Homeschool Life Magazine Review

I'm no stranger to homeschool magazines and resources. I've subscribed to many over the years, and while I have my favorites, I'm always happy to see new options available for parents. One that was new to me is Homeschool Life Magazine, which I received a digital copy of to review. What did I think of it? Here's what you should know before subscribing.

What's included?

I reviewed the Homeschool Life Magazine Winter 2021 Publication, which covered a variety of topics. The table of contents included twenty items, most of them full-length articles, but a few curriculum or product features (more on that later.) The TOC represented a wide range of experiences and voices in the homeschool landscape, many of whom I was already familiar with from buying their books or courses or reading articles from them in other publications. A few authors were new to me.

Articles were very straight-forward, without a lot of fluff. This was good for me, as I tend to skim articles, anyway, highlighting the "meat" of the content for later. The article on Megaliths, for example, had ideas for learners in every age category to learn and discover this interesting science topic. The article on Career Exploration featured a Q&A with a District Clerk, something I'm not sure many kids (or adults) know about. 

The TOC:

Inside the Winter 2021 Issue:

  • Meet Your Child’s Need for Self-Expression Through Art
  • Hands-on History: Megaliths
  • Career Exploration: Being a District Clerk
  • Success with Math
  • Preschool Theme Day: Winter Wonderland
  • Seniors, Get Ready – It’s FAFSA Time
  • All About Reading
  • From Adam to Us
  • Adventures in Phonics
  • Write Shop
  • Exploring Creation with Astronomy
  • Teaching Character Through Literature
  • Early Learner K-2
  • Heroes of History: Clara Barton
  • How to Homeschool Using an Online Curriculum
  • Help! What Should My Kindergarten Student Know?
  • Virtual Field Trip: Explore Life with Polar Bears
  • Brain Training Benefits
  • Walk in the Word
  • Homeschooling Across America

The layout

There was a total of 24 digital pages, with very few advertisements taking up space. Instead, some of the articles were written by curriculum or product providers with a mention in the bio, or the products were presented as part of a product feature.

These features were two to a page and described the curriculum, benefits, and how to order. Each one included giveaways, too, which let readers enter to win the product for their own family! This part was very exciting for me, as I love to enter to win things and have found many of my favorite homeschool tools this way.

The price

Each issue is $2.95, delivered digitally as a PDF. This magazine is notably smaller than some, but when you take out the advertisements included in many of those other publications, it's on par for actual, readable content. I did appreciate that the articles were written by people I would consider notable experts on some things I found interesting in the homeschool field, such as Craig Hane, who had a nice piece on Math Success (we've reviewed and used his products in our home.) 

Homeschool Life Magazine Review Summary

Overall, I liked the variety of voices, the layout, and the use of space in this publication. I didn't feel bombarded with ads or extras. It was full of information that new and seasoned homeschoolers alike could glean from. If I had one wish for this publication, however, it would be to make some of the articles longer. I felt that giving just one or two pages for some of the topics wasn't quite enough. 

I could have seen the article on FAFSA, for example, go more into how to set up an account, why parents and kids need their own accounts, how to deal with mistakes on the FAFSA after filing, etc. I feel that the author likely had much more to say on the topic, and that limiting this article do one page left a bit to be desired. Some of the other articles barely whet my appetite for some very unique topics that I would have loved to learn more about.

This publication didn't at first appear to be a Christian publication, as few articles in the first-half of the magazine mentioned homeschooling from a faith-based perspective. For that reason, most anyone could enjoy it, although there is a devotion in the back of the magazine, and a few article author bios mention their faith life. If you are looking for a faith-friendly publication that's lighter on the Scripture and heavier on the hands-on of reading, writing, and arithmetic, this publication may be for you.

Who is this for? For those looking for something different with their homeschool reading, Homeschool Life Magazine offers unique voices and short, manageable tips for actionable change in your homeschool. It's best for those seeking no-nonsense guidance, generous product giveaways, and few advertising distractions. 



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