Guide to Homeschool History Curriculum

Homeschool planning usually begins with listing out the subjects that you want to cover with your children. After deciding on your math, science, and language arts programs, you are now faced with the question of how to integrate the study of history with the rest of your choices. Let’s examine the many different factors of choosing the best homeschool history curriculum for your family.

Homeschool History Curriculum Overview and Different Types

The traditional approach to learning history is to sit down, crack open a textbook, and read an account of dates, names and facts. It is no wonder that many children find this approach boring. Memorizing numbers and dry facts about the past seems irrelevant and unrelatable to many of us. So how can you bring history alive for your students and inspire an interest in the people and events that came before us?

There are many choices that you will have to make on the path to choosing the right homeschool history curriculum. Do you want a Christian curriculum or a secular curriculum? Choosing a homeschool history curriculum can be difficult because not all authors will share your worldview.

This doesn’t mean that you should avoid exposing your children to opinions with which you disagree. It can be good practice for them to face opposing worldviews while you are there to guide them. It simply means you should do your homework.

Do you want to study history in chronological order or a thematic order? Some people choose to study history on a timeline. A chronological study of world history would begin in ancient times, move on to medieval times, and end in modern times. American history would likely start in colonial times and move forward from there.

For a thematic study, you would choose a single event or topic and do a deep dive into it. For example, you could do a study of the major wars that have happened around the world.

Do you want to learn about history through a textbook or through living stories?

Every child has their own learning style, but it is the opinion of us here at Common Sense Press that the best way to learn history is through stories. I may not always remember the exact dates of the Revolutionary War, but I will always remember riding alongside Peaceable Sherwood as he mobilized the British loyalists under the nose of Richard Grahame in The Sherwood Ring. Aside from the feeling that I lived that period of time, I also gained an interest in writing secret messages in code, researching family trees, and maneuvering your way out of tricky situations.

Realizing that the people in history had personalities, dreams, struggles, and relationships, just like we do now, goes a long way in connecting students with the past. When kids are connected, and engaged, the study of history becomes a whole lot easier and more meaningful.

Why choose a family-style homeschool history curriculum?

Certain subjects can be taught family-style, like geography, science, and art. History is one of those subjects.

Family-style learning is when students of multiple grade levels work through a curriculum together. Everyone learns about the topic, but the older students dive deeper into the subject matter, while the younger students are simply introduced to the basic concepts.

Our Learning American History Through Literature book is one example of a family-style homeschool history curriculum. In the lesson on the colonial period, you (the teacher) will read the introduction to the time period, then the younger students can choose a short, age-appropriate book from the provided reading list, while the older students choose a chapter book. Then, a more advanced student might decide to write a research paper on the Mayflower Compact, while the younger kids make a corn husk doll. Together, they can make Johnny Cakes and play games played by children of that period.

Customizing Homeschool History Curriculum

The beauty of homeschooling is that you are able to customize any curriculum that you choose so that it fits your family’s needs. Every child has a different learning style, and every parent has their own teaching style. Find a homeschool history curriculum that works well with both styles.

Our Learning American History Through Literature program is presented as a “buffet” of activities. In each lesson, there are reading lists, crafts, games, and recipes that you can choose from to create a history lesson that is engaging for your child specifically. 

Some people may like a more structured approach and opt to go with a textbook-style history curriculum. There are also video programs for kids who learn well by watching and listening.

The subject of history is not an island. Your history program will inevitably overlap with other subjects that you are working on. 

Take advantage of this by matching your homeschool history curriculum with your literature studies, your Bible program, or even your science experiments! If you are studying American Literature with your student, that may be a great time to study American History. The literature study will reinforce the information being learned in the history study, and vice versa.​

Interactive History Activities

If history seems dry and boring to your students, there are plenty of educational activities that will shake things up a bit. While studying the civil war, sign up for a civil war reenactment. When you’re working through the medieval period, enjoy a day at a Renaissance Fair. 

Spend the week beforehand putting together period-appropriate outfits. As a family of cosplayers, we’ve learned that events are more fun when you dress for the theme! Not only will the hands-on activities deepen understanding and engage your children, it is also a great way to get involved in the community.

You can also utilize technology in your history lessons, as it allows us to experience history in a unique way, right from the comfort of our homes.

You can take a virtual tour of many museums and landmarks for free. Whatever you are studying, take to the internet and search for ways to put a visual to the words on the page! For instance, while learning about Leonardo da Vinci, search for “Louvre Virtual Tours” and show your children where the Mona Lisa resides. 

While we don’t recommend that any child be allowed to browse YouTube on their own, with supervision, the website can be an incredible tool for learning. Simply type in the search bar what you are studying and look for documentaries or short videos that people have made about the subject.

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Best Ways To Learn History At Home

1. Find a curriculum that works for you: Do your research! There are so many great history programs out there for high school and middle school students. Read reviews, watch walkthroughs, and take advantage of sample lessons. Find a program that works for your family and don’t be afraid to switch it up or customize the program.

2. Make it stick with stories: I can’t emphasize this enough. The best way to learn about history is through stories. History should never be just a list of facts and numbers. History is made up of people, like you and me, whose lives are full of fascinating stories. Historical fiction books will be your best friend in making history come alive for your kids. Pair these books up with a quick overview of the time period.

3. Help history hop off the page: Along with reading stories, do activities. Make a quill pen and use it to write a message in a secret code. Play Blind Man’s Bluff and make Mock Apple Pie. Learn how to sew while making an outfit to wear to the Renaissance Fair. These activities are fun and will help to deepen the understanding of the lives of those who came before us.

4. Use documentaries and films: Most of us love watching TV. You can use this to your advantage! There are a lot of historical documentaries out there that you can stream or check out from the library. Learning can also happen while watching fictional movies and TV shows that are set in the time period you are studying. While learning about the Westward Expansion, watch The Little House TV series together as a family. 

In Learning American History Through Literature, every lesson has a list of period-specific movie suggestions. ​

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The Bottom Line

There are so many great choices for a homeschool history curriculum. Take some time to research them and find one that matches both your kid’s learning style and your teaching style. It also needs to fit your schedule. If you only plan to do history twice a week, you’ll need a program that supports that. 

Don’t get overwhelmed! The study of history in your homeschool curriculum can be as simple or as in-depth as you want it to be. If you don’t know where to begin, a structured history curriculum may be perfect for you. As you get more comfortable, you can start to add in activities that will help to create a meaningful and impactful history education experience for your kids. 

If you are interested in a flexible history program that teaches through stories and hands-on activities, I encourage you to take a look at Learning American History Through Literature.

Homeschool History Curriculum FAQs

When should kids start learning history?

Your kids can start learning about history as early as possible. When you are first starting out, use children’s story books about real people and events. As they get older, read aloud historical fiction novels as a family and talk about important issues. Later on they can circle back and engage in a more in-depth study of history. Remember, history is a subject that can be learned together as a family, which can be a huge time saver and bonding experience!

How to choose a homeschool history curriculum that aligns with your beliefs?

As you are looking for a homeschool history curriculum, keep in mind the worldviews of the people who created the curriculum, as it will change the way the information is presented. If sample lesson plans are provided, they can be extremely helpful as they allow you to take a look inside the program. You can also reach out to the company that publishes the curriculum and chat with them about specific concerns you have. It may be difficult to find a program that aligns totally with your religious and political beliefs, so be prepared to discuss and analyze ideas with your children.

How is history taught in homeschooling?

How history is taught in homeschooling is going to look different for each family. For some, it might look like mom reading Ivanhoe while the kids color on the floor in a medieval themed coloring book. For others, it may look like reading from a textbook and taking quizzes. You may find yourself eating out of a tin can at a reenactment camp or watching Little Women. The reality is that the study of history will probably be a mixture of all of the above: reading, crafting, baking, playing, and doing.