Using Digital Curriculum in Your Homeschool

I love paper books. Love. They are a big part of our entertainment and our education in homeschooling! I wouldn’t trade them in for anything.
 
So why would I bother with digital curriculum and ebooks? Although I was reluctant to begin using them, I have found them to be really valuable over the years for several reasons. They key is to make sure you actually use them!
 
Is digital Curriculum Worth It? How to use and organize digital curriculum and ebooks in your homeschool

Disclosure: *This post may include affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the disclosures and terms for more information.

Pros and Cons of Using Digital Curriculum
Pros:
  • Save money! Digital curriculum is more affordable than paperback books in many cases. Most eBooks, especially curriculum, are available in formats that can be used on any device, including your computer. 
  • They often allow use for multiple children in the home without violating copyright (as opposed to buying separate consumables for each child).
  • You can choose to print only what you want/need (I do this ALL the time with several curricula).
  • Easily portable for learning experiences while traveling or for lesson planning at the coffee shop.
  • Take advantage of free curriculum and living books available almost daily.
  • More space on your shelves for other books!
Cons:
  • You loose the tactile experience unless you print it out.
  • eBooks can create digital clutter without a digital organizational system.
  • Can’t share digital products with other families without potentially violating copyright.

 

Organizing eBooks and Digital Curriculum

The main problem I’ve found with digital curriculum and ebooks is keeping track of them so that they actually get used. Then you face the potential of forgetting or losing what you already have.
 
Here’s how I do it: 

1 – First, I organize my ebooks and digital curriculum into folders by subject on my computer (Reading, Writing, Math, Science, etc.). It’s simple but keeps things easy to find. 

2 – I also keep a short list of ebooks and curriculum by subject written in my homeschool planner. That way I can easily reference it to find  resources and supplements for my lesson plans. You could put one in a digital file on your computer or phone as well. 
 

3 – Finally, I give myself a reminder to check the digital curriculum files each quarter when I do my rough plans for the coming three months. This could be a checkbox in your planner or a reminder on your digital calendar. It really helps!

My Favorite Digital Curriculum

There are MANY digital curriculum bundles and options available out there. I like to watch for digital homeschool curriculum bundles because then you can snag an even BIGGER savings on curriculum. But there are also options available all year that are fantastic. 

Free and Frugal Homeschool eBooks as Digital Curriculum

Here is a good list that will get you started finding great free and frugal ebooks. Feel free to leave a comment to this blog post with any additional sites people might be interested in. Have fun!
  • Your Library: Ours has a selection of eBooks available to checkout online. See if yours does as well!
  • Free Homeschool Deals One of my favorite sites that compiles lists of free eBooks and digital curriculum on a daily basis. 
  • Heritage History free eBooks listed by genre (science, Bible, literature, etc.)
  • Librivox for a selection of free audiobooks
  • CurrClick is a great source of free and frugal homeschool curriculum. We have many labpbooks, unit studies, and more that we have found there! 

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108 Comments

  1. I do love ebooks. They are easy to read from anywhere and do not need to carry bundles of papers with us. They all available on a single window. Its really awesome, but it needs organizing in a proper way. Whatever, whether it might be paper books or ebooks they should be organized.

  2. I am definitely looking at all 4 elementary bundles, Charlotte Mason and the unit study ones.

  3. I’m so very excited about the Build your own bundle sale! There’s so much to choose! I can’t decide yet, but looking at Grammar Galaxy, Mystery of History and dyslexia classes.

  4. Great blog post! Love the idea printing only what I need and organizing everything. Thanks for all those wonderful links!

  5. I love the convienence of digital! We move a lot and I can take everything with me in such a small package.

  6. I want to check out several of them but the homeschool helps one is what caught my eye immediately.

  7. I am excited about the products for the upper grades! Guest Hollow’s Biology schedule, the Planned Purity book, Who Dun It Mystery writing, and several others!

  8. I am definitely a curriculum junkie! I also love, love, love ebooks! I can print all or just what I want as well as multiple copies for multiple children. Thank you so much for chance to SERIOUSLY stretch our homeschool budget 🙂

  9. I like the “notebooking project from BiblioPlan that guides students on a tour of all fifty U.S. states”

  10. I am shopping the bundles sale for the first time. Beginning homeschooling this coming Fall. Thank you for all the great information.

  11. I am loving the Character Building Bundle. This is our primary focus this year, so I’m definitely looking forward to putting it to good use!

  12. There’s a lot I see that I like-Truth Quest, Guest Hollows Biology, Paths of Exploration. It’s going to be hard to decide.

  13. There are SO many items I’m interested in, but I’m super excited about the music theory items

  14. I am interested in a couple of the elementary bundles and I’m not sure what others. I’m just starting to look at them as I’ve never ordered digital curricula before. Getting a free spending spree would certainly help me in my decisions. Thanks for offering this giveaway!

  15. I love books and my boys do too! This giveaway is awesome! I love Build your Bundle too. It is an excellent way to get what we need or want the most at amazing prices. Thank you!

  16. I would love to get all of the elementary homeschool bundles, I have 4 kids under the age of 6 so I think this would be a great fit for our family.

  17. Build you bundle is great! Ebooks are great money savers, portable and flexible but you need an organization plan so that you will utilize the ebooks!

  18. Oooh the Charlotte Mason bundle for starters!!!! Have to go feed kids but that bundle looks amazing…and its only the first one I looked at!

  19. When I click the links in the article, they take me to purchase the curriculum, but there’s no place to comment what I’m most excited for.

    This year, I really like the cursive copywork cuericulum for my kids. And I was excited about the periodic table curriculum.

    I’ve done the mystery bundle before, and it was worth every penny.

  20. The Charlotte Mason bundle is at the top of our list this year! But it’s hard to choose with so many options! Thanks for the giveaway!

  21. We have not used any digital curriculum items yet, but I feel like our tiny home is being swallowed up with books so this is something I would like to try.

  22. I am excited about the Early Learning bundle! I have a 5 year old daughter that will start kindergarten but most of the books can really help us. I am excited about the Healthy Families and Homeschool Helps as well as this is my first year really homeschooling!

  23. I really like the In the Hands of a Child bundle. I’ve used their products before and we really enjoyed them!

  24. I loved my bundle from last year… alas this year I do not have the funds to buy… would love to win this year!

  25. There are so many good products. I think I’m most excited about the first two elementary bundles this year. 🙂

  26. I like the elementary bundle #2 The spanish lessons and 15 min music lessons were the things that drew my eye.

  27. Thanks for listing the links to the audio books. While I like reading aloud, it’s great to be able to save your voice some days too!!

  28. The Unit Studies Bundle looks amazing and I am always curious to see what the Mystery Bundle has!

  29. Thanks for all the BYO Bundle info. I’m currently excited about the Elementary ones and Charlotte Mason one.

  30. The two items on the periodic table look great! We are starting Chemistry next year and these would be a great resource to go along with our other picks.

  31. Both Upper Grades Bundles and the Ellen McHenry Bundle look great! So many resources for such a great price!

  32. Wow. I haven’t used the build your own bundles before, but there looks like some amazing products to try! I might try the mystery bundle just to see what comes with it. 🙂

  33. I’ve recently discovered how much my kids love unit studies and lapbooks, so I’m excited about many of the products offered like Oceans, Victoria and Her World and lapbooks on American Indians and the Wright Brothers (which go with what we’re studying this summer).

  34. Wow there is so much to choose from! I am interested in A Walk In The Woods, World War 2 Curriculum, The Holocaust Curriculum, The Blessings of Chores and more.

  35. I want the elementary bundle #2, a journey through learning, and in the hands of a child. I would also like some on homeschooling for the mom.

  36. Becoming more digital in our homeschool is the direction we are heading into because we don’t live in the States and often travel so our homeschool baggages needs to be light. Thanks for all the ways to organize them. I love the BYOB and am super excited about these next few days.

  37. I’m most interested (so far) in the BiblioPlan products (especially the audiobook), the TruthQuest history binder-builder, and the Schoolhouse Teachers membership.

  38. Thanks for doing this for everyone. I would like the healthy living, homemaking, and character building bundles.