Ten Things Every Homeschool Library Should Have

I’m a big believer in homeschoolers keeping large collections of print material in their homes. Seeing books around and seeing them being read is one way to build a reader. Today I’m discussing Ten Things Every Homeschool Library Should Have. How many of these are in your library?

Reference Materials for a Homeschool Library

Nature Field Guides– These are at the top of the list because we use them nearly everyday. We collect them at book sales and have quite a collection. We take them on excursions and use them for identifying new things in our back yard. If there’s a chance of going somewhere new outdoors, Rebecca will bring a field guide. Ok. I admit it. I grab guides too!

Biographies of Scientists– All the better to teach the lives of scientists with! Our kids are always amazed at the lives of people with a great focus and imagination.

Books on Books– Do you know the ones I’m talking about? These are books which tell about other books. They can be annotated bibliographies and many give additional advice about reading in general.

Atlases– Every homeschool needs a good atlas. I’d say you need more than one. Actually, I’d suggest as many as you can fit! We have all sorts of atlases including those of fictional worlds. Who can resist? I also like to have enough that my kids don’t have to share.

Dictionaries– We still love paper dictionaries here! While it’s convenient to use an electronic version, it’s a lot of fun, it’s wildly good educational practice to have students flip through old school and look up a word. On the way they get to meet other words and see the pictures. It’s easy to get lost in a dictionary when you are a word kid.

Thesaurus– The Synonym Finder is an excellent resource for the homeschool library. Your library should not be without a good thesaurus.

Technology for a Homeschool Library

Kindles– I often extol the many virtues of a Kindle Fire and Kindle eReader, but I’ll do it again. Not only can you read easily on a Kindle, but the Fire is a great reference tool for any homeschool library. Kindle Fires are extremely economical and a great way to enter the world of the tablet.

Audio Books– Rainy days and long trips are good times for audio books, but I contend that any time is a great time for an audio book. Audible makes it very easy to download new audios wirelessly, but you can get audio book files from various artists as well. I have kid who will listen to books over music when they do chores and other work.

Physical Space for a Homeschool Library

IKEA Expedit Shelving– We live many hundreds of miles from an IKEA, but I keep my eyes out on Craigslist which is where I’ve gotten the two that we have. Pretty sure they replaced the Expedit line, but hopefully a similar sturdy, cubby like bookcase is available. They hold a ton of books and it’s easy to organize with them because the books are in little square areas instead of across a shelf with no breaks.

Library Shelf– This is a bookshelf which is dedicated fully to library books. Kids can put books back there once they’ve been read and the great thing is when you go to return them on library day, they are all there in one place!

Other Homeschool Library Related Posts from Blog, She Wrote

Organizing Your Homeschool Library– Find out how we organize books and arrange our library so the books remain accessible and it’s a comfortable place to be.

The Ultimate Guide to Establishing a Reading Culture in Your Home– The big post on how to go about building your home environment to promote a culture of books at home.

Essential Elements of a Home Learning Environment– This is one of my favorite posts. What are the must haves for a homeschooling family? How do you set up your home to be a respite and a place of learning?

Learning Geography with Atlases– Ever wondered how to choose an atlas or how to use different styles? This post is all about atlases including a video where Tyler Hogan from Bright Ideas Press and I chat about our favorites!

How to Grow a Reader– How to engage kids with books from birth to high school. A comprehensive post on ways to enjoy books with kids of all ages.

How to Engage Your Teen with Books– All things related to communicating with your teen about books.

100 Books You Should Read by the Time You Turn 20– A list for teens by teens. Which ones have you read? Subscribe to Blog, She Wrote for an ebook and printable list!

So, tell us what your homeschool library can’t do without?

 

Other iHN bloggers are sharing what their homeschool can’t do without. Nothing better than a fun list!