Navigating a Homeschool Convention
- Laura Islas
- Apr 16
- 2 min read
By Laura Islas
April 16, 2025
If you have not attended a homeschool convention in the past, I highly recommend it! Homeschool conventions have been one of the greatest ways we have enriched our own homeschool experience, received excellent teaching from workshops, and rejuvenated from being surrounded by others who are also out of the box thinkers. It’s a great experience for parents and kids alike.
My first homeschooling convention was in 1992. I was inquiring about local private schools speaking with a teacher. She told me she was quitting to homeschool her children and I asked, “what is home school”? (it was spelled that way in the old days). Twenty-eight years later I graduated my last child and throughout that time attended many conventions. Each year brought new questions, trials and curiosities. Attending a convention yearly brought encouragement and fresh ideas to our homeschool. I attribute attending homeschool conventions as part of our homeschooling success!
If you haven’t attended a convention before, here are some tips:
Sign up early, get a hotel room and plan to bring the whole family.
Look through the workshops offered and make a plan of those you may like to attend.
Bring a dedicated notebook for the convention to jot down ideas, plans and reminders. You will also want to take notes during the workshops. Some of these you may keep for years.
Attend all of the large group sessions with the keynote speakers. It’s tempting to skip the sessions - the exhibit hall is so much fun! But don’t do it. I think it’s one of the most encouraging parts of the convention.
Break up the vendor hall into sections and spend an hour going through each section between workshops.
Mark which vendors you would like to go back to later.
Take your kids with you in the vendor hall and get their opinion on curriculums you are considering. Sometimes their insight will surprise you!
Enjoy conversations with other homeschool parents and families.
Don’t forget to eat, drink water and enjoy your time! You can’t do everything or see everything so focus on what needs you have this year. If your kids are in elementary school, save high school planning for another time.
If your parents are interested, bring them! Grandparents will enjoy being included and are very special to enriching your homeschool experience over the years. They may be more supportive in the future after seeing all that is available to the homeschooling community so get them on board!
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