There are a LOT of great options for planners, so I’ll list a few here so you can see what’s out there.  It took me seven years to find one I’m thrilled with, but I’m extra and weird about things like that - ha.

1. 1. I finally found a planner that I LOVE, The Clever Fox Undated Planner: https://cleverfoxplanner.com/products/teacher-planner.  You can also find it on Amazon.  I love the options, the stickers, and the pages offered. I have found a simple month and week view is all I need with extra note pages for brain dumping, lists, etc.
   2. https://www.erincondren.com/teacher-lesson-planner - This is a pretty popular option for it’s cuteness, page options, and customization options. It’s a little more than I need so I haven’t tried it yet.
   3. https://www.apologia.com/product-category/planners/ - Another popular one, called the “Ultimate Homeschool Planner” which again, was a little more than I needed.
   4. https://shop.wellplannedgal.com/index.php/shop/planners/2022-2023-planners/original-homeschool-planner.html The last one is again, a very comprehensive planner.

1. 1. My current MUST-HAVE is https://www.airtable.com. PROS: This tool has really changed how I communicate with the other parents and the students.  A LOT of options on how I can organize the information and how they can view what they need. CONS: If you’re not familiar with spreadsheets and databases, it might seem daunting at first, but I would more than happy to send my templates and thoughts. 
   2. https://classroom.google.com/ - very helpful.  It’s what I’ve used for years before I started using AirTable. PROS: You can easily plan from any device with internet access. You can share assignments with the kids so it’s nice for tracking when work in complete, getting them attachments, links, etc. Easy to use, and free.  CONS: The options are pretty basic and some of the kids and moms I work with have trouble figuring out the information they need.  It worked great for myself and my four kids, but now that I’m involving other families, I needed something better.
   3. https://planboard.chalk.com/ - AMAZING online planner. I did use it one year and loved it for myself, but the cons explained why I stopped using it.  PROS: VERY Flexible and easy to use.  It’s very comprehensive, so it might feel like too much at first, but as you add more subjects/classes it will make more sense.  It’s definitely an all in one solution if you need planning and grading/record keeping.  CONS: The ONLY reason I don’t use it is because homeschoolers don’t have the option to share information with students.  I needed something I could plan on and then share with my kids so they can access their school work independently.  We do a mix heavy on online school, so they needed something where they could click links and open documents easily.
   4. https://homeschoolplanet.com/features/ - another comprehensive online planner. I haven’t used this one, but I’ve looked into it several times.  The only thing I can tell you that’s a PRO is that it can sync with many homeschool curriculums out there and auto-schedule your year.  I don’t know what that looks like though or how it works with students/teacher access.

1. I don’t know the state laws on homeschooling where you live, but the Homeschool Legal Defense Agency has an amazing reputation for fighting for families who have issues with school districts and other legal matters (like custody issues regarding homeschooling). Their site is https://hslda.org/, and I would give them a look if you run into any trouble.
2. Definitely look for Homeschool Groups on Facebook in your area.  Having other parents for support and resources is great, and many groups offer meet-ups, sports, and other activities to help homeschool kids get the socialization and activities they need.

The best way for kids this age to learn is to experience life.  Play with them, get learning toys like blocks, and, very importantly, read aloud to them as much as possible.  However, there are some tools you can use if your child seems ready for more targeted learning. All the advice I’ve seen from experienced parents is to not push them too hard, too quickly.  Try things and see what they are ready for.  Learning looks a lot different at this age.

1. This is a great packet for basic, beginning skills that you can start using to help get them ready for Kindergarten. I laminated mine and assembled it into three “books” with Office Book Rings.: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PreK-Assessment-Pack-Preschool-Pre-K-Back-to-School-Kindergarten-Readiness-1386812
2. Here’s a site with some great read-aloud recommendations: https://readaloudrevival.com/
3. If you want some more guided curriculum, I recommend starting with Abeka.  All four of my kids used this through Kindergarten, and I really like the foundation it gave them. They all worked through it at different paces.  Some days they did 10 pages, some days 1, some days none.  You can find their Pre-K Curriculum here: https://www.abeka.com/Search.aspx#stq=&grades=PRESCH&roles=MAGENTOATHOME.
   1. One note about Abeka: I really liked their curriculum as far as philosophy and style, but it got to be TOO MUCH once my kids were older and I was teaching three+ grade levels.  It’s also quite expensive once you get above Kindergarten to pay for different grade levels (some things you can reuse, but some you can’t).
4. TV SHOWS (*NEW*) - I know it's not great to plop any kid in front of a screen for too long, but if you give them any time at all, I HIGHLY recommend "Word World" and "Super Why" on PBS Kids.  Both helped give my kid a FANTASTIC foundation for reading skills. "Leap Frog" is a great variety learning show. "Octonauts", "Little Einstein", and "Magic School Bus" are great for science. You might not love "Horrible Histories" yourself, but, especially if you have a kid who is interested in weird things, it's a fun show to teach history. (It teaches about the grosser parts of history - like when people shared the poop sponge.)
5. APPS/websites (*NEW*)
   1. abcmouse.com - mine started using this at age 3.  If they were going to play on a device, I wanted it to be something beneficial.  This also gave me great feedback as a parent to see what they were learning and where they were struggling.  Even the games are highly educational, including taking care of a pet.  They also have books they can read (or that will read it to them).
   2. https://www.education.com/ - we used this through 2nd grade, mostly as a supplement.  It gave me access to some grade-level testing, a learning path, and activities I could add to the curriculum we were using. The kids really enjoyed the games/activities, and again, if they were going to be on a device, I wanted it to be educational.
   3. https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/parents - one of mine really struggled with math at first, and this helped make the lessons a little more fun for her.  It looks VERY updated from when we used it years ago, but should still be fun.  *NOTE for Christian Parents: there is some elements of magic and maybe even spell making (I can't remember and it looks different now anyway), and I know that may be a deal breaker for some of you. It never felt occultish in any way to me, but I know I don't think the same as everyone.

Some parents still recommend mostly learning through play at this age, but my kids were more than ready for some more guided learning.

1. For K4, I used both of these from Abeka, for my first child.  For the other three, I really only used the student workbook.
   1. https://www.abeka.com/abekaonline/bookdescription.aspx?sbn=327751 (student)
   2. https://www.abeka.com/abekaonline/bookdescription.aspx?sbn=327654 (parents)
2. For K5, I used these from Abeka, for my first child.  For the other three, I really only used the number skills and letter sounds workbooks books.  The rest of the kit was a lot of “fluff” that my kids didn’t need, but it is all great resources for an all in one kit of stuff that you can use to help your child. Abeka also travels around and does book expos where you can lay hands on things and look through them before you buy.  You can contact them to see when they’ll be close to you: 
   1. https://www.abeka.com/abekaonline/bookdescription.aspx?sbn=327778 (student) 
   2. https://www.abeka.com/abekaonline/bookdescription.aspx?sbn=327662 (parent/planner)
3. I learned about this resource too late to use effectively for all but one kid, but I wish I had started with it in the first place.  Learning Without Tears is a great resource for reading and writing. https://www.lwtears.com/solutions/early-learning
   1. I switched all my kids to this for Handwriting ( we did cursive): https://www.lwtears.com/solutions/writing/handwriting-without-tears 
4. TV SHOWS (*NEW*) - I know it's not great to plop any kid in front of a screen for too long, but if you give them any time at all, I HIGHLY recommend "Word World" and "Super Why" on PBS Kids.  Both helped give my kid a FANTASTIC foundation for reading skills. "Octonauts", "Little Einstein", and "Magic School Bus" are great for science. You might not love "Horrible Histories" yourself, but, especially if you have a kid who is interested in weird things, it's a fun show to teach history. (It teaches about the grosser parts of history - like when people shared the poop sponge.)
5. APPS/websites (*NEW*)
   1. abcmouse.com - mine started using this at age 3.  If they were going to play on a device, I wanted it to be something beneficial.  This also gave me great feedback as a parent to see what they were learning and where they were struggling.  Even the games are highly educational, including taking care of a pet.  They also have books they can read (or that will read it to them).
   2. https://www.education.com/ - we used this through 2nd grade, mostly as a supplement.  It gave me access to some grade-level testing, a learning path, and activities I could add to the curriculum we were using. The kids really enjoyed the games/activities, and again, if they were going to be on a device, I wanted it to be educational.
   3. https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/parents - one of mine really struggled with math at first, and this helped make the lessons a little more fun for her.  It looks VERY updated from when we used it years ago, but should still be fun.  *NOTE for Christian Parents: there is some elements of magic and maybe even spell making (I can't remember and it looks different now anyway), and I know that may be a deal breaker for some of you. It never felt occultish in any way to me, but I know I don't think the same as everyone.

This will change based on your learning philosophy, success, and student needs.  When I first started, and people told me about the mix-and-match curriculum that they used, I felt very overwhelmed.  How do I know which one will work with my kid?  How do I know if it’s working or not?  How did you find what worked without spending hundreds of dollars on a curriculum to try each one?  I’ll start by answering these questions.

1. How did I know which one would work with my kid?
   • I didn’t.  I was aiming to use Abeka throughout their 12 years of school.  However, my oldest really started struggling to complete her schoolwork even though she was very smart.  After a 5-year struggle with multiple options, we are now pretty sure she has ADHD.  Had I known sooner, I would have done things differently, but she’s not ruined in any way (the year after 6th grade, she tested at an 11th-grade reading level - she’s fine). If you care about your kid, you’ll be paying attention and you’ll adapt.  You can do this. I went through 4 different curricula trying to find what worked.
2. How did I know if it was working or not?
   • Basically, if I felt like we were both happy with what they were learning, I feel like it worked.  When we were both crying, frustrated, angry, and arguing every day, I knew something needed to change.  Just to go behind myself, I did do some standardized tests in a very casual way to make sure they were on track.  I’ll talk more about that later.
3. How did you find what worked without spending hundreds of dollars on a curriculum to try each one?
   • I asked many questions of experienced parents, and I looked at the curriculum in our used book store and researched online.  There is a LOT out there, but hopefully, you’ll be a part of a homeschool community where you have trusted, experienced parents to help you.  They would recommend things based on the issues my kids were having. I bought some things that didn’t work, but most I was able to get a good amount of money back for. I’ll give you the pros and cons of what I found in the next section. I’m blessed to live near a used Homeschool Curriculum shop, so I bought things at a discounted rate and resold what didn’t work.
4. TV SHOWS (*NEW*) - I know it's not great to plop any kid in front of a screen for too long, but if you give them any time at all, I HIGHLY recommend "Word World" and "Super Why" on PBS Kids.  Both helped give my kid a FANTASTIC foundation for reading skills. "Octonauts", "Little Einstein", and "Magic School Bus" are great for science. You might not love "Horrible Histories" yourself, but, especially if you have a kid who is interested in weird things, it's a fun show to teach history. (It teaches about the grosser parts of history - like when people shared the poop sponge.)
5. APPS/websites (*NEW*)
   1. abcmouse.com - mine started using this at age 3.  If they were going to play on a device, I wanted it to be something beneficial.  This also gave me great feedback as a parent to see what they were learning and where they were struggling.  Even the games are highly educational, including taking care of a pet.  They also have books they can read (or that will read it to them).
   2. https://www.education.com/ - we used this through 2nd grade, mostly as a supplement.  It gave me access to some grade-level testing, a learning path, and activities I could add to the curriculum we were using. The kids really enjoyed the games/activities, and again, if they were going to be on a device, I wanted it to be educational.
   3. https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/parents - one of mine really struggled with math at first, and this helped make the lessons a little more fun for her.  It looks VERY updated from when we used it years ago, but should still be fun.  *NOTE for Christian Parents: there is some elements of magic and maybe even spell making (I can't remember and it looks different now anyway), and I know that may be a deal breaker for some of you. It never felt occultish in any way to me, but I know I don't think the same as everyone.

Ok, so, now here are my specific recommendations, in no particular order (I’m creating this document for anyone who asks, so some suggestions might not suit you). I use a lot of Christian Curricula, but there are a few secular resources.  *SIDE NOTE: Check the laws in your state to see if an accredited curriculum is necessary.  It is not in MS at any age, so most of my suggestions will not be accredited, though some may have accredited versions I have not used.

1. Classical Conversations: For the Classical Approach, I recommend this one.  It’s highly recommended in our area.  I’ve never used it, but I’ve heard amazing things about it. Hopefully, their site can help you find a group near you. https://classicalconversations.com/
2. Easy Peasy: For a free, online/paper, easy-to-use curriculum, check out https://allinonehomeschool.com/. They have online and paper options that are free or very cheap, and it’s a great starting place for parents who feel like they have no idea what they are doing.  There are also some built-in planner tools that they started using after I stopped using this curriculum. CONS: You get what you pay for.  I found myself supplementing a lot with this curriculum and moved completely away from it this year. I had already moved most subjects away from it in the last two years.
3. Acellus Academy/Power Homeschool: For a fully comprehensive online solution that I’ve heard amazing things about, but haven’t tried, here are two versions of the same thing:
   1. The expensive, fully accredited version: https://www.acellusacademy.com/
   2. The cheaper, not accredited (so a little more work for parents): https://www.powerhomeschool.org/ 
   3. Note: This is a completely secular curriculum.  I know some Christian families who use it and don’t have a problem with it, but I was uncomfortable with some wording in the course descriptions I found.  I may try it out at a later time, but we found cheaper options we liked this year.
4. Masterbooks: Can be pricey, but has pros and cons - (I’ve only used Math and History myself) https://www.masterbooks.com/homeschool-curriculum/subject
   1. Math - PROS: For kids who like to know “why do I need to know this”, this is a great curriculum. Their stuff is beautiful and easy to use even without teacher guides. PROS/CONS depending on your view - also very Christian-heavy and seems to be a “slow” curriculum.  There’s not much work per day. CONS: This curriculum is considered to be not on grade level.  My kids, who are great at math, can breeze through two to three lessons per day and don’t get enough practice with more difficult skills. We stopped using this for all our kids.
   2. History - PROS: I LOVE this for history.  I always hated history in school because I felt like it was just a bunch of facts that I didn’t care about.  This curriculum tells history more in story format and even I was interested in learning things and had a great time. CONS: I didn’t use the “workbook” portion as much as I thought I would, and modified it a bit, but I didn’t hate it.  I own and have used the entire “America’s Story” series and loved it.
   3. Science - I haven’t used it yet, but I purchased the “Earth Science” set for High School this year (it was used, on sale, and I’m a sucker and can’t pass up a great curriculum deal - I’m a nerd and school supply junkie - lol). 
5. Apologia (I’ve used Science Only) https://www.apologia.com/shop/
   1. PROS: I like the Christian background we’re getting from this text, and the information taught is comprehensive.
   2. CONS: The worksheets/student book is terrible.  I don’t use it at all and supplement entirely from other resources.  Also, I’m noticing this year there is a LOT of text.  It can be too much for any student under 4th grade, though it’s supposed to be down to 1st grade. Even when reading to them only a few sections a day, my younger kids can get overwhelmed.  We’ll probably move away from this curriculum just because I hate having to supplement so much for materials.
6. Online Math program - https://www.teachingtextbooks.com/
   1. PROS: It’s all online and everything is done for me.  No planning, no grading.  The program teaches the kids the lessons and then grades their work.  This is a big time saver for me and one way to easily make sure they do what they are supposed to independently.
   2. CONS: Not sure yet.  Someone told me that they don’t do spiral learning, which means it’s a master and move on program.  My kids all like it. We have used this for multiple years now, and I’m pleased with their progress - they tested above grade level after several years of use.
7. Abeka has accredited and non-accredited all the way through 12th grade, with paper options and online options. This is a Christian program. https://www.abeka.com/Homeschool/
   1. PROS: It’s a great curriculum, and the parent guides give you a step-by-step plan if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing.
   2. CONS: It can be a LOT of work if you do everything they have planned, but you can skip things if you don’t feel you need to do them.
8. BJU Press we only used for Cultural Geography.  I definitely liked what was taught, and didn't feel leaning any specific denominational way. https://www.bjupress.com/. I think I’ve heard it’s pricey. This one is Christian, also.
9. Saxon Math is a textbook series that I’ve heard a LOT about.  I haven’t used it YET, but I purchased a set to start with next year.  The PRO I know is that it’s very comprehensive and at or above grade level.  It is one of the most highly recommended Math programs. The only CON I know is the same thing, so it may be too challenging for some students.
10. Good and Beautiful offers its math and language curriculum in digital format, free for K-6. I've only used the second-grade math, and I love it so far. I've heard other good things about it.  I decided not to continue with the math, only because we found teaching textbooks and math was one area where I needed them to work a little more independently without my input. However, we switched to Good and Beautiful for Language this year for all levels, and we LOVE this choice.  It covers grammar, writing, spelling, and more, and does it in a beautiful way that all my kids are enjoying so far.  Those who have been struggling with writing are finally starting to see some success and enjoyment this year.
11. Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) is a good language arts curriculum.  We are happy with the foundation it gave us, especially with grammar skills, but we eventually switched from it because it was too heavy for some of my kids.  By that, I mean, if we did everything we should have done to learn all the areas of language (spelling, writing, grammar), then we would have been working over an hour a day just on this curriculum.  My students were struggling with it because writing is their hardest subject, so we made a switch this year.

1. Here’s one person’s thoughts on homeschool learning styles.  It may help you think of things or recognize things in yourself or your child that you hadn’t thought of before: https://thebestschools.org/magazine/homeschool-style-right/. You can download a page that tells which popular curriculums match which style here: https://tinasdynamichomeschoolplus.com/homeschool-curriculum-by-learning-style/ .
2. Never feel like you have to do things the public school way.  Your child can do 5th-grade reading, 3rd-grade math, and 6th-grade history.  Work at your child’s pace within their needs.
3. If you choose to (or need to based on state laws) do a Standardized Achievement Test, I recommend this company: https://www.academicexcellence.com . They have the CAT test and others which are widely accepted. I do these with my kids every two or three years just to give myself a baseline for how they are doing.
4. Here’s a book that can help with a high schooler. It contains a LOT of information on planning and documents like transcripts that help guide you to graduation and a diploma: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1887639098 
5. Here is website I use often to find supplementary resources: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/