50 Ways to Use the Library as a Homeschooler 📚
The library can be so much more than a place to check out books. For homeschool families, it can become a classroom, research center, creative studio, community space, and source of free educational resources… all without the cost of a traditional curriculum.
Whether you homeschool preschoolers, elementary students, middle schoolers, or teens, your local library can support almost every area of learning.
Here are 50 creative ways to use the library as a homeschooler!
📖 Books & Reading
1. Build Your Own Curriculum Through Books
Choose books around the subjects your children are currently studying and create your own reading-based curriculum.
2. Create Themed Book Baskets
Choose 5–10 books around a theme such as oceans, dinosaurs, fall, space, gardening, or ancient Egypt.
3. Have a Weekly Library Book Day
Choose one day each week to visit the library, return books, explore new ones, and let your children choose something independently.
4. Explore Different Genres
Use the library to introduce children to biographies, poetry, historical fiction, mysteries, science fiction, nonfiction, folklore, and more.
5. Start a Family Read-Aloud
Choose one longer chapter book and read a few chapters together each week.
6. Let Children Choose Their Own Books
Independent book selection helps children develop their own interests and discover what they genuinely enjoy reading.
7. Create a Living Books Collection
Instead of relying exclusively on textbooks, use engaging books written by authors, scientists, historians, artists, and other experts.
8. Find Books at Different Reading Levels
You can often find books about the same topic at preschool, elementary, middle-school, and teen reading levels.
9. Create a Seasonal Reading List
Build reading lists for fall, winter, spring, and summer.
10. Have a Family Book Club
Everyone reads the same book—or different books around the same theme—and gathers together to discuss them.
🌎 Use the Library for Every Subject
11. Study Science
Look for books about animals, plants, weather, the human body, chemistry, astronomy, geology, and environmental science.
12. Study History
Use biographies, historical nonfiction, historical fiction, documentaries, maps, and primary-source collections.
13. Explore Geography
Find books about different countries, states, cultures, landmarks, languages, and geographic regions.
14. Learn About Different Cultures
Read children's books, cookbooks, biographies, folktales, and cultural histories from around the world.
15. Practice Math
Look for math activity books, puzzles, games, logic books, multiplication resources, and real-world math books.
16. Study Art
Find books about famous artists, art history, drawing techniques, painting, sculpture, photography, and crafts.
17. Explore Music
Look for books about composers, instruments, music history, music theory, and different musical traditions.
18. Study Nature
Use field guides to identify birds, trees, flowers, insects, rocks, and other things you find outdoors.
19. Learn About Animals
Choose a different animal each week and build a mini study around library books.
20. Explore Careers
Libraries often have books about doctors, teachers, engineers, artists, entrepreneurs, scientists, trades, and countless other careers.
✏️ Turn Library Visits Into Learning Activities
21. Have a Library Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of things children need to find, such as:
A nonfiction book
A biography
A book written by a woman
A book about an animal
A book published more than 10 years ago
A book with a blue cover
22. Practice Alphabetical Order
Have younger children practice organizing books or locating authors by alphabetical order.
23. Practice Research Skills
Give your child a question and have them locate books that could help answer it.
24. Teach the Dewey Decimal System
Turn finding nonfiction books into a lesson about classification and organization.
25. Create a Library Journal
Children can record:
Books they've read
Favorite authors
New vocabulary
Interesting facts
Books they want to read
26. Practice Note-Taking
Have older children take notes from several books about the same topic.
27. Compare Two Books
Choose two books about the same subject and discuss similarities and differences.
28. Write a Book Review
After finishing a book, have your child write or draw a review.
29. Create a Research Project
Choose a topic, gather information from library resources, and create a presentation, poster, slideshow, or report.
30. Practice Public Speaking
Have children present what they learned from their library research to the family.
🎨 Get Creative at the Library
31. Attend Storytime
Storytime can support listening skills, vocabulary, comprehension, social development, and early literacy.
32. Attend Children's Programs
Many libraries offer free or low-cost activities such as crafts, science demonstrations, music, STEM activities, and educational programs.
33. Attend Teen Programs
Older homeschoolers may find writing groups, book clubs, gaming programs, art activities, technology programs, and other opportunities.
34. Use the Library's Makerspace
If your library has a makerspace, explore opportunities involving crafts, 3D printing, robotics, sewing, electronics, or other hands-on activities.
35. Borrow Educational Kits
Some libraries offer STEM kits, science kits, literacy kits, activity bags, museum passes, or themed learning kits.
36. Borrow Board Games
Board games can provide opportunities to practice strategy, math, reading, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
37. Look for Puzzles
Puzzles can support spatial reasoning, persistence, pattern recognition, and problem-solving.
38. Explore Music and Media
Depending on your library, you may be able to borrow CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, or access digital music and media platforms.
39. Attend a Library Workshop
Check the calendar for workshops related to technology, art, writing, financial literacy, gardening, science, or other subjects.
40. Meet Local Creators
Libraries sometimes host authors, artists, musicians, scientists, historians, and community educators.
💻 Take Advantage of Digital Resources
41. Use the Library's E-Book Collection
Your library card may provide access to thousands of digital books.
42. Explore Audiobooks
Audiobooks are wonderful for family road trips, quiet time, independent listening, and introducing children to books above their independent reading level.
43. Use Educational Databases
Many libraries provide free access to databases covering research, history, science, biographies, newspapers, encyclopedias, and more.
44. Access Digital Magazines
Children and teens can explore magazines about science, nature, art, history, sports, technology, and hobbies.
45. Learn a New Language
Some library systems provide free access to language-learning platforms, books, audiobooks, and foreign-language media.
🌱 Use the Library Beyond Academics
46. Make the Library a Community Resource
Your library can introduce your children to community events, local organizations, cultural celebrations, and educational opportunities.
47. Meet Other Homeschool Families
Check whether your library hosts homeschool groups, homeschool programs, clubs, or family activities.
48. Give Children a Quiet Place to Work
Sometimes a change of environment is exactly what a homeschooler needs. Bring notebooks, laptops, or assignments and use the library as a quiet study space.
49. Let Your Child Follow Their Interests
One of the greatest benefits of the library is the freedom to explore.
If your child suddenly becomes fascinated with volcanoes, horses, architecture, gardening, sharks, fashion, mythology, airplanes, or photography, you can simply grab a stack of books and start learning.
50. Let the Library Become Your Classroom
Perhaps the most important idea of all:
You don't have to recreate a traditional classroom at home.
The library can become one of the many classrooms your children learn from.
One week, you might study oceans through books. The next week, you're researching birds before going on a nature walk. Another week, you're reading biographies of artists and then creating your own artwork.
Learning can begin with a library card and a question. 📚🌿