Sacramento Homeschool is a wonderfully rich and diverse place to educate children at home. Museums, parks, rivers, wetlands, nature centers and cultural venues all provide endless opportunities for learning and adventure.

Choose among many art, historical, and science or nature museums to augment lessons at home, and enjoy these activities with other homeschooling families by joining one or more of the Sacramento homeschool support groups that are available in the greater Sacramento area. These include Sacramento Homeschool Meetup and Yahoo groups, all easily found online.

Latest estimates show that there are from 160,000 to 250,000 homeschooled children in California (homeschoolers are not easily identified and counted, so the statistics range widely). With a projected increase set at 7-15% per year, most of the growth will be seen among mainstream parents who find that home education is closer to their ideal of quality, well-rounded schooling.

There are various legal options for homeschooling in California, and one of the benefits of home education is its flexibility in meeting family needs. A public or private ISP (Independent Study Program) may be a good choice for the first year. Then an R-4 voucher could be filed for subsequent years, with a return to an ISP for the high school years. An online search will display these and all other options that are open to California families.

Take advantage of this flexibility by choosing curriculum and setting up lesson plans and learning schedules that implement the materials and structures that are best suited to your child(ren)'s needs. A lively mix of interactive, hands-on and creative home lessons blended with real-life educational experiences - cooking, gardening, and crafts - can awaken a love of lifelong learning along with building a strong foundation of self confidence and academic success.

Augment and enrich your child(ren)'s education with frequent trips and outings. Explore the Nisenan-Maidu Summer Village at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, with its tule shelter, grinding rock, and acorn granary, or ride a bike on the river trails along the Sacramento and American Rivers.

Visit museums: the Sojourner Truth Multicultural Art Museum, State Capitol Museum, Railroad Museum, Marshall Gold Discovery Park, Sutter's Fort, or the Old Schoolhouse Museum. Or take a more extended trip up to Grass Valley in the Gold Country to explore the Empire Mine State Park: its mining tunnel, historic buildings, authentic mining equipment and tools, and many hiking trails.

There are lots of wonderful ways for fun and education to come together in Sacramento for Sacramento Homeschool parents and teachers!