Homeschool moms are curriculum junkies! I’m not sure if you have to be a curriculum junkie in order to be a homeschooler, but I do know that when you start teaching your children at home, there is a chance that you may become one. You start to hoard catalogs to look at all the curriculum choices.
It starts innocently enough: you need resources.
You need to see what’s available. You need to read reviews. This is where catalogs come in. I have received nearly every home education-geared catalog out there. Oh I’m sure there are some I haven’t seen, but I have had most at one time or other.
This list isn’t complete, because of course I only chose 10. To me, these are the most useful catalogs, and have the most value for the amount of time you will spend perusing them.
I left out most of the textbook publisher catalogs because they only sell their own products. I encourage you, especially if you are just beginning to homeschool, to visit these websites and request catalogs.
1. Apologia Educational Materials
Hands down, Apologia has everything you could want in materials for science, language arts, history and MORE for your kiddos. They have several new programs including Constitutional Literacy for high school, History and Civics, and Writing and Reading and even math for elementary. This catalog is chock-full of curriculum and resources!
2. Rainbow Resource
I ordered my first catalog from them in 1998. I was impressed at the thickness, a whopping 3/8” of the largest array of homeschool curriculum I had ever seen. These days, think large city telephone book, and you’ve got their current catalog! They have the best prices around. When the new catalog comes in the mail, it goes everywhere with me for about the first two weeks. 🙂
3. Christian Book Distributors
Second largest homeschool supplier out there, Christian Book carries pretty much everything you could want for any subject. They even have stuff you didn’t know you wanted.
4. Timberdoodle
Local to Washingtonians like me, Timberdoodle carries creative and fun educational supplies as well as curriculum. If your kids are into mechanics, construction, science, or just plain fun, they have products that will thrill them.
5. Home Science Tools
This company carries science supply kits for almost every science program out there. If it’s not listed in their catalog, chances are you can call them and ask. They also sell Apologia and BJU.
6. Library and Educational Services
Not your typical homeschool catalog, but LES carries lower-cost books and DVDs. Their service is really good!
7. Sonlight / Book Shark
Not to promote a program here, but their catalog is a virtual wealth of great book lists! I get it simply for the literature recommendations for all subjects. Sonlight is religious and Book Shark is secular friendly.
8. Beautiful Feet Books
Another fantastic ‘book list’ type catalog, although not nearly as extensive as Sonlight, BF Books has great history programs and top notch literature suggestions.
9. Blick Art Materials
Again, not your “typical” homeschool catalog, because it isn’t, at all. Blick carries just about anything art-related that you can think of. Their prices blow away our local art supply here in town and even with shipping we saved a bunch. Fast delivery too!
10. Elijah Company
I put this one here for posterity sake. You “old” or “veteran” homeschoolers can relate that Elijah Company was much MUCH more than a catalog. They are no longer in business, but you can read all of their fantastic newsletter articles via The Wayback Machine at Archive.org. I was so sad to see them close, and even sadder to not receive their catalog anymore. There was so much EXTRA included… articles on homeschooling, faith, parenting, teaching tips, and so much more. Bookmark this one!!
