My top picks for resources & equipment
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
I update this page as often as possible to include the most relevant tools, furniture, equipment that I've bought for my homeschooling journey which might help you too.
Educational Augmented Reality T-Shirt
£26.99
Whilst learning about the human skeletal system and the heart we came across this virtual reality T-shirt and I thought it would be a really fun way to learn. It was! It's easier to use it whilst it hangs up rather than being worn but either way, the boys loved it.
Airfix Gloucester Gladiator - WW1 Learning
£14.12
We've been learning all about the Great War and to make it more fun, we bought these Airfix fighter planes to build and paint. It's not only fun and relaxing but it's also a great way to learn too! Bringing the war to life in your own hands.
Binca Fabric squares for sewing
£7.99
We started teaching our children how to sew by using the Binca cloths, a large embroidery needle, and thread. They make it easier for practicing and they really enjoyed making some great designs on the Binca fabric.
Terrific Technology Workbook
£6.55
This book is a really fun and easy way to learn about technology. It includes puzzles, colouring and all sorts of activities to inspire thinking and understanding.
Compact folding utility table
£39.99
This is a great table if you are short of space. The legs fold in so that the table can be put away. It's ideal for one person to work on, or to use as a 'station' for an activity.
Colins KS2 Science Book
£4.79
I use this book to help guide me through the various science subjects children would generally be taught, otherwise I would have no idea. We work through the book very slowly, at our own pace until we feel we've got our heads around a particular topic. There are test sections at the end of each topic and I use these to check that the boys have grasped what we've been learning.
100-Piece Snap cube maths set
£23.49
Just like in schools these cubes are brilliant to help with counting, multiplications, and dividing. They also come with wipeable cards to add to the learning experience. Depending on your child's math ability, the cubes help make the process of working out large numbers much easier.
KS2 Discover & Learn Europe
£4.95
This is a really nice book and a great introduction to teaching children about Europe, including the rivers and mountains. It's very simple to read and I use it to go through each section slowly. It also details geographical features like temperate climates. Every now and again I go back to this book as a reference when discussing anything to do with Europe.
Collins Year Targeted Practice Maths Books
£4.99
I have one of these for year 5 and one for year 4. If you click on the link once on the right page you can search for the year group of your choice. I use these when we've worked on a particular area of maths using the 10-minute maths books, and feel more targeted practice is needed.
Usborne the First World War Paperback
£0.65
I have used this book to slowly teach my children about how the First World War came about, and important facts such as where Flanders Fields was the story of the Christmas Day Truce, and all about the trenches. It's a really good book!
Usborne Lift-the Flap & See Inside Books
£9.99
We have quite a few of these lift the flap books and I have to say, they make learning about particular topics really fun. My boys are aged 9 and 10 and they love lifting the flaps and reading the information underneath for each one. We've got the How things work, Inside the History of Britain, General Knowledge and See inside planet earth and we will add to these as we move on to other subjects.
View-Thru Geometric Solids
£15.95
This is a lovely set which comes with a card with all the correct names of the shapes on it. Because you can see through them too, it helps with the learning of the shapes. There are a set of 14 3D shapes in total and the box can be used for storage.
K'Nex Power & Go Racers, S.T.E.AM
£17.87
This is a great way to learn about engineering, whether you use the set to make the cars and motorise them or to use your imagination. We've used it quite a few times for various learning objectives, from topics about power to the construction of cars.
Pack of Easy to Grow Cress Seeds
£1.99
Cress seeds are so easy to grow and brilliant for teaching children about plants. We used them as a comparison science experiment to see which seeds grew better, those in a dark place or those in a light place. Not only do they grow quickly but you can eat them too!
Pack of 200 Jumbo Lollipop Sticks
£5.50
Always handy for crafting activities or even for markers when planting! I've still got loads of these left from the only pack I've ever bought so it's great value for money.
Practise and Learn Book Range
£4.95
We use the Spanish Practise and Learn book but there is a whole range to choose from including other languages, maths, English, and more. A really useful approach to learning through the method of practising.
Pack of 40 Split Pins
£1.20
This is the one thing you never think to buy and then realise you need it more than you think! We've done lots of projects when I haven't read ahead and realised we need split pins so I always have a box available just in case.
Collins Illustrated Primary Dictionary
£9.34
I really wanted my boys to get used to looking up words in a dictionary but the one we had at home was big, boring and they found it too difficult to use. So, I bought this and knew that the illustrations would help in searching through the pages. It's done the trick!
24 Colour Air-Dry clay kit and accessories
£9.99
This set is such good value for money and comes with lots of accessories. We've made all sorts of models using ours and they dry really well. There's also a handy guide book with ideas but we mainly use ours for project work, so perhaps if we're learning about the ocean we'll use it to create ocean related items.
EMARTH Science Beginners Microscope for Kids
£52.80
This is a really robust microscope and comes with lots of extras including slides with specimens already included to get you started. Although it says it's for children, it's very solid and is more like a professional microscope just easy to use.
10 Minutes a day learning books
£4.79 each
We use the vocabulary and maths books in this series by Carol Vorderman but there's more to choose from including spelling, Spanish, French and other maths-related problem solving exercises.
Creative Writing 4 book Pack
£23.99
After ditching formal reading & writing which was just sucking the life from my children, I bought these books to encourage them to write creatively. They help to add structure and I let them pick which one they want to do and how they want to work through it.
A World Full of Dickens Stories: 8 best-loved classic tales
£10.45
I loved Charles Dickens novels growing up and I think it's important the children know the works of some of our great authors. For me, this was a great way to get them interested in an easy-to-read way.
Create your own worksheets, Lesson plans & more with Canva
£10.99 per month - well worth it!
I absolutely love Canva! I was using the free version for years to create posters and infographics for a business I manage. When I became a VA, I started paying for it so I create more professional-looking documents. Since then, I use it to create schedules and lesson plans and I couldn't live without it.
£4.75
I couldn't find any useful learning materials to teach my kids about Henry VIII online, so I bought this easy to read book. We loved it! I read a chapter at a time and we would answer questions after each chapter. The boys found it really interesting and have remembered loads of important details. For me, I learned lots too in a way that wasn't boring.
Weekly Wipeable Planner
£16.99
One of the reasons I bought this was for the bright colours and the fact it's wipeable so I don't have to keep wasting paper. We use it to write down what we will be doing for each day and the space to write is really generous.