The 10 Best Homeschool Supply Companies
Where Can You Find the Best Selection of Homeschool Supplies?
Homeschooling is on the rise in the United States, with an estimated 2.5 million students - and those numbers growing anywhere from 2-8% every year.
Whether you're a seasoned home educator looking for new and innovative curricula and materials to work into your plans, or you're brand-new and need all the help you can get, you'll definitely need a reliable, affordable source of homeschool supplies.
Monday, January 25th
2021 Homeschool Supply Company Reviews
Homeschool Buyers Co-Op
Within the homeschooling community, Homeschool Buyers Co-op is a favorite resource for buying homeschool supplies. No matter what grade your students are in or what subjects they're studying, you'll find well-known publishers and unique new options on this site. Membership is required to place an order, but joining is free. There are also plenty of free resources available without signing up. This site has an excellent reputation for low prices and a fantastic selection of products and services for every style of homeschooling. Homeschool Buyers Co-op is our top pick among providers of homeschool supplies.
Time 4 Learning
Time 4 Learning is an online learning platform with instruction for students aged PreK through high school. Affordably priced at under $20/month for preschool through 8th grade and $30/month for high schoolers, this service gives you access to a robust academic environment that correlates with grade-level standards. It comes with a 14-day satisfaction guarantee for all new subscribers, and students can work across multiple grade levels as needed. Even though the company doesn't sell traditional homeschool supplies, Time 4 Learning earns one of our highest ratings because of how easy it makes it for parents to start - or continue! - homeschooling.
Discount School Supply
Discount School Supply makes shopping for homeschool items a pleasure. Their well-organized, beautiful site is easy to shop, and they make their customers a priority with a price match guarantee, free shipping on most orders, and a reasonable return policy. While you won't find much here for students beyond the elementary years, the variety of homeschool supplies sold by Discount School Supply let you get most of your shopping done in one place.
Alpha Omega Publications
Alpha Omega Publications gives you four options for homeschool curriculum, including student-paced and teacher-led pen-and-paper courses, plus two digital/online platforms. Their focus is faith-based, but users say their texts aren't as heavily Christian as other publishers we evaluated. Alpha Omega has a good reputation spanning more than four decades and is a decent choice if you need a structured approach to your student's learning. But, you won't get other types of homeschool supplies with this company.
Abeka
Abeka has been a household name in many homeschooling families for decades. Their homeschool supplies center around curriculum, with numerous options for buying materials for a full school year or just individual subjects. They also offer Abeka Academy, which takes some of the work off your shoulders through video lessons, as well as accredited options where they do all of the record-keeping like report cards and transcripts. Because Abeka places a strong emphasis on conservative Christian education and doesn't sell general homeschool supplies beyond their curricula, this won't be the best fit for a large number of families. But, if you share that worldview and want an easy approach to homeschooling where most of the planning and work has been done for you, Abeka might be a good place to start.
Evan-Moor
Do you really love workbooks? If so, check out Evan-Moor. Whether you want an online resource for printing out one at a time as needed or a whole bundle for your rising first grader, you'll get it here. There are also plenty of free resources, to let you try before you buy. However, when it comes to any other homeschool supplies, Evan-Moor isn't going to have as much to offer.
7 Sisters Homeschool
7 Sisters Homeschool is a good option if you're looking for courses at the high school level. Created by 6 experienced homeschool moms, this platform offers "no-busywork" PDF classes in psychology, literature, and many other subjects. These can also be used by homeschool co-ops, to teach students in a group setting. All courses come with a 10-day refund policy, and they're affordably priced. But, there are some noticeable gaps in what they offer; if you need a traditional math course or general homeschool supplies like manipulatives or arts and crafts, you won't find them here.
Knowledge Box Central
The homeschool supplies you'll find at Knowledge Box Central mostly consist of lapbook templates, which give your learners a hands-on method of learning and displaying what they've studied. The upside is that almost every template is $10 or less, but the downside is that you'll have to pay for the paper and ink to print everything out because all products are delivered in eBook format. If you're only looking for lapbooks, this is a great resource - but because the average homeschooling family will need far more supplies than this, Knowledge Box Central doesn't receive a high ranking.
Homeschooling Supply
At first glance, Homeschooling Supply seems to offer a broad array of materials for home education. But looking at what's actually available in any category, you'll quickly see that this site carries very little. Shipping costs are expensive, and anything returned within the allowed 30-day period will incur a 15% restocking fee. You'll get better service and selection with one of our higher-ranked homeschool supply stores.
Nest Learning
Nest Learning can best be described as "eclectic" when it comes to their inventory of homeschool supplies. As you browse the site, you'll find curricula from publishers both religious and secular, posters and other materials for your home classroom, and even non-educational items like pet products and home decor. However, a lackluster return policy with a 20% restocking fee on refunded items and an "F" rating at the BBB have put Nest Learning at the bottom of our rankings.
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Fortunately, all of the books, worksheets, science equipment and anything else you could possibly want for teaching your child(ren) at home are easily found online. The top retailers of homeschool supplies can help you narrow down what you need - A single curriculum or mix-and-match? Digital platform, parent-taught, or a hybrid? - and get it to you at prices you can afford.
Plus, it can take some trial-and-error as you determine which approach to homeschooling works for your family. What went well in your first year may need to be switched up in the second year, as you get more comfortable or as your learners' ages and needs shift with time. That's normal! While no homeschool supply store is going to let you return used workbooks and art supplies, the best retailers do have generous policies for items you get home, take one look and say "This is NOT what I thought I was getting!"
No two retailers of homeschool supplies are exactly the same. Some sell curricula from just one publisher, while others offer choices across multiple companies. Other stores give you an eclectic array of workbooks, musical instruments and other items, so that you can piece together a custom approach to your kids' studies. Finally, you'll find some sites that only sell online home education programs, from self-paced to remote learning with a certified teacher. The sky's the limit!
So, what should you look for when deciding where to buy your homeschool supplies? Naturally, that will depend on what you're hoping to find, whether that's a new curriculum or just some fun extras to supplement what you're already doing. However, here are a few criteria that can help you choose:
- Easy-to-Use Website. No matter what kind of supplies you need for your homeschool, you want an online store that is hassle-free. Look for a site that's clean and updated, with an intuitive layout, good search features and results filters, and definitely a secure URL!
- Selection. How much variety is there when considering the store's inventory? True, if you already know you just want the curriculum of one specific publisher, you can go directly to their site to make your purchase - but you might also want additional supplies that they don't carry. A wider selection makes it more likely that you can do one-stop shopping instead of making multiple orders from different stores.
- Return Policy. If your homeschool supplies arrive and you decide you don't want them, can you send them back for a refund? If so, how long will you have to do so?
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best homeschool supply providers available today. We hope this information helps you find the right curriculum, program, or supplemental materials to confidently educate your children at home!
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