Large Families
Homeschooling in a large family is both a joy and a challenge. Learn how to manage those challenges, while meeting the needs of everyone in the family. Here you'll find information on keeping your home running smoothly, tending to toddlers while homeschooling, teaching many different grade levels at once, and avoid burnout.
Homeschooling a Large Family
Homeschooling the Large Family: How to Get It All Done
Regardless of how many children you have, there will always be more on your to-do list than time will allow in any one day. Wise homeschool parents will recognize this early on and take steps to maintain their sanity by practicing these tips to enhance their homeschool productivity.
Homeschooling Children of Multiple Ages
Do you homeschool children of multiple ages? Discover tips, ideas, and strategies from experienced homeschool moms who teach a variety of ages in their own homes.
Panelists include Amy Roberts (Raising Arrows), Connie Hughes (Smockity Frocks), Judy Hoch (Contented at Home), and Tricia Hodges (Hodgepodge.me).
Moderator for this weekly event is Lauren Hill of Mama's Learning Corner.
Affording the Large Family Homeschool
For any family seeking a private Christian education in the home, money quickly becomes an issue. While programs like K12 and other public-school umbrellas exist, they do not offer the freedom of choice so many homeschoolers are looking for. Nor do they offer a Christian education.
Most homeschooling families opt to buy their own curriculum so they can truly be in charge of their child’s education. When a homeschooling family has many children, curriculum buying becomes an exercise in creative frugality.
Here are a few ways you can save and stretch money in your homeschool.
Organizing the Large Family Homeschool
This article offers a smattering of simple ideas to help keep homeschooling materials organized.
Homeschooling with Larger Families: How to Make It Work
Some ideas to encourage those who are homeschooling many children. Discusses how to develop daily plans, integrate your teaching to different age levels, maintain your presence to give your children a sense of stability, and keep your perspective.
Identifying Priorities in a Large Family Homeschool
Teaching six children can be a challenge. How do you prioritize? Where do you focus your time? How do you make sure they all learn to read, write and tie their shoes? It is not impossible to teach a large family. It takes thoughtfulness and flexibility. It will keep you on your toes and keep you humble.
How I Teach a Large Family in a Relaxed, Classical Way: Language Arts
Tips for teaching language arts (writing, grammar, handwriting) in a large family.
Married (with a lot) of Children
A candid look at the challenges and joys of raising a large family in a hostile world. This article is written from a Catholic perspective, but has food for thought for any parent of a large brood.
Tips for Homeschooling Multiple Ages in a Large Family
Heather Bowen shares some tips, tricks, and shortcuts for homeschooling multiple ages within a large family.
Implementing Discipleship Homeschool with a Large Family
How do you switch to a discipleship homeschool way of life? Theresa, mother of ten asked such a question – here is her letter and a reply. Theresa has given permission for this to be shared in the hope that other families will be encouraged too.
How Do I Teach with So Many Kids?
This series includes a look at schedules, schooling year round, busy bags, teamwork, and surrendering to God.
Homeschooling a Large Family: What I've Learned About Myself
Homeschooling can reveal many things. This article shares some insight into the thoughts of a homeschooling mom.
Large family finds a way to homeschool
This youtube video gives a look into a large successful homeschooling family. This African-American family of seven children has had all children go to college, starting while still in high school.
Homeschool Planning for a Large Family
Homeschool planning for a large family can seem daunting. From choosing curriculum to setting up a daily schedule, there are seemingly endless decisions to be made.
The good news is that you can simplify the homeschool planning process. The key is to prioritize your goals before you begin planning.
School Room Organization for a Big Family
There are so many benefits to having a large family, too numerous to count. However, one of the very few disadvantages is that a mom has to really stay on top clutter, particularly a homeschooling mom! It can be challenging to find a spot for everything. Organization is key when school six children.
Ten Tips from Homeschooling Moms of Four or More
Parents of several children engage in some seriously creative thinking to accomplish ordinary day to day tasks. This article is a collection of tips, gathered from ‘Moms of Many’, and is intended to supply helpful suggestions for homeschooling, maintaining your home, and generally keeping it all in balance.
Planning a Homeschool Routine When You Are Homeschooling Multiple Children
How do you structure a homeschool day with four children? Do you teach each subject separately with each child? If not, what do you do together? This mom shares her strategies as she shows a day in her life.
5 Ways to Tell If You Fit the Large-Homeschooling-Family Mold
Ways to know if you are a large homeschooling family.
Multi-age Homeschool: Older Teaches Younger
In a large family, it is inevitable that the older children will help guide the younger ones. Here are ideas on how to capitalize on that system.
How to Homeschool During the Post Partum Period
If you are going to be a homeschooler and continue to grow your class size, then you need to be prepared and you need to be flexible. Adding a new family member during the school year can be a smooth transition. Explore these ideas and tips to help during this time.
Large Homeschool Family Blogs
My Blessed Home
This blog shares homeschooling help and encouragement, parenting tips and insights, organizational tips, and more, all while chronicling the joys and challenges of raising a large family.
There's No Place Like Home: Homeschooling my large, crazy family
Shelly is the mom of eleven children and is homeschooling. Share in her journey.
Little Earthling Blog
This beautiful family has grown through adoption and birth. With fourteen children, they homeschool and share their adventures on their blog.
The Bates Family
This beautiful family of 19 children shares their journey with this blog.
Our Busy Homeschool: Large Family Learning at Home
Tristan is mom to eight children whom they homeschool.
Peace Creek on the Prairie: Large Family Homeschool
This site offers articles, resources, free homeschool printable, and curriculum information.
Our Full House
Carrie shares life with her 14 blessings, offering a glimpse into the daily life of their family.
Gigi's Place
Gigi is a 30-something large family homeschooling mom to seven kids. Being a large family homeschooler has its challenges and joys, which Gigi shares here.
Raising Arrows
Join Amy Roberts as she shares her tips and ideas about homeschooling and large family living.
Large Family Learning
Follow Amber and her children as they enjoy large family learning.
Support for Homeschooling Large Families
Pregnant Again
This is a list for all who are pregnant for the third or more time and are having a large family by choice. Discussions include the difficulties of having several at home when dealing with sickness and fatigue, homeschooling, and more. This is a supportive list where people believe that large families are wonderful.
K12 Large Families
This group is for large families using the K-12 curriculum created by Dr. William Bennett. Both homeschooling families and Virtual School families are welcome. It is particularly intended for families with more than 3 children in K-12 as well as additional teens, toddlers and babies. Discussions include both the curriculum and the challenges of implementing it in a large family.
Magnum Opus
Raising a large, Catholic, homeschooling family is a great work (Magnum Opus) and a great deal of work!
Hopefully this email discussion group will be a place for parents of four or more to help each other with the nitty-gritty details of raising and educating a large, Catholic family.
Large Families Forum at Just Mommies
This forum is for families with four or more kids.
Tons of Kids
This mailing list is set up for parents of large families. Large for this list is defined as having five or more kids. They welcome everybody who has at least that many of any religion, or even no religion.
Large Families Forum at BabyCenter
Do you come from a large family? Are you planning one? Share the challenges and joys a big family can bring.
Large families are amazing, and I have one
This Facebook page is a big support group of large family supporters who talk on a regular basis.
CM for Moms of Many
An email group for homeschooling moms using Charlotte Mason's methods. Focuses on homeschooling larger families.
Pregnant Again
Are you pregnant? Do you have a large family? Do people look at you like you're crazy? This is a list for all of you out there who are pregnant again for the third or more time. This is a supportive list wehre people believe that large families are wonderful.
Large Family Logistics
This group offers a discussion of Kim Brenneman's book Large Family Logistics.
Featured Resources
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this site.
Please Don't Drink the Holy Water
Susie Lloyd faces the trials and joy of raising a happy, active Catholic family.
Homeschoolers' Success Stories : 15 Adults and 12 Young People Share the Impact That Homeschooling Has Made on Their Lives
Despite their growing numbers, many homeschoolers still find their experience somewhat isolating. This collection of short biographies aims to alleviate some of that loneliness. While the stories profile modern-day homeschool grads and students, famous homeschooled personalities from the past are offered up early in the book for historical inspiration. John Adams, Abraham Lincoln, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer, photographer Ansel Adams, poet Robert Frost, and...
Free to Learn: Introducing Steiner Waldorf Earkt Childhood Education
Free to Learn is a unique guide to the principles and methods of Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood education. The author draws on kindergarten experience from around the world, with stories, helpful insights, lively observations and pictures. This inspiring book will interest parents, educators, and early years education students. It is up to date, comprehensive, and contains many illustrations, including a 16-page color section. Lynne Oldfield invites you to explore Steiner Waldorf kindergarten...
Drawn Into the Heart of Reading
Drawn Into the Heart of Reading was developed for use with students of multiple ages at the same time, perfect for the homeschooling family. It is designed for use as an entire reading program or as a supplement to an existing program for students in grades 2-8.
Elementary Geography
Elementary Geography is a reprint of the original work by Charlotte Mason. It includes her ideas about teaching children about their world, with poetry selections throughout the book. Explores ideas of place from space to our earth, seasons, map making, and topography. Written in a pleasing conversational style, it is useful for understanding teaching methods, memorization, and copy work.