Using Pinterest in Your Homeschool

I find myself often times wondering how in the world did people like my mother homeschool without the internet. I just can hardly imagine how much more challenging it must have been and much more labor intensive (and lonely for that matter) planning, organizing, and networking. But now days homeschooling resources are just a click away. There are free printables, free e-books, and honestly even free curriculums too. There are so many ways that the Internet has helped homeschooling become easier and cheaper over the past years. But just recently the development has added just another useful tool for homeschooling moms. Using Pinterest in your homeschool is easy, efficient, and exciting.

If you do not know what Pinterest is it is basically like a big filing system. You can create “boards” or files really that store links (and eye catching pictures) to your favorite recipes, home decorating ideas, party themes, etc. You can create countless boards for any topic you can imagine from fashion to children or even vacation planning! You can add your own pins by simply using the link from any article or website you want to be able to find again and voila! don’t ever loose that cute costume idea or the wonderful recipe again! Check me out on Pinterest if you are interested!

One of my favorite ways to use Pinterest in homeschool is to plan a unit study. I have several “boards” that are from unit studies in our past. I name the board for whatever the topic we are studying and then I start to add “pins”. I always add way more than we need but that way I can pick and choose with the children’s interest level as we are working.

One of the things that I love to add are “pins” that link to YouTube videos on the subject that we are studying. I have learned in the last few years YouTube is an endless resource. My children can watch experiments that we couldn’t do at home, see animals in their natural habitat, and see history come alive before their eyes all on the computer. Using these videos is one of our favorite lunch time activity. The children watch while they eat.

Another way that using Pinterest in your homeschool makes unit studies easier is by “pinning” links to printables and crafts. I have found some of the cutest hands on crafts to supplement our units through Pinterest as well as links to great printable worksheets. It is so nice to be able to just click and print a worksheet and not have to create them all myself.

The Internet is full of website dedicated to almost any topic you can think of. When I find one that is reading level appropriate for my children and covers the topic of our unit, I will “pin” it as well. This not only allows me to find the website when I need it but I can also get the children to the “board” and then let them explore whatever strikes their fancy, all the while knowing that they are staying on topic and their little eyes and hearts are guarded.

Not only is Pinterest useful in your homeschool but it is a great way to plan for a holiday gathering or a party with all of the great recipes that you can find on their. Use it to plan a birthday party that is over the top cool but not super expensive with the amazing DIY ideas that are almost endless on Pinterest. And you can even figure out how you want to redeocorate a room of your home with the fun decorating ideas. There is almost a limitless amount of ideas on Pinterest now days, but you have my personal warning that it can be addictive! You  have been warned!