Welcome to the first five tips in my Practical Tips for Embracing the Home in Homeschool series! Homeschool doesn’t need to feel like public school transplanted into your living room. You don’t need bells, hall passes, or stiff desks. What if your homeschool felt more like home—relaxed, personal, and full of warmth? Here are five practical ways to create a cozy, connected learning environment your whole family will love.
1. Embrace family-style learning.
One of the greatest gifts of homeschooling is the opportunity for children of different ages to learn together. Family-style learning means you can read the same book aloud, explore the same topics, and let each child engage with the material at their own level. It simplifies your homeschool day while deepening understanding and connection.
Instead of juggling five different subjects for five different children, try gathering around a story and letting discussion unfold naturally—over breakfast, while folding laundry, or at the dinner table. These shared experiences build relationships and create rich conversations.
✨ Looking for a curriculum designed for family-style learning? My Bookish Adventure guides were created with this very idea in mind—families gathered around a read-aloud, diving into history, science, geography, and art together.
2. Add soft lighting and warm tones to your learning space.
When setting up your homeschool space, don’t just think about where to store your books and supplies—consider how the space feels. Is it inviting? Is it calm?
Interior designer Maria Killam famously insists that lamps are the secret to creating a cozy, well-lit space. No overhead fluorescents required. Think soft lamp glow, candles flickering, twinkle lights, or rechargeable mini lamps tucked onto shelves. You know that magical Christmas tree lighting effect? Recreate that year-round.
Try adding warm-toned lighting to your homeschool room and see how it transforms your mood and focus.
🪔 Link to Maria Killam’s article all about lamps
Lamp resources:
Smaller lamps we have and love!
Rechargeable light bulbs (no need for outlets-- just cut the cord and never look back)
3. Let everyone help choose a seasonal read-aloud.
Remember the feeling when your school teacher announced a class novel you had zero interest in? You don’t have to recreate that experience at home. One of the best ways to make learning feel like home is to let your kids have a voice in what you read together.
Many curriculum companies assign every book for the year—but that doesn't leave much room for joy or ownership. Instead, invite your kids to help choose your next family read-aloud. Give them a few options and let them vote. When kids have a say, they’re more invested. The book becomes theirs, not something done to them.
📚 Need help planning your read-alouds? Download my Free Planning Guide that includes a simple voting system to help kids choose your read-aloud for the year.
4. Strew new books and supplies throughout the house.
Instead of stuffing school supplies into a closet until the “first day,” consider letting them work their magic ahead of time. Wrap a few in brown paper and scatter them around the house like gifts waiting to be discovered. Set up an enticing new art supply tray on the kitchen table. Place a shiny new notebook and pen on your child’s bed.
This technique, known as strewing, invites curiosity and engagement without any pressure. Let the tools of learning feel like treasures, not chores.
✏️ Curious what supplies we love most? Check out my Substack article for our favorite back-to-homeschool supplies that spark delight.
5. Try saying “home learning” instead of “homeschool.”
The way we speak about something shapes the way we think and feel about it. Words matter. If your homeschool has started to feel more like traditional school—with rigid schedules, worksheets, checklists, and dread—you’re not alone. It’s a phase almost every homeschool family goes through. There’s no shame in that.
But if the word “homeschool” is starting to carry baggage in your home, try this small shift: start saying home learning instead. It reframes your days. It invites a different mindset—one centered on curiosity, connection, and rhythm, not replication.
This tiny language change can help you—and your kids—begin to see learning at home not as a chore, but as part of the natural, nourishing life you’re building together. Over time, it can transform the atmosphere of your homeschool into something that feels more like home than school.
👉 Looking for a curriculum that makes home learning feel cozy and unrushed? My unit studies are built around the very best read-alouds, with activities that spark connection, creativity, and flexibility for your family.