How Homeschoolers Can Make the Most Use Out of the Library

I take my daughter to the library all of the time. I make sure we get the most use out of it as possible, especially since it is free. There are several ways to utilize the library to enhance your child's learning experience.

1. Research. This is the most obvious so it is listed first. When my daughter has to do a project such as choose an animal and report back on it's habitat, what kind of food it eats, how it protects itself, where it is on the food chain, and how does it treat it's young, we go to the library to get some books on that particular subject. She can then sit at the tables in quiet and find the information she needs to compile her report. Sometimes the books need to be checked out and she can work on it later.

2. Book reports. All children are required to do book reports throughout the school year. We do a minimum of one book report per quarter. It saves money going to the library and borrowing a book verses purchasing a new one every 2 1/2 months. Sometimes my daughter will go to the library with an idea of a book she wants to review, but ends up seeing something much more interesting and picking that.

3. Internet use. We have a computer at home with Internet capabilities so we don't use this service, but it is available for you to use if you need it. You just have to give the clerk your name and they will give you a number of which terminal you can use. They may also set a time limit so that others can use the computers also.

4. Tutoring. In the summer the library offers tutoring programs for both Language arts and Math. Children earn prizes as they complete so many pages. These prizes range from little toys to free hamburger happy meals at McDonald's. The tutors keep kids motivated in the summer to continue on learning and kids are sure not to lose any skills over the summer. I have signed my daughter up for this program, which again is free, and found it to be very helpful.

5. Movies. You may not think movies could be helpful, but the library has Informational DVDs. These are DVDs that coincide with what your child is learning in at home. I use these Informational DVDs quite frequently. Not only do they have DVDs that help your child learn their multiplication tables, but they also have History DVDs on events such as the Civil War or the sinking of the Titanic. Science offers hundreds of DVDs on whatever topic your child is learning. The last one we checked out taught my daughter about force (push and pull). There are even DVDs you can use for health class. If you really wanted to you go get a movie each week to use in addition to one of your lessons. Kid's love to take a break from writing and sit and watch a film.