One key benefit of homeschooling is the opportunity for flexibility and fun. Children can still achieve an excellent education without the chains of a set school year or fixed schedule. These homeschool perks mean families can maximize memory-making together. Here are a few ideas for making the most of the flexibility you have as homeschoolers. I think every family should take advantage of these five homeschool perks.
1. A Spontaneous Day Off
There’s no need to plan far ahead or to coordinate schedules weeks in advance. One day, just wake up and decide to do something entirely different from your normal school routine.
I was about 9 years old when this day happened in my family. It was in the middle of one of Michigan’s long winters. After days cooped up indoors, Mom decided we’d have a completely abnormal day. We bundled up went to the theater to watch a movie—even buying us snacks to eat while we watched the film! That was one of the first times we kids had ever been to a movie theater. Perhaps it was the sheer novelty, but so many years later, well into adulthood, I still remember the delight of that surprise day with no school.
Don’t do it too often, or the wonder might wear off and you might get too far behind in your schedule. But don’t underestimate the memory-making power of a spontaneous, unexpected day of fun!
2. Extended Travel
There's no need for a year-long round-the-world trip unless that’s your style. In which case, go right ahead, because with homeschooling, you can!
Maybe you can borrow Grandpa’s motor-home for a couple weeks and do your math at the picnic tables at campgrounds or read your next Read-Aloud by the light of your evening bonfire.
Maybe Dad needs to stay home to work, but Mom can take the kids for a long visit to stay with relatives in another state.
Or perhaps a business trip for one parent can serve as a trip for the whole family.
With Sonlight’s clear Instructor’s Guides, you can easily see what books you’ll need to read during which weeks, and pack what you need for a season of roadschooling.
3. Errands as Field Trips
I know that the thought of packing up all of your kids for every trip to the grocery store is exhausting. It’s easy to see errands as a distracting time-suck. But when we shift our perspective, we can see mundane errands as field trips where our kids get to put their learning into action.
Weekly grocery store trip
Visit to the bank to take care of financial business
Annual well-check at the doctor’s office
Mailing packages at the post office
It’s on these trips when children prepare for life as you get the chance to teach them life skills. During these field trips, your children learn how to interact with strangers under a variety of circumstances. Making errands into a family event, something that you get to do together, can become a great shared memory rather than drudgery to be squeezed into the weekly schedule.
4. Volunteering as a Family
Homeschoolers have more control over their schedules which means they typically have more flexibility to volunteer as a family. Here are options:
Seek out a volunteer opportunity in which you can all put your hands and feet to work. You will create family memories while building relationships with others.
5. Your Own Yearly Traditions
Don’t neglect the beginnings and endings of school years just because you’re a homeschooler. Celebrate your family’s accomplishment as you finish another year of school! Find family traditions that are meaningful to you.
Decide on a photographic tradition to open and close each school year, and collect the photos in one location as the years pass.
Organize at-home an recital or open-house and invite grandparents.
Have actual parties to celebrate milestones.
My own family developed an annual book-burning party tradition. We built a big bonfire on the beach near our home and burned whatever filled-up workbooks or notebooks full of spelling tests we had left at the end of the year. Because we used Sonlight, we kept most of our books through the years—but we always had enough used-up notebooks for our party!
We’d invite friends and sit around the fire on the beach with the ocean waves beating against the shore a half dozen yards away. We’d roast hot dogs and marshmallows over the ashes of a year’s worth of math worksheets and have a glorious picnic.
Homeschool families have the the perk of spending a great deal of time together as a family unit. Make the most of your flexibility with these memory-making experiences.
Sonlight makes teaching multiple children at different ages easy with Couch and Table Subjects.
I was a sophomore in college when I first walked into a civics class. It was a class titled American Government, and I was not excited about it in the least. I had been in plenty of history classes, and I figured I was in for more of the same. I had learned that you never get past the first thirty Presidents in these types of classes. Oh yes, I figured we would learn, once again, how the government began. We’d probably talk about the major players in establishing the government. It would be more of the same I figured. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy this discussion, but after years of hearing about the first hundred years of the U.S. and no more, I was not particularly looking forward to another class about it.
You can imagine my surprise when the teacher walked in and immediately began a conversation about something happening in the news. I don’t remember what that first discussion was about that day, but I knew that he was talking about modern current events, things that would affect me and my future. He expected me to know enough to talk about it intelligently.
Everything changed for me during the course of that government class.
Through that class, I not only began watching or reading the news regularly, but I also learned how our government worked. I learned why my vote mattered, and I learned why it can be so challenging to get things done in Congress. It opened up a whole new world of interest for me.
I began watching the news and researching the ideals and platforms of each political party. For the first time in my life, I went to vote in a senate election and actually felt that my decision was an educated one. From there, I began diving into foreign affairs and researching the role of the electoral college.
When I became a mom, I knew that I wanted my kids to experience this type of civics education. I wanted to challenge them to think for themselves. I wanted to encourage them to research and make decisions as a future voter. I wanted to teach them about our government differently. This is how we are teaching our children about our government.
1. Read Living Books Related to Civics
Several Sonlight levels include living books about American government and civics. In these books, information is presented in a way that draws the reader in, engaging their curiosity, and pushing them to keep learning.
For your convenience, Sonlight has gathered all of these books in one convenient spot called ELECTION HEADQUARTERS.
2. Read the Newspaper
My grandparents read the newspaper every single day. It was part of their routine, and they were well-informed citizens. Sadly, our generation has lost this daily routine. For one thing, printed newspapers are on the decline, and online newspapers are just one of many internet-based sources to get your news.
However, I still believe that there is value in wrestling those oversize pages each day. There is a wealth of information to be found in the newspaper. Local and world news each have their own section of the paper. You are more likely to read a wide variety of news when it is staring at you than clicking on a link here and there when you see something that interests you. Even if you only have access to your local paper, I still think it’s a worthwhile investment.
"While she watched the election results, Ellie consulted with her books and explained in greater detail the information being referenced by the news commentators." —Helen C. of Riverside , CA
3. Discuss Current Events
In the upper levels of Sonlight, children are asked to write current events reports regularly. While current events are an important aspect of homeschool civics. keeping up with the news cycle with kids is challenging.
First of all, the news can be a little too heavy at times, and without being able to preview the news stories, it can be disturbing, especially for sensitive children. Of course, you can always use the newspaper like I mentioned above.
We also like to use the WorldKids or WorldTeens magazines for a lot of our current events discussions. However, even those can sometimes be less than current. So another good resource to utilize is CNN10. This is a short, daily, 10-minute news video geared toward younger viewers.
Current events reports and discussions are great for introducing and talking about civics topics. Many times, you’ll find yourself or your child chasing a rabbit trail during these conversations. That’s okay! Follow the trail as often as you are able. That’s when a lot of learning happens.
4. Take Advantage of Election Years
While all elections are important, there is something particularly excited and engaging about Presidential Elections. In those years, we like to give a special focus to our government, generally taking off several weeks of our usual curriculum to emphasize a more intense study on our government. Sonlight has a free Election Unit Study that will help you plan and teach this extra study. Plus there's a U.S. Elections Lap Book Kit to serve as a concrete resource during your study.
TOTALLY FREE
During our study, we talk about the political party system, watch the presidential debates, and discuss the major issues. We have our children look up the agendas of the two main candidates, and then, we hold a mock election. In this mock election, we set up a voting booth, and each child is able to vote on their choice of candidate. Then we count the votes and announce the winner. Occasionally, our children even ask for a recount!
After our mock election, we like to study the electoral college. Then, when my husband and vote, we always try to take our kids with us. They get to see the process of voting from start to finish. It is our hope that this encourages them to become voting citizens, too.
5. Take Field Trips
Utilize field trips to help provide a concrete understanding of American government and civics. It can be as simple as visiting your local governing body, City Hall, or your State Capitol. (Most local government officials are very welcoming to young people.) It can be as big and exciting as visiting The Senate or House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. Any time you can actually get inside to see the workings of government, take advantage of it.
Sit in on a city council meeting
Interview the mayor or a city council member
Attend to a political rally
Visit the campaign headquarters of a local candidate
Tour an election polling location
6. Model Healthy Debate
It’s okay if your child holds a different viewpoint. Chances are good that at some point, you will find yourself and your child on opposite sides of an issue. It is so important that during these times, you model a healthy debate.
Show your child that their opinion is valued, respected, and heard. It’s perfectly acceptable and expected for you to respectfully share your opinion as well. In this climate of outrage, now more than ever, it is so important to demonstrate to our children how to work with others, especially those in disagreement with us. Here are a few guidelines for a healthy discussion that everyone (including us parents) should agree to abide by:
Listen when others are speaking.
Do not interrupt.
Earnestly try to see the others’ perspective.
Be respectful in all exchanges.
End the conversation in a timely manner, even if it ends with an agreement to disagree.
Just like Mr. Rogers taught me in that college American Government class, I want to teach my children to be engaged members of our society. We really do have a great system of government. We need to teach our children to get involved and to make a difference in whatever way they are called to do that. A homeschool study of civics will equip them to be informed members of society.
VISIT ELECTION HEADQUARTERS FOR CIVICS MATERIALS
Get everything you need to teach your child the history and process of U.S. elections in one place!
If artist studies keep getting neglected in your homeschool, any one of these art books can kick start a new habit. Rotate these resources through your morning basket, flipping to the next artist or work of art each day.
You may think such a sporadic and unplanned approach to art is a waste of time. But the opposite is true. Small but daily exposure makes a big impact over time! Your tiny daily investment will pay off in children (and a parent!) who can appreciate different styles of art, identify key artists, and label major periods of art.
This oversize hardback includes full-color reprints of famous paintings. Each one is accompanied by brief historical and biographical commentaries about the paintings and artists.
This first book of the Come Look With Me Series makes the most of a child's natural curiosity with thought-provoking questions.
A survey of 32 masterful works of art created by some of the world's most loved artists, this book introduces elementary aged children to the beauty and wonder of art. Artist biographies detail the lives of Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, Degas, O'Keefe, and more.
This book includes fascinating facts about how these artists created their work so your learners may start to understand what art is and why it is important.
Take your children on a tour of the world's greatest art with this journey of art from all over the world. Consider the first daubs of paint in prehistoric caves. Puzzle over today's performance art. The scope makes it a foolproof art book for your homeschool morning basket.
This book covers the important art movements, from Renaissance to Rococo, as well as the great painters from these eras. The goal of this title is to allow your students to look at art as an international exchange of ideas, not as a chronological history.
This book is the next best thing to going to a real museum! Learn about Egyptian statues, African masks, dinosaurs, and fashion. Your kids will love the activities and puzzles centered on things you find in a museum.
2-page spreads are themed around different types of museums or places in the museum.
Your morning basket needs this quirky book! Splat! is the history of art at its most exciting and outrageous.
Learn the stories behind some of the greatest artworks of all time, through the lens of some of the most famous artists in history, such as Michelangelo in the Renaissance and Manet with Impressionism.
Each artist is introduced with bulleted facts including country of origin, most famous works, the greatest challenges they faced, background information, the movement they belonged to, and techniques they employed.
This brilliantly produced art book will capture the imaginations and senses of your young students, giving them inspiration for plenty of art studies in the future!
Twenty masterpieces are featured, and the accompanying notes look at how each was created, who it was made for, and what people have thought of it over the years.
Children will learn the lessons and stories behind the paintings; "Look at this" sections highlight specific details in the painting, "Why don't you" sideboxes provide ideas for activities, while "Did you know?" questions point out interesting facts about the artist, time, or paintings.
Called "The world's best-selling art book," E. H. Gombrich's history combines more than 400 full-color plates and stunningly readable text.
Written specifically for newcomers, Gombrich highlights everything from cave paintings to mid-20th Century works, and covers architecture, painting, and sculpture.
How do the different works relate to one another?
Why did Impressionism cause such an uproar?
You'll want to read just one more page. It's a perfect combination of overview and detail, written in lively (and refreshingly opinionated) prose. It's a worthy addition to your morning basket!
The author uses photographic reproductions of 16 works of art to demonstrate how artists uniquely represent feelings:
joy
sadness
fear
love
Author's comments include general introductions and guide students to explore—physically and mentally—the unique relationships between art and the real world.
The author uses photographic reproductions of 16 works of art to demonstrate how different artists may uniquely represent the four traditional elements:
earth
air
fire
water
These ten art books are just a taste of the treasures that away you in a Sonlight catalog. Choose from complete curriculum, or buy individual titles for your home library.
When my first child was born, we were given a baby play mat with toys hanging above it. Incorporated into the design was a clear, rectangular window, intended for positioning a smartphone directly in the child’s line of sight. This play mat was designed for infants too young to sit, crawl, or even roll over—and the toy makers decided to add a smartphone port? Is this wise?
Technology is advancing at lightning speed, and more and more jobs are requiring advanced computer skills. Videos, computer games, and portable smart devices create learning opportunities for the homeschool family.
These rapid changes lead us to ask: Is there any reason left for choosing a low-tech homeschool lifestyle when you could opt to homeschool entirely from a laptop computer?
Is there any benefit left to compiling bookshelves full of paperbacks and hardcovers when a single electronic device can store thousands of ebooks?
What role does technology have in your homeschool family culture? And are you happy with it?
Avoiding Technology Altogether
It is both unrealistic and unhelpful to attempt to do away with all technology in learning until your children have reached adulthood.
However, when children are in preschool to early elementary grades, there is good reason to hold off on introducing app-based learning activity, and to instead encourage old-fashioned learning through the great outdoors and physical learning resources like great books and puzzles.
Healthy Ways to Use Technology
What are some healthy ways to maximize the best that technology offers us as homeschoolers?
Educational technology has come a long way in the past couple decades, so the wise homeschooler can make use of apps and online subscriptions. These are some areas where educational technology might be most effectively used:
When learning subjects that parents are not comfortable teaching (i.e. foreign language)
For computer-based subjects (i.e. coding, typing, programming)
If your child learns complex, abstract ideas best with the help of video demonstrations
As supplemental practice or review
For on-the-go learning in the car
If you are wary of relying too much on technology for your homeschool, I believe you are wise. We hardly need to worry that our children will have too little access to useful technology and too little understanding of how to use it. Instead it's reasonable to worry our children have
too little exposure to the outdoors
too little experience with real-world, face-to-face interactions
too little persistence with difficult tasks they are accustomed to accomplishing with technology
Are preschoolers unable to entertain themselves with simple toys or coloring books when required to wait? Instead they demand to watch videos or play digital games?
Are sibling fights over shared tech devices a regular occurrence?
Are children quick to complete computer-based school tasks but drag their feet with a hands-on, tech-free task?
Is the family uncomfortable with silence, always needing to turn on a TV program or podcast for background noise?
Are parents regularly using social media on their smartphone as a temporary mental break to escape from child-inspired chaos?
No one, parent or child, has developed a default habit of reaching for a device the minute their hands and minds are unoccupied.
Time spent with devices is not the primary reward of completing chores or schoolwork.
Tech devices are used as needed and not treated as the most desirable of all activities available.
Video entertainment is largely enjoyed together as a family, rather than solo.
It is possible for you and your family to think critically about what you want your relationship with technology to look like and what sorts of legacies you want to leave in our fast-moving, digital age. It is worth taking the time to consider this question as a homeschooling family.
"Thank you, Sonlight, for making homeschooling so doable for our family and so rewarding to my mother's heart! We just can't put a price tag on our joyful moments together!"
The M. family of North Fairfield, OH
We began our Sonlight journey when my oldest was in second grade, so we started on History / Bible / Literature (HBL) B & C: Intro to World History, Condensed. To this day, it is still one of my all-time favorite levels of study. There’s probably some nostalgia involved in this bias, but my love of Level B &C also was the beginning of a whole new philosophy of learning.
Until that point, I believed that it was my job to shelter my children from the evils of the world. I would even shy away from Bible stories that had less-than-happy themes....and then we began reading the World History book in Level B &C. It was a great book, but I must say that I was very tempted to cover up naked bodies and soften the blow of some of the more difficult parts of history. I resisted the urge though, and I am so glad that I did.
Later, my resolve was once again tested particularly in HBL D. We began the book, Incans, Aztecs, Mayans, and I wasn’t so sure about any of it. Within the first few chapters, we had already covered human sacrifice. Human sacrifice. Once again, I am so thankful that we forged ahead with our study. Our kids are better for having read this book.
My husband and I have long believed that if we don’t talk to our kids about the tough stuff, someone else will. Most likely, it will be a peer with a differing worldview, who is badly misinformed. We’ve found that kids love to talk to kids about topics they know nothing about. So we decided that it’s best if we take a proactive approach to difficult topics.
Sonlight helps us do this. The many Read-Alouds give us plenty of opportunity to explore these topics with our children. We have found that our children feel confident when presented with tough topics elsewhere, and are able to vocalize their thoughts and opinions on these subjects with grace and a good measure of wisdom for their age.
2. If We Sugarcoat History, It Will Repeat Itself
I was so happy a couple of years ago when we started HBL F and discovered the book, Breaking Stalin’s Nose. As we made our way through this masterfully woven story, we pondered the difficulty of standing up for what’s right against a frightening authority. We talked about how easy it can be to become sucked in to an agenda rather than truly evaluating the morality of the situation.
We have read plenty of books through our Sonlight programs that have taught us the importance of evaluating right from wrong. This skill helps children to make wise decisions in our world. History has already repeated itself too many times throughout the cycles of our world. In order to stop these cycles in our own children, we need to study history closely—the good, the bad, and the ugly—and teach our children the mistakes of history so they can be avoided.
3. Kids Aren’t Stupid
In the last few years, many experts have advocated to end to baby-talk. Experts have found that children’s language skills develop best when babies and toddlers are spoken to often and correctly, not using baby-talk.
I would argue that this same thought applies to children of all ages. Children aren’t stupid. They don’t need us to dumb down history or water down death. When we read Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, there was a point when I thought, “Why am I doing this to myself and my children?” But then, I looked up and saw their faces, and we started talking about it. We talked about the sadness of the story. We talked about the joy Sadako held on to despite the pain. We talked about the consequences of the atomic bomb. And I realized that my kids were better for hearing that story.
Kids can handle much tougher subjects than we think, especially in the safety of their own home.
There is value in introducing these topics in stories as children can explore those worlds emotionally while not being physically immersed in them.
4. Evil Exists
If we ignore that evil exists, our children will experience culture shock when they get out on their own. As homeschool parents, we need to give an honest presentation of evil in our world by tackling difficult subjects. The acknowledgement of evil gives us a platform to share the gospel.
We need to express to our children our need for a Savior. We need to stress these truths:
We are no better, no different, from any of the people in the stories we read.
We are all easily swayed by evil.
We all have that natural bent toward sin.
We are all guilty and deserve death.
We need Jesus.
5. Difficult Books Produce Compassionate People
Introducing painful stories in a place of comfort and safety helps children to develop compassion for the people around us every day. We can all see ourselves in these stories we read. Good books with rich, realistic struggles can help produce compassion in us. Placing ourselves in the position of the characters, we are able to experience every angle of a story. This reminds us that we are all in a different place in life, and we all need compassion.
After reading The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes, our children immediately became more conscious of the effect of their words on others. They developed a tremendous amount of compassion through that story. They also saw an example of true repentance.
There are certainly times when we should use discretion with our children. Ultimately, it is your decision on what your child can or cannot handle. I had a couple of sensitive children, and I always spent a little extra time with them on these tough subjects.
Occasionally, I did do some censoring when I felt that it was just a little too much for them. So, please know that I am not condemning parents who choose differently.
However, it is my goal to encourage you not to shy away from those difficult topics. Instead, be proactive and be honest with your children. They will see your transparency and your trust in them and their ability to handle it, and they will appreciate you for it. Cry with them when the world is evil and rejoice together when you see the good in people. This is the best life skill we can give them.
With this free sample, you’ll experience what it's like to use Sonlight–the books, the schedule, and the notes.
"Sonlight keeps our family learning together. The beautifully illustrated books capture the attention of our wide age range of children and make homeschooling more enjoyable for the parent as well. With Sonlight's grab-and-go Instructor's Guides, it's easy for Dad to do a quick lesson before bed. Sonlight is the perfect family curriculum."
Mackenzie B. of Morristown, AZ
1. Good boy.
My son finishes his writing work and I reward him with a “Good boy.” On the face of it, this phrase is a congratulation of his moral goodness, reflected in diligence.
But the phrase actually winds up communicating something less straight-forward. He is not really hearing an appraisal of his performance, he is hearing an approval of his person.
The problem is that personal approval should be completely independent of performance.
Gospel-powered parenting means cherishing my son even before he is morally good: especially before he is morally good. He is good before and throughout his failure. He becomes worthy of approval when he knows he need not win that approval.
“...And that agreement was called the Magna Carta. Are you listening? What did I just say?”
“Something about an apple carton.”
Trying to control a child’s attention is like chasing the wind. We cannot grasp at it, but we can set up a windmill. To put it more familiarly, we lay the feast and send out the invitations, but we don’t decide what gets digested.
It’s only natural to try and control my child’s attention, and I may be able to capture it, but it won’t be held prisoner for very long. When I hear myself telling them to listen too often, I remind myself that the only sure way to secure attention, is to provide worthy objects for it.
An alternative: "It frustrates me that you didn’t hear that, and I don’t want to repeat it right now."
3. Act your age.
I have found out (the hard way) that, just as stomachs don’t respond well to commands about digestion, nor ears about attention, maturity doesn’t respond well to commands about attitude.
Kids don’t grow up because you tell them to; they grow up when they’re fed and exercised.
My son blows bubbles in his milk and gets some on the carpet, rather than putting it in the kitchen like I asked. At my worst, what I mean by, "Act your age," is, "I’m angry at you because I have to clear up the milk." Quite often, however, I mean something like "I wish you would have spontaneously cleared up the milk." In other words, I want him to do what’s right because it’s right rather than because I tell him to do it. The irony, therefore, is when I tell him to, "Act his age," I’m telling him to be the kind of person that doesn’t need telling. I’m providing external motivation for internal motivation, which is as impossible as it sounds.
An alternative: "I’m not happy with the way you’ve handled this. It means I have to clear up the milk, which I hate doing."
4. What’s your favorite subject?
It’s okay to have a favorite subject. It’s okay to enjoy one subject in particular, and to be talented at it. But how much do I care about the answer to this question, and why? Does it matter if the answer is nothing?
The freedom to follow your interests, is touted as one of the benefits of home education, but this may be putting the cart before the horse. I study mechanical engineering first and foremost because I want to help people and serve God. Talent and interest are part of the decision-making process, but sometimes we study things we find counter-intuitive and frustrating, rather than capitalizing on our talents. Let us be personality-sensitive, but not personality-driven.
An alternative: "It’s such a joy to see that you’ve taken to these grammar exercises. I’m looking forward to trying some painting with you."
5. Look how your sister is doing her work nicely.
Consider the moral reasoning here. I’m arguing that one child should do his work because of how embarrassing it would be to be inferior to a sibling. Should it be embarrassing to do less than your sister? If it is, it should not be the motivation for learning.
The fact is–being motivated by measuring up to others is a very straight-forward vice. It is envy.
Don’t be the schemer Rebekah, who had her son dress as Esau to win the approval of the father Isaac (Genesis 27). Vapid imitation turns to boiling resentment, and resentment to feuds. It doesn’t matter what your sister is doing: do what the Lord has asked of you.
An alternative: "[Sister’s name], it looks like you’re making great progress with that writing. I can see you really blessing people with that skill."
Well-intentioned though these first sayings are, when I hear myself say them, I take it as a cue to examine myself. Instead of defaulting to phrases that have disparaging or embarrassing undertones, I want to specifically choose words that build up my little students and infuse gospel power into our homeschool life.
Sonlight Instructor's Guides include complete lesson plans and notes for the entire year.
"I absolutely love that with Sonlight, your kids don't get stuck in a one-size-fits-all grade box with all the other kids. The stacks of delicious books, the discussions the books spark, the joy of learning together, and the confidence that our kids are getting a great education: it's well worth every penny. The IGs are so well-researched and easy to use that I can just open and start teaching!"
Anna C of Selmer, TN
While I don’t generally get too caught up in labeling our children, it is sometimes helpful to see the stages of your reader and explore how you can best support your child at each level. So much of homeschooling is simply facilitating a child’s natural curiosity and desire to learn and grow. So how do we support our reader at each stage of their journey? Here are a few tips.
Please note that I’m not including ages along with these reading stages, and I would discourage you from doing that as well. All children learn at a different pace, and you may find that you spend years in one of these stages and jump rather quickly over the next one.
This stage is all about exposure. In the emergent stage, you’ll want to talk, talk, and talk some more to your child. Talk all the time.
When I was at home with my young children, I would talk all day. I would tell them everything that I was doing. I would repeat the word for everything they looked at.
This is also the stage where you’ll begin to introduce letters. Reading picture books is a great way to start this process. Alphabet books like Dr. Seuss’s ABC Book are so fun for kids in this stage. You’ll also want to keep a good nursery rhyme treasury close by. Be sure to include some indestructible board books in your child’s toy basket. We also always loved the Leap Frog refrigerator magnet set for reinforcing letter sounds.
You’ll also want to keep plenty of age-appropriate writing tools at hand because you will encourage early writing at this stage. Don’t worry! I’m not talking about story-writing! Skills like coloring, early drawings, and finger painting all count for early writing experiences. Sonlight History / Bible / Literature (HBL) T, P, and A are great choices for an emergent reader.
I don’t recommend formal instruction at this stage. Most of the learning here happens independently and organically. Parents are, for the most part, facilitators, focused on gathering the supplies needed for the child to explore. Of course, interaction is always a good thing, but I would caution against pushing early instruction too hard. Sometimes, this can cause children to tire early because they are being pushed to learn something they are not ready for. Allow the child to initiate any type of instruction.
2. The Novice Reader
The novice reader’s focus is on phonics. This is the stage where you’ll want to begin some more formal reading instruction by introducing letter sounds. You may also begin to introduce sight words at this stage. This is a fantastic time to begin having your child sound out words and watch their little eyes light up when they figure it out all by themselves.
You’ll still want to talk to them often and read picture books aloud to them. At this point, it’s a great idea to begin following the words along the page with your finger.
Children in this stage will do best with predictable reader-style books such as easy Dr. Seuss or the Fun Tales set.
Novice readers will likely also be trying their hand at writing words. Don’t fret over spelling. Let them invent their spelling and encourage them to record it on paper exactly how they hear it. Encourage them to draw a picture and write a few words about their picture. Have them read the story to you and record it on the back of the paper correctly so you’ll have a record of those sweet early stories.
This stage is still heavily dependent on a parent. Lots of sweet memories are made here by reading first stories in the lap of mama or daddy. Sonlight HBL A is a great fit for a novice reader.
3. The Decoding Reader
In this stage, you’ll be headed into a new level of phonics. You’ll discuss more complex consonant patterns, syllable patterns, and of course, those pesky exceptions to the rule. The Explode the Code series will help you present these rules in a logical order.
While you’ll still be needed for formal instruction, you’ll get to hand over a touch of independence at this stage. Children begin reading independently, but you’ll still want to hear them read portions of their daily reading so that you can correct any phonetic mistakes before they become a habit.
Since I have multiple children, at this stage, I begin listening to them read a short portion of their daily reading and then assigning the rest. At the end of the reading time, I call them back briefly to talk about what they read. Sonlight HBL B and C are great options for this stage reader.
This is a great time to introduce an additional D.E.A.R. time (Drop Everything And Read). If you participate as well, this will become a much treasured time of your daily family flow. A couple of notes about this: D.E.A.R. time should be freely chosen books, but at the decoding stage, you’ll still want to assist your child in choosing a developmentally appropriate book. I never discourage easy books, but I do caution my young readers against books that are too complicated for their independent reading. A D.E.A.R. book should be something that can be read with little to no assistance.
I like to keep a home library, but the decoding stage provides a great opportunity to introduce your children to your local library with weekly or monthly visits. This habit promotes reading as a way of life.
Your decoding reader will also probably show a new interest in recording their thoughts on paper. Allow this often! This is a great time to encourage your child to explore their imagination and their new-found ability to put their thoughts on paper. If you find your child resistant to this, don’t worry! Be their scribe. Have them tell you their stories and you record them. Eventually, this will transition into independence. Just be patient, and you’ll have a blossoming reader and writer.
"[Lydia (9)] is reading her first missionary story and is captivated by the drama. At the time of this picture, we worked in a Bible translation organization and heard many stories. But this was the first biography on her reading level. The Sonlight readers have been an excellent fit as part of our language arts because we can customize the different parts for our needs and different levels depending on the subject. Our family's first Sonlight product was the readers. The variety and quality of the reading list has not disappointed us yet!"
Cynthia H. of Champaign, IL
4. The Fluent, Comprehending Reader
This is such a fun stage! Your child is discovering they can use reading to find out anything they want to know! Phonics instruction is basically finished at this point, and now you are moving into a new focus on comprehension. You’ll still be needed during instruction, but your child will likely be working independently for the most part.
In this stage, you’ll be handing over their reading assignments almost completely. Of course, if you just can’t bear it, you can do what I did, and continue to listen to them read just because you love the stories so much! However, if you can’t do that, you’re child will be just fine handling the daily reading assignments. Simply be sure that you check in and have them narrate their reading back to you. Show a genuine interest in the story and model skills of a good reader. You might say out loud…
Hmmmm...that sounds exciting! I wonder what will happen next?
What do you think ________________ should do?
I think _______________ seems cold and uncaring. I wonder if he will change?
You can depend heavily on the Sonlight Language Arts Instructor's Guide to tell you everything you’ll need to cover. Simply go over each day’s assignment with your child and turn them loose. Be sure to check over it after they finish and have them correct any mistakes immediately. Remember, you don’t want mistakes to become habits.
Again, if your child struggles with their writing, continue the partnership in writing until your child feels more confident. You might also allow them to record what they want to write first to get their ideas flowing, and then have them write it down.
Continue your regular visits to the public library and be sure to continue D.E.A.R. time. Your child probably has a pretty good grasp of what they can read now, so you’ll be able to let them choose their recreational reading for the most part. Sonlight offers a great range of options for this stage of reading. HBL D through HBL J are great choices for the fluent reader. Be sure to have lots of conversations with your child about what they have read.
5. The Expert Reader
Your child has arrived! This is the stage where all the hard work pays off. Your child can now read anything. No information is unattainable as long as there is a book to explain it!
They will begin exploring all kinds of topics ranging from math and science to philosophy. At this stage, the parent can truly sit back, relax and enjoy their new role as a facilitator and a book club member. Your job is now to talk with great interest about your child’s reading adventures. You might even decide to read a book together and have weekly coffee dates to discuss it.
This is also a great time to encourage your child to dive deeper into their Bible studies. You’ll want to provide a concordance and a Bible dictionary to help your child enter into a new level of exploring and analyzing the Bible. I would highly recommend having your child read the book Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin. Even if your child is a male, this is a great resource for learning how to study the Bible.
Your child will be at the upper levels of learning now. Instead of only comprehending literature, they will be able to analyze themes, evaluate ideas, and even create new ideas and opinions based on their reading. This is an exciting time in the life of a student. Make sure your child has plenty of exposure to great books. All six of the Sonlight high school courses are appropriate for this level of reader. Take advantage of the wide range of options and consult with your child to see what is most interesting to them.
Reading is such a wonderful thing. My son has been in our homeschool for the past seven years, and for seven years, we have depended on Sonlight’s reading and language arts to guide us. This year, he took the ACT Aspire test. While I truly don’t think much of test scores, I was impressed when he brought home a score that placed him in the 98th percentile in reading. He scored a full year ahead of most of his peers in reading.
Of course, even better than any standardized test, is the fact that he loves to read and chooses reading as a hobby. So I strongly encourage you to trust Sonlight. Follow the plan and enjoy it.
If your child is lagging behind where you think they should be, trust the process and stick with it. Reading proficiency will come. Whatever stage you’re in, enjoy it! It’s here today and gone tomorrow.
Language Arts includes so many pieces. This guide helps you see the big picture—what to teach and when.
