How to Teach Homeschool History Without a Curriculum

Choosing the right history curriculum for your homeschooler can be quite a challenge! There are so many different options, so it’s easy to get overwhelmed. The good news is that there are lots of fun and engaging ways you can teach homeschool history without a curriculum too.

Homeschooling history doesn’t have to be about memorizing names and dates. Sparking curiosity and engaging your kids in an exploration of history helps bring the past to life. With hands-on projects, history games, and fascinating books you can make learning about the history of anything a whole lot more fun!

I can’t wait to share my favorite homeschool history ideas and resources with you! Keep reading to discover how you can homeschool history without a curriculum this year.

Here’s How to Teach History Without a Homeschool Curriculum

So how can you begin homeschooling history without a curriculum this year? There are so many awesome ways to incorporate lessons about the past into your homeschool days. Check out some of our favorites methods below.

Strewing History in Your Homeschool

Strewing colorful non-fiction books and games is a great way to get your homeschooler interested in exploring the past. Plus, they’ll be learning independently too.

To use this method, choose your favorite relevant and place them around your home in areas where your homeschooler can freely explore and engage with the materials. For example, choose a book about medieval Europe and add fun dress up materials. Then, watch as your homeschoolers engage in pretend play right in your living room!

Strewing is a great way to introduce new concepts, topics, and materials in your homeschool. Plus, it’s something kids can do independently where there are no right or wrong answers. It’s perfect for hands-on homeschool history lessons.

Check out some of our favorite homeschool history items to strew:

Learn more about strewing, what it is and how we do it in my complete guide to strewing. Strewing is a great way to begin your homeschooling day that has the added benefit of allowing kids to practice independent learning too.

Living History Books

Living books are books that will engage your kids, drawing them in and getting them excited, ready to learn more. A living book about a favorite historical figure or a fascinating time period could be just the thing your homeschooler needs.

A book about the history of airplanes might spark a brand new passion that lasts a lifetime!

Check out some of our favorite books for homeschooling history without a curriculum:

Some of our favorite living books to use for homeschooling history without a curriculum include biographies and Who Was? Books with unit studies. Don’t miss all my favorite historical picture books for homeschooling without a curriculum too.

History Themed Subscriptions

You can learn a lot about history with some fun subscriptions too. Subscription boxes are a great way to shake up your routine and make learning fun with your homeschoolers this year. Try some of our favorite history themed subscription boxes:

Hands on History

While not a monthly subscription box, these kits are an amazing contribution to your homeschool. If your children love doing crafts—cutting, gluing, coloring, and building, they will love these hands-on history supplements! Best of all, each project is carefully designed to deepen their understanding of history and offer concrete evidence of learning. You’ll make memories with your children as you work side-by-side, following the detailed directions in each kit. BookShark’s hands-on enrichment kits include all the supplies you will need (besides the basics you already have on hand like markers, glue, scissors, stapler, etc.).

Wonder Crate

Wondercrate is a subscription box that introduces kids to inspirational role models, sparks curiosity and connects them to their own possibilities. Each monthly subscription box contains a book and activities to educate, inspire, and empower kids to discover their strengths and share them with the world!

Universal Yums

Universal Yums is a monthly subscription service for international snacks. Each month they send you a box filled with snacks and candies from a different country. Every box also contains an activity sheet and a booklet with snack descriptions, trivia, games, cultural highlights, a music playlist, and a hint to the next month’s featured country!

Check out how we use subscription boxes like Universal Yums to take a hands-on tour of the world. Then, get the whole family involved in all kinds of homeschooling fun with your own history themed subscription.

History Games for Your Homeschool

We love games! They’re such a huge part of our homeschool experience. Over the years, we have discovered lots of fun games to incorporate into our homeschool lessons too.

Gameschooling history is totally possible and it’s actually one of our favorite ways to explore new time periods. There are just so many great board games and card games about all kinds of important historical figures and time periods. Check out some of our favorites below:

Explore even more fun games for gameschooling history and geography too with my list of the very best games for history and geography in your homeschool. It’s filled with board games, card games, and cooperative games for homeschoolers of all ages.

What If I Miss Something Important?

Homeschooling history without a curriculum is totally possible. Using living books, games, and subscription boxes is a fantastic way to learn! But what if you miss something important?

The truth is, gaps are inevitable. Everyone has gaps in their education, whether the homeschool with a curriculum or attend public or private school. There will be something you fail to teach them, something they just can’t retain, something they forget.

In the end, you have to learn to be okay with these gaps. As homeschoolers, we get to choose which gaps we are ok with and which gaps we aren’t ok with. For me, I knew I wasn’t ok with sacrificing our relationship.

My ultimate goal was to protect our relationship no matter what. What’s most important to you in your own homeschool? Once you’ve figured that out, you’ll be able to determine which gaps you’re ok with and which ones you’re not.

Remember, in homeschooling, there’s no such thing as behind. We can take longer to learn and master concepts our children find challenging or breeze through topics and concepts they master quickly. However, you can always check my free grade-level skills checklists to discover what concepts your kids might need to focus on next.

More Resources For Homeschooling Without A Curriculum

Have I convinced you that it’s totally possible to homeschool history without a curriculum this year? If you’re ready to explore homeschooling without a traditional curriculum in other subjects too, check out my helpful ideas:

Have you tried homeschooling history without a curriculum? What worked and what didn’t? Share your favorite tips and lessons learned in the comment section. I can’t wait to read all about it!