The Best Homeschool Curriculum: Incorporating SEL
Homeschooling is an increasingly popular option for families who seek to provide personalized, flexible, and holistic education for their children. Since 2020, we have seen a rise in the number of children from Kindergarten to Grade 12 being homeschooled, with approximately 6.7% of the US population - that's about 3.7 million children!
You likely resonate with one of these reasons for choosing to homeschool your child or children:
the desire to tailor your child's education to best support them
lack of school resources to support your child's learning in a way that honours them
not agreeing with school, other parenting, or political philosophy
bullying, fear of violence, or other concerns for your child
For parents embarking on this journey, finding the best homeschool curriculum that balances these aspects can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In this post, we’ll explore fun, easy peasy homeschool curriculum, why it's considered one of the best homeschool curriculums for its adaptability and simplicity, and how you can integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) components to foster your child’s well-being alongside their academic growth.
Keep reading to learn the following to create the best homeschooling curriculum:
3 resources to support you in creating the best homeschooling curriculum for your child
4 reasons it's essential to make social-emotional learning part of curriculum
6 ways to integrate SEL into your homeschooling curriculum
The Best Homeschool Curriculum
I'd like to be clear first - there is no one best homeschool curriculum. It depends on your child's unique needs, style of learning, and your family values. What I like to ask is "what is my intention"? What is it you want your children to experience? What skills do you want them to have as an adult?
My background is as a Clinical Counsellor, Craniosacral & Somatic Therapist. I have two young girls and I actually always thought I was going to start a school. After completing my undergrad in International Business, and Adult Learning Certificate, I then went on to begin training in somatic and primitive reflex therapies, followed by Waldorf. While I personally resonate with aspects of Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf, I began a school that blended what I felt were strengths in all of these approaches with outdoor and somatic curriculum. Life took me in a bit of a different direction, and instead I speak at many educational conferences, and founded a highly regarded Registered Children's Yoga School, in which I teach educators, therapists, and parents how to support their children holistically so they can learn and integrate through play.
I would like to emphasize that YOU ARE AMAZING if you are able to teach your own children! I am not sure if I would be the best teacher for my girls, or that I could offer them everything I hope they could have. We are also fortunate to have found a great school they love, so what I share in this article comes from research and the curriculum I share with educators to support healthy social-emotional and physical development primarily. In this article I am going to share some resources you can turn to, and some of my own that I share with educators, therapists, and parents.
Homeschool Curriculum Resources:
Most districts offer resources and outline the key components children must learn for each grade in order to complete graduation, and thankfully there is usually a fair bit of room for liberty as to how you do this. This means you can tailor it to your child's needs, your intentions, and your family values! Below are some great resources to help you:
Homeschool Pods: If you google 'homeschool pods' or 'homeschool pods near me' you will find lots of great resources from existing pods to considerations for setting up your own. The benefit in pods is that it offers you to draw upon experts in various subjects, the opportunity to collaborate, socialization for your child and you, and maybe you can have some time for yourself! As a homeschooling parent, this is essential so there is the opportunity to practice your own self care and so your child experiences learning with and from others.
Easy Peasy Homeschool: This is a free, online Christian-based curriculum designed by a homeschooling mother to provide an all-in-one solution for families. It offers resources for preschool through high school. With Easy Peasy Homeschool, parents can easily follow pre-planned lessons in core subjects like math, reading, science, and history, as well as electives such as art and music.
Social Emotional Learning Curriculum: I mentioned this is my forte, so I would be remiss if I did not share some of my resources listed at the bottom of this article. SEL focuses on helping children develop the skills needed to manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions, which are crucial for their long-term success and happiness. Empowered Educators offers class plans and everything you need to know about offering SEL.
Why Social-Emotional Learning is Important in Homeschooling
As you navigate the world of homeschooling, you may be focused on selecting the best homeschool curriculum for academic subjects, but it’s equally important to ensure that your child’s emotional and social growth is nurtured. Unlike traditional schools, homeschooling offers a unique opportunity for parents to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into everyday lessons, helping children grow emotionally intelligent and resilient.
SEL is the process through which children develop self-awareness, self-control, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence. These skills are vital for building strong relationships, navigating social situations, and handling challenges in a healthy way. My work is based in a strong understanding of the nervous system development, and so it is grounded in science with intuitive explorations, to also offer you practical science lessons!
Incorporating SEL into your homeschool curriculum has numerous benefits:
Improved Emotional Regulation: Children learn to recognize and manage their emotions, which can help them handle stress and frustration.
Better Social Skills: They practice empathy, active listening, and communication, improving their ability to collaborate and resolve conflicts.
Increased Success: Studies have shown that children who engage in SEL perform better academically because they can focus better, set goals, and persevere through difficulties. They become critical and creative thinkers - leaders!
Mental Health Support: SEL provides tools for children to navigate mental health challenges, like anxiety and stress, which are especially important in today's fast-paced world. My focus is on slowing down, being in nature, and time to be in order to support creative and critical thinking.
As a homeschooling parent, you have the power to create an environment where SEL is a core component of learning, nurturing your child’s overall well-being alongside their academic progress.
Integrating Social-Emotional Learning into Your Homeschool Curriculum
Weaving in social-emotional learning activities supports a more robust curriculum, and can offers the essential component your child needs to thrive! Below are some ideas to incorporating SEL into your day:
Morning Check-Ins: Our Children's Yoga Cards (below) offer a perfect way to check-in with your emotions and body, promoting self-awareness and emotional literacy. This is a very important skill to foster, and will aid your child in better understanding their basic physiological and more complex needs, so they can use their voice before they are overwhelmed. In short, it makes teaching easier with this connection!
Mindful Moments Incorporate brief moments of mindfulness during transitions between subjects or activities, fosters self-awareness, emotional regulation and focus. You can guide them through simple breathing exercises, sensory awareness activities, or body scans to reduce stress before a challenging subject or after a high-energy activity. You will find a plethora of activities are explored in our cards.
Conflict Resolution Practice If you have multiple children at home or teach in a homeschooling pod, exploring everyday interactions as learning opportunities offers real-time practice. Role-playing can be a great way to teach skills like active listening, empathizing with others, and negotiating solutions when conflicts arise. Model appropriate behaviour by guiding them through solving their disputes, rather than simply stepping in to resolve it yourself.
Goal Setting and Reflection Natural breaks, such as at the end of a lesson or week, support children in reflecting and creating collaborative goals for what they would like to focus on next week. Ask them what went well, what was challenging, and how they felt during the process. Help your child set small, achievable goals for their academics, social interactions, or emotional growth... and celebrate their wins big and small! This supports greater engagement, critical thinking, problem solving, self-management skills, and keeping learning fun and inspiring! You will see in our blog we offer numerous tips in our posts on Sensory Processing, Parenting ADHD, and more.
Service Learning Find ways to incorporate community service or acts of kindness into your homeschooling routine. Volunteering, whether it’s virtual or in-person, teaches children empathy and responsibility while fostering a sense of purpose. Even small acts like writing cards for a local nursing home or creating care packages can be tied into lessons like writing, art, or social studies.
Creative Expression Children naturally express themselves through creative activities like drawing, music, and storytelling. These activities provide a great way to explore emotions and thoughts that they may struggle to articulate. Incorporating art or music therapy techniques within curriculum can help them process their feelings in a constructive manner. Again our Children's Yoga Cards (below) offer many activities for individuals and groups aged 2 to 9.
Finding the Best Homeschool Curriculum for Your Family
Circling back to what we initially spoke about when searching for the best homeschool curriculum, it’s important to recognize that every family’s needs are unique. The best homeschooling curriculum for your family will be one that resonates with your educational philosophy, supports your child’s learning style, and aligns with your family values.
Some factors to consider when selecting a curriculum include:
Learning Styles: Does the curriculum cater to your child’s preferred way of learning (visual, auditory, hands-on)?
Flexibility: Does the program allow you to adjust based on your family’s schedule or your child’s interests?
Core Values: Does the curriculum support the moral, social, and emotional values you want to impart?
Supplementary Learning: Are there ways to supplement the curriculum with SEL, life skills, or extracurricular activities that promote well-rounded growth?
Incorporating social-emotional learning into homeschooling is not just a bonus—it’s essential for fostering well-rounded, resilient children. By focusing on SEL through everyday activities and interactions, you provide your child with the tools they need to navigate life with confidence, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
As homeschooling continues to grow in popularity, many families are discovering that the best homeschool curriculum is one that educates the whole child - academically, socially, and emotionally. Having an intentional approach supports you in flexibility, so you can support your child with an education that prepares them for both academic success and life’s emotional complexities.
Want to Learn More?
Join Empowered Educators a mini-version of our Registered Children's Yoga Training!
Explore Heart Centred Parenting to empower your sensitive/ neurodiverse child holistically
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
🌺 Katie
