Our top 5 home education resources
The whole world has now had a glimpse of learning at home. What many experienced during the pandemic wasn’t the same as the journey a home-educating family is on, but it did show how invaluable a few well-chosen resources can be. Here are our top five.
1. An art-filled, story-focused alphabet
Whether it’s a book, a set of alphabet cards like our Wilded Alphabet Cards or an alphabet poster like our Woodland Alphabet, learning the alphabet can be a happy, imaginative journey when it’s guided by stories. More on that in our post Reading and writing? Let’s start with storytelling.
2. A number set
When we were learning numbers, we sang “One is the golden sun”, which helped the children relate numbers to their world. Number cards with counting dots, like our Number Cards 1–12, help children really know each number – and you can weave stories around them, which helps later with place value.
3. A maths wheel
When you move on to times tables, it can be tricky to keep engaging hands, hearts and minds – the tables are a pretty abstract idea. Number wheels let children practise times tables and see the beautiful patterns each number makes. They bring the patterns of maths to life and let children discover them for themselves, which I think is key to infusing maths with wonder. Younger children can make patterns, count and find odd and even numbers, building fine motor skills as they go.
4. Songs
Songs for counting in steps, and books of seasonal verses, are wonderful – and if you’re musical, you can make up your own. We often remember a song long after a story, so learning through song makes perfect sense. Bringing music into every subject keeps joy in learning.
5. A world map
We have a world map on the wall and use it for all sorts of explorations: the people of the world, habitats and the animals and plants that live there, mountains and rivers, and how water flows in the water cycle. We’ve even explored map-making itself. For me, a world map isn’t a wall decoration but a platform for countless conversations about our place in a shared world.
A cheeky number 6… you
Nothing can replace what you bring to this learning journey. Whatever your reasons for home educating, you’re best placed to know what your children love and what will light their fire. It might be nature scavenger hunts or making your own resources. There’s no set way – follow your heart and build in time to reflect.
Whatever resources or plans you use, bring hands, hearts and minds to learning to engage the whole person. Children love to learn, and I always try to remember we’re lighting a fire, not filling a cup.
