We believe in a relaxed, child-led approach to education allowing the kids to pursue their interests. Because of this, I like to have books on lots of various subjects available to them. When my kids have a question, my famous line is, “We have a book about that!” Books are available for literally every subject. They are made for tough little readers and are surprisingly durable compared to a lot of other books we have! Usborne Books and More just never disappoints me! Let me show you how you can add Usborne Books in your homeschool.
Reading
Using books to teach reading is a given. All kids engage differently with reading. Some are just naturally drawn to it and ask to read book after book all day long. But then others it’s like pulling teeth, begging them to read each day (Oh, you relate? Same here). The key is definitely finding reading material that sparks an interest within your children. The non-fiction reference books have tons of information and are generally broken down into small chunks of easily digested sections. The fiction they carry is top-notch with fun characters and plots.
Phonics
Phonics readers published by UBAM are unique and fun and easily engage even the most hesitant readers. Racoon on the Moon and Other Tales and Ted and Friends contain some of our favorites. They offer a super value to us by joining several readers into one binding, which my family loves! Full reading systems are available as well, though I haven’t had an opportunity to use these with my own kids yet.
Chapter Books
Once your kids are already reading, from beginner to the most advanced, the selection of Usborne books that you can add to your homeschool is vast. New books are released several times a year and they add to several ongoing series as well. The Hey Jack! Series and Billie B. Brown series are great first chapter books that bring a huge confidence boost to new readers. Axel and Beast and Bear Grylls are some reads that got my fussy boys interested!
Although it’s true that I’m in love with a ton of the amazing picture books and fiction chapter books, I’m a sucker for the non-fiction, educational resources they provide for our homeschool!
Non-Fiction
When I was first introduced to UBAM, I was looking for books that would bring the most value. One of my very first selections was The Children’s Encyclopedia. It covers a variety of topics, has beautiful pictures and is Internet Linked. See Inside How Things Work was another one that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on for my curious boys. I hosted an online party and actually was able to earn most of my wish list for free! That was the start of my addiction.
Internet Links
The internet links are a great feature in a ton of UBAM books. Throughout the book you’ll find it notated that there is a link available for that topic. When you go to the link, UBAM has provided links to safe videos, activity suggestions, and other related content – it’s so cool! This is the perfect way to add Usborne Books to you homeschool, with lots of rabbit trails to go down!
BONUS TIP — Although I’m sure browsing the quicklinks will make you want to buy even more books – the links are in fact available to be browsed without the purchase of the books. What that means for us is that if you are teaching a certain subject and want additional resources, instead of blindly searching the internet, you can go right to the Usborne site and use the resources that have already been searched out for you. My kids and I just got lost in the Mysteries & Marvels of Nature looking at Venus Fly Traps, crocodiles and alligators and a super-slow motion dragonfly.
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
I already mentioned the Children’s Encyclopedia above. The other dictionaries and encyclopedias are equally jam-packed with information. We have several of the dictionary collections for math and English as well as most of the Encyclopedias.
Unit Study
The list goes on and on. Unit studies are a no brainer way to add Usborne Books to your homeschool. There are books for just about any topic your kids could be interested in. Are you doing a study on the human body? Animals? Inventions? Computers? History? Wars? Geography? Art? Writing? Seriously, there are over 1,800 books to choose from!
Fine Motor
Another very popular series are the Wipe-Clean books and cards. These come with a dry erase marker and are great for families that have multiple kids because the books can be used again and again. These help with fine motor skills, penmanship, and then also whatever topic the child is working on – numbers, letters, spelling, math, etc. Sticker books with cute instructions or stories throughout are also great for that eye-hand coordination.
Fun!
Plain and simple, these books help make learning fun. Many of the books have interactive features, such as textured pages and flaps to lift. There are also different craft and activity books and kits. Shine-a-Light books are unique and super fun where each page has a hidden picture that is revealed when your child shines a light behind the page.
Stocking Stuffers
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or other loved ones – homeschoolers or otherwise – these books just make amazing gifts. There are lots of holiday options as well as lots of stocking stuffer sized options. The Never Get Bored Cards are absolutely amazing for stockings and there are several different options if you have multiple kids like I do! Another super option perfect for your kids stockings are the Read with Usborne books. There are 4 different reading levels to choose from as well.
Using Usborne Books in your Homeschool
As you can see, there are some really unique and beautiful options that will really enhance your kids’ education. Usborne Books & More are available for purchase through direct sellers with a ton of various topics on all age levels from birth through young adult. We appreciate the purposeful way that the authors and illustrators very diligently work to create beautiful and engaging text and images. There are also options for you to earn free books by hosting a party, or earn an income from joining the team.
Do you use Usborne Books in your homeschool? Tell us in the comments or my Online Homeschool Community. What topics are they currently fixated on – I’d love to help you find a new book for them!
This guest post is by…
Sarah Pollie believes education begins at birth and every day is a school day. Together with her husband, she has been home educating for 10 years and currently has 5 little learners in her class. For updates on new releases and sales, you can join Ashleigh’s Usborne Books & More group on Facebook. In addition to educating her kids and collecting educational children’s books through her UBAM business, Ashleigh also enjoys cooking, reading, writing, and working from home as a virtual assistant. You’re welcome to email ashleigh.crow29@gmail.com for any additional information. She’d love to connect with you.
For lots more of my favorite homeschool reading resources, click the image below!
