum or using workbooks and worksheets!
Homeschooling Reminder
School at home takes a complete shift in thinking.
You are NOT recreating a school environment at home. YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING BETTER!
You have the ability to allow your child to learn in a way that best suits their learning style and abilities.
And, sometimes that doesn’t mean textbooks, workbooks, or following a specific curriculum online.
(It’s really exciting if you think about it!)
ALSO CHECK OUT HOW TO MAKE AN OFFLINE LEARNING KIT FOR KIDS & TEACHERS
Here’s how you can create your own mostly free offline homeschooling programs (and you won’t even need a free homeschool curriculum!):
How To Homeschool Without Internet 24 Different Ways
- Find a best offline homeschool curriculum that works for your family.
- Read together and separately.
- Use Julia Rothman books to make really fun learning units (or any other of your favorite books).
- Do an outdoor nature scavenger hunt.
- Choose random items around your house and then write a story about them.
- Play board games.
- Play video games.
- Paint or draw.
- Create a comic book.
- Do crafts.
- Work on workbooks.
- Go on a hike and nature journal.
- Create an indoor or outdoor obstacle course for PE class.
- Cook to practice reading, math, nutrition, teamwork and more.
- Do busy bags with random items and have them create something out of it. (Great STEM thought process!)
- Write letters to friends and family to practice writing, grammar, and printing/cursive.
- Volunteer and get community service hours.
- Go to museums to cover art, science, music and more.
- Do puzzles for critical thinking and even shapes practice.
- Learn about animals at the zoo.
- Grow your own food (in a garden or in containers on a balcony/window sill) to cover STEM and even life skills.
- Do science projects for STEM.
- Look for in-person, local homeschool programs without internet.
- Identify birds, wildflowers, or trees you see in your yard or at the park for nature studies.
Learning without internet is possible because so much learning takes place in everyday things!
LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC HOMESCHOOL CURRICULUM TO USE WITHOUT INTERNET? CHECK OUT:
45 Teach at Home Resources (By Grade / Level) for Offline Learning
A Word About Offline Curriculum for Homeschooling…
Some of you right now might be like ::eyerollsigh:: because you want to follow a step-by-step process and are more comfortable with textbooks, workbooks, or following a straight curriculum.
I get it.
However, I encourage you to take a step back for a minute and think about (or observe) how your child learns best, and it might not be with a textbook and workbook.
(For some kids, it might be, though!)
Homeschooling Tips for Screen-Free Leearning:
- Does your child learn best working with his/her hands (like crafts, Legos, etc.)? Try a hands-on STEM book where they’ll work on reading, math, science, critical thinking, creating and more!
- Does your child love worksheets and thrive doing copy work and progressing through a workbook? Try an age-appropriate curriculum workbook for an unplugged homeschool curriculum!
- Does your kid learn better by watching? Watch educational documentaries.
If you’re looking for an offline homeschool curriculum, I really suggest starting with a unit study.
Ask your kids what topic they want to study (for example: Minecraft) and then build a learning unit around it:
- Read books about Minecraft (reading)
- Code in the Minecraft game (math, critical thinking, strategy, creativity) using the free library internet & computers
- Grab a Minecraft curriculum workbook that covers math, reading, and STEM all in one place
- Cook some Minecraft food recipes (reading, math, teamwork)
And on and on! (You can even find free Minecraft worksheets online!)
This can done with any topic and adjusted to any age/grade/level.
Unit studies also work really well if you are homeschooling kids of different ages, grades, or learning levels!
How To Homeschool Without Internet
Check out these 4 Ideas for Unplugged Homeschooling and Creating Fun Offline Homeschooling Programs
How To Homeschool Without Internet Idea #1: Subscription Boxes
If you’ve never done them, subscription boxes are a boxes of goodies that are mailed to you at intervals on different topics and they’re a ton of fun.
Subscription boxes and homeschool kits by mail are a great way to homeschool offline.
Each box (or the subscription) is based around a different them like STEM, art, history, games, nature, and more.
You can help your learner expand their mind and creativity with one these boxes each month.
CHECK OUT: Best Affordable Subscription Boxes for Kids
READ THIS NEXT: Why Is Creativity So Important in Learning?
How To Homeschool Without Internet Idea #2: Arts and Crafts
A bit of a no-brainer here, but I try to always have some arts and crafts supplies like this so we can be creative.
I usually pick up inexpensive stuff from the Dollar Store or when I see them on sale and just keep them in a tub.
Sometimes we have specific arts or crafts projects to do, but a lot of the time we just create on our own.
READ THIS NEXT: How to Bust Boredom (in creative and fun ways they won’t even realize!)
How To Homeschool Without Internet #3: Books
I know this is a given, but I think most of us forget how many fun ways we can use books for learning that go way beyond just reading the story.
Try a recipe and read where you create a themed recipe that goes along with a fun children’s book. For example, you can make these green eggs and ham candies to go with Dr. Seuss books or this fun one to go with the book (which ended up being one of my daughter’s favorite activities that she still talks about!).
READ THIS NEXT: Teaching How To Read Is Sucking All The Fun (DO THIS INSTEAD)
How To Homeschool Without Internet #4: Learning Board Games
Games are a great (FUN!) go-to when talking about how to homeschool without a screen or internet.
I am always searching for fun board games and, if they educate while you play, then even better!
If you want to bulk up your home board games and card games, check thrift stores. I’ve gotten so many games from there
SEE THIS POST ALL ABOUT GAMESCHOOLING FOR HOMESCHOOL
Have fun!
WITH A LITTLE CREATIVITY, YOU CAN SUCCESSFULLY HOMESCHOOL WITHOUT INTERNET!
I can’t afford internet I’m a single mom who works a lot!! My daughter is in 8 th grade and I need help homeschooling her help please
Hey Karie, Did you see the email I sent? Also, be sure to check out our HOW TO HOMESCHOOL FOR FREE post: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/free-homeschool/
what an uninformative page. almost as confusing as what they send home from school before this. our family needs
4 subjects, 4 textbooks, for a second grader. we dont need advice for cooking or art or entertainment. thats the easy part.
we need to graduate our 8 year old from the 2nd grade this year with a set of books we will read from front to back.
Hi Che,
Do you usually traditionally school or do you homeschool already? Let’s start there and we can get you some help!
Also, part of the goal of this post was to remind parents that kids learn naturally through a variety of ways (and not just textbooks and worksheets). For example, cooking isn’t just cooking, it’s also reading and math and teamwork and nutrition and is learning in real-world situations.
Let’s chat! We can definitely help you more with your situation.
I want to homeschool without the internet. My 5th grader struggles so much with the school curriculum, he’s a visual learner mostly. And sadly I’m not tech savvy or apparently to smart because I have trouble helping with his school work, it’s all so confusing and they don’t explain to the parents what to do so we can help them. The school is just willfully letting my son slip through the cracks and I have recently decided that it’s time to take it upon myself. But it’s hard to understand what to do. Do we have to do state testing? How do I know what he needs to learn to stay with his age range? I need help going in the right direction please. I’ve Never done this and want to do right by my son. Please any and all help is appreciated.
Hi Heather,
Thanks for stopping by and trusting us to help you! First, the overwhelm that you’re feeling is what all of us felt at the beginning of our homeschool journey. On top of that, you’re dealing with all the weird circumstances of our time right now. I’m sorry you’re dealing with all this!
Here’s what you need to do:
1. Check your state homeschooling laws. Every state has different laws and you need to know what yours are.
2. Un-enroll your child from the current school. You’ll usually just say you are transferring your child to private school. (Many states categorize homeschool as private school.) This is where it’s important to know your state laws because traditional schools hardly ever know the process (and will tell you that you need to do things that you really don’t).
3. DESCHOOL. This is one of the most important steps for success for you AND your child. READ HOW HERE: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/what-is-deschooling/
4. Ask your kid what he wants to learn about. (FOR REAL.) And then, build subjects around his interests. Learn how here: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/what-are-homeschool-unit-studies/
Also, as a new homeschool family, you may find this helpful: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/how-to-homeschool/
Let me know if you have any questions after you look through those resources.
I am wanting to homeschool my granddaughter. She is 12 and will turn 13 in September. She wants to be home school and her dad and i are willing to do it, my question is do i have to have a curiculiam or what and how do i teach her
Hi Margie,
That’s great! Welcome to homeschooling! The first thing you need to do is check your state homeschooling laws. Every state has different laws and it’s important that you know what your state requires. (Just Google “homeschool laws [your state]”)
Next, it sounds like you’re transferring your granddaughter from traditional school, so you’ll want to allow for a period of deschooling. I would NOT pick a curriculum yet and I would deschool. You can learn about it here: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/what-is-deschooling/
After that, read this: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/how-do-you-start-homeschooling-your-child-today/
Lastly, join our private homeschool group for new homeschoolers where you can ask questions and get info and support: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hssfnewbies/
I’ve tried homeschooling but its confusing and my child is losing motivation, help me figure this out.
Hi Michele. I’m so sorry for your frustration! Where are you in your homeschool journey? Did you just start? Did you move from traditional school to homeschool? Let me know and we can discuss further. In the meantime, check out this post: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/how-do-you-start-homeschooling-your-child-today/
How does a child graduate if being homeschooled in this aspect?
Hey Terry, great question! Thanks for asking it. As always, parents need to check state laws (or laws of your area) on what is required. Then, you can build a curriculum or study plan based on those requirements. There are plenty of physical (books/paper/workbooks) “boxed” (all in one) homeschool curricula that don’t require the internet, or you can “piecemeal” together different resources that meet your family’s needs. Your child can complete their studies with little to no internet, if needed, to meet graduation requirements for your state. Let me know if you have more questions. Happy to help.
Hi!!!
Just discovered your site after googling “homeschooling without the internet!”
My kids are 12 and 14 and hate distance learning. I do too.
I am fully capable of homeschooling my kids, but don’t really want to be a homeschool supermom who comes up with ideas, sits with them for hours, and basically lives my life dedicated to their education all day (that’s my impression, at least).
At their ages they are fully capable of indendent study and I am happy to support, encourage, tutor, facilitate, etc., but not hours a day. I want to set them up and help as needed. However, setting aside time each week for group fun/projects sounds great.
Here’s what I am envisioning for us:
Start: Set them up with paper curriculum/online video/or hands-on project.
Check-in as needed.
Done by lunch
Spend afternoon exploring, relaxing, visiting, playing, etc.
Rinse and repeat …
Do you know of a company/organization/resource that has standard curriculum that I can work through?
I attended elementary school in the 70s and loved how much I got to use all my senses. We watched the occasional TV show (Electric Co.), movie, and documentary, but mostly did paper/pencil work. I’m trying to recreate this.
What help can you give me, as I’m scared to death of having to recreate the wheel? I would just really love to find basic curriculum that is ready to go and then be free to enrich on my own time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for any direction. I am trying to get everything in place by 1/29/21.
I know to check my state (CA) for rules/laws, etc., but I know that so long as I follow the rules, I can find my own curricumum–this is where I’m anxious and bewildered.
Hi Linda,
Love your vision!
Most homeschool parents act as facilitators (much like you say you want to be) instead of “teachers,” so I think you’ll find great joy and success with homeschooling.
Finding a “boxed curriculum” that meets all your needs is honestly a difficult task, so it’s difficult to recommend just one (there are a lot of factors that go into choosing one, but you can google “boxed homeschool curriculum). Grab our free curriculum checklist first though so you don’t waste money: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/what-homeschool-curriculum-should-i-use/
Based on your comments, I’m not sure a boxed curriculum is necessarily what you want (because it also sounds like you want more flexibility than those would provide).
At your kids’ ages, I would start with asking them what they want to learn about and then build a unit study around that (or, at their ages they may be able to build their own resources–my daughter does this a lot). It’s actually pretty easy and doesn’t have to take a ton of planning. For example, if they love vikings, your unit study might be checking out books on vikings from the library, watching viking history videos, writing about vikings, designing a viking ship, etc. Check out: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/what-are-homeschool-unit-studies/
You may also find this helpful: https://homeschoolsuperfreak.com/great-courses-plus/
My daughter is almost 13 and finds a lot of cool stuff on there. Also check out CrashCourse on YouTube for a wide range of topics. I often have my daughter work her way through those two resources (both have things broken down by lectures/lessons).
Once per month, I spend 2-3 hours creating a monthly schedule for her with those resources (for example, watch Viking history lectures 1-3 on Great Courses Plus, etc.). Other than that, we work on some fun projects together and I facilitate her learning (or work on finding her classes/extra curricular stuff).
At their ages, it’s good to get them in the habit of managing their own schedules (which will help them in college and/or jobs later).
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions. Happy to help.
Thanks a lot for your post! I am going to check out the links that you mentioned as I am thinking about homeschooling my child and do not want him to be learning online. Really grateful to you for the time you took to write this:)
Hope it helps!
I wouls love to read about homeschooling HIGH SCHOOL with no internet. Argh! I am so sick of he internet! My kids get away with things I don’t like them to do.
Great idea! I’ll put it on my list to write about!
Hi,
I am already homeschooling without the internet, and I’ve been looking for other families with similar mindsets (we are screen-free at home) for outings, playgroups, and other things related to socializing. Do you happen to know of anyone who would be interested? I have been looking into this for months and I have come up empty
Hi,
I would check with your local library. Also, search for “wildschooling [your area]”. You will find a lot of parents who focus on screen free in those groups.