Homeschooling is a unique experience for parents and children. It's an opportunity for parents to take control of their child's learning, providing individual attention tailored to their abilities and readiness — and many are taking advantage. In 2022, 4.3 million school-age children were homeschooled in the United States — up from 3.7 in 2021.

When homeschooling your child, you share so many special moments. Celebrating homeschooling achievements is an important part of the process, allowing you and your child to reflect on your journey and your homeschooling success. One way to do so is to design and print a physical photo book — but it may feel difficult to find the time to do this between scheduling and planning tasks, daily lessons, and field trips.

But, with Mixbook, this process is simple and can even be incorporated into one of your homeschooling projects, making documenting your child's homeschooling progress easy.

How to Track and Document Your Child's Homeschooling Journey

As a parent, celebrating your child comes naturally, and showing them how much you care is important for their development and your relationship. The memories you share as your child grows and excels are something you'll want to look back on for years.

So, where do you begin?

One perk of homeschooling your child concerning the documentation and tracking process is that you're always there. Did they complete a project that showcases their hard work? While presenting it, why not snap a quick photo with your smartphone? If you love taking photos, here are some tips to take your smartphone photography to the next level.

Tips to Track, Document, and Enhance Homeschooling Projects

• If you want to track your child's academic progress, the key is to stay organized and keep a file box for each year your child is homeschooled. Keep records of the books your child read and the papers they wrote. You can also save a few of the best projects from each subject. These files will show how your child has grown academically and as a unique individual — showcase who they are and where they're going. Honor them!
• Keep a calendar, writing notes about the skills your children learned on certain days, what milestones were reached, etc. You can color-code skills to showcase which were taught, reviewed, and then mastered. Once mastered, this is a great time to celebrate your child's journey thus far.
• Don't be shy to go digital, investing in tools and software that make tracking and documenting more productive. Some great options for parents include Clockify, Homeschool Panda, and Evernote. For kids, lean on options like Habitica and Show My Homework.

Why Consider a Photo Book?

If you're someone who doesn't want to have folders upon folders of loose paperwork but wants to document achievements and projects, a photo book is an amazing alternative. These physical, visually appealing photo books can include photos of your child and scanned images of their poetry, short stories, artwork, etc. Think of this option as a modern, digital scrapbook — one that is designed and created online, then printed and sent to your home.

These photo books serve multiple purposes within the homeschooling journey. They act as beautiful memory-filled time capsules that allow you to keep records of academic progress and personalized growth.

You can create a photo book that reflects on the entire school year or a photo book once a month. This project could be incorporated into your child's curriculum, as it helps them develop digital and design skills — especially if your child is a visual, hands-on learner.

Mixbook allows you to choose themes to guide the creation process, such as School Memories or School Memory Book by Crayola. There is even a Homeschool Yearbook that you can customize with your child. Upload photos from your phone or desktop, then allow your creativity to run wild. Make it your own by adding custom backgrounds, stickers, and more!

Create Your Own Homeschooling Success Photo Book

Ready to simplify and beautify the homeschool record-keeping process? Reflecting on homeschooling success has never been easier or more fun. Get started with Mixbook today!