I am SO EXCITED to share something I’ve been working on!!!

Co Op Crate Monthly Subscription boxes for Homeschoolers!!!

For years, our local homeschool association has hosted enrichment classes in the fall and spring of the school year. Due to the insanity of this past year, our classes were cancelled for the Fall. I haven’t heard what will happen in the Spring. As I watched people adjust to the news of COVID and all the cancellations, I was so impressed and inspired to see many families form small co ops, small learning pods, small communities in which to continue doing life and homeschool together.

We are built for community… even homeschoolers need other people. If not for our local community and some amazing families, I’m not sure we would have made it this far with homeschooling. We have debunked the myth that homeschoolers are unsocialized over and over and over. Co Ops can be fun, give a chance for our kids to be with their friends, provide accountabiliy, and more.

If you are missing community. If your co op classes have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely. If you are new to homeschooling and eager to make friends and dive in… consider hosting a co op.

What is a Co Op?

A co op is often comprised of a small group of families who meet together for the purpose of communal learning. Most of us can agree that we are not good at every subject. Or maybe there are some subjects that you just don’t like or always run out of time before getting to it. Co Ops are a fantastic opportunity to share your strengths and draw on the strengths of others.

Homeschool co-ops come in many different forms. On one end of the spectrum, it can be as simple as a few families rotating teaching responsibilities for a subject or two at their homes. On the other end of the spectrum, it can involve hiring a series of professional teachers to teach a variety of subjects in a church or community center.

Homeschool Co Ops are a way to share the load and do life together. It is an opportunity to be in community with other families committed to home education.

How Do You Start a Co Op?

1. Get Help. Recruit like minded people and talk about your hopes and goals for your co op. With COVID being rampant right now, keeping your group small might be a good idea. Maybe 2-3 families. I have done a co op with 3-4 families and one with 50 plus families. Being like minded and sharing the duties is HUGE!!!
2. Develop a Plan. Is your co op for enrichment purposes… like are you wanting it to be the elective sort of classes that don’t make it into the typical academic day? Is your co op going to fall more on the academic side with science and math and writing? How often will you meet? Who will teach? What ages will you have? How will you divide up the ages? What kind of finances will you need? Should you have a membership fee? How will you determine costs?
3. Decide on a format. When do you want to meet? How often? For how long? How many classes or activities do you want to offer?
4. Find a Location. This is a tricky one right now. Many churches and community centers are not letting outside groups use their facilities. When the weather is nice, parks and back yards are a great option. Is someone willing to host in their home? Maybe make a rotation between homes?
5. Agree on the Rules. Some things to consider are:

• Can parents leave during class or do they need to stay?
• What happens if there are behavior problems?
• How much notice is needed to cancel a class?
• How will inclement weather be handled?
• Who is ultimately in charge of the co-op?
• What is the refund policy?

Here’s Where I Can Help!

I have a degree in Early Childhood Education. My first year teaching, I was responsible for developing my entire curriculum. I wrote unit study after unit study. When I started homeschooling my children, I used a boxed curriculum. Once we stopped moving and I stopped having babies, I was able to slow down and remember that I enjoy developing classes and curriculum. I have taught with our local homeschool association for the past eight years. I have taught classes to preschool, elementary school, middle school, and high school. I’m saying… I have experience in this area… and I want to help.

I’m rolling out a test run of Homeschool Co Op Subscription Boxes. What?!?! You know what I’m talking about right? Subscription boxes… those fun themed boxes that show up magically at your door filled with goodies… snacks, crafts, make up… magic. Well… I want to send a magical box to your home filled with everything you need to teach a co op class!!

I’ve put together themed boxes for preschool, elementary, and middle/ high school. In your box, you can expect:

• Detailed Lesson Plans
• Enough Materials for Your students – The Small Box will have enough for 4 students and cost $30 plus shipping. The Large Box will have enough for 8 students and will cost $45 plus shipping.
• Enough Materials to teach 4, 1 hour classes. You could choose to meet once a week for 4 weeks or maybe four days in a row… the timing would totally be up to you and your co op.
• Fun Extras!

Right now, I’m just planning for Winter 2021. Depending on the response, I may or may not continue into the Spring.

When you order, you can expect your box to ship by the 27th of the month prior. For example, if you order a January box, it will ship by December 27.

Right now, until December 15, you can bundle and save! Go ahead and order all three Winter Boxes and save 20%!!

Shop Now:

Preschool (ages 3-5)

Elementary School (ages 6-10)

Middle/ High School (ages 11-18)

I am really excited about offering these boxes. I’ve started thinking about and collecting items to put into the boxes. I hope this can be a good thing for your homeschool community.