How to start Notebooking

Notebooking is a great tool to use in your homeschool. Notebooks are a simple, yet effective way to engage your child in learning. They allow your child to be creative as they read and then narrate their own notes on the topics they have chosen. Below I have listed some great ways to help you start notebooking in your homeschool.

So How do you start Notebooking in your Homeschool?

Topic. First, choose your single topic like a particular animal, person, an event or time or even a place. We tend to use topics that our boys are interested in as I find they are more enthusiastic and learn so much when they are interested in what they are reading.  

Supplies. Next, you will need your supplies. The cheapest way is to start with the supplies you already have. Just a notebook and a pen will do. The more notebooking you do, the more supplies you can add. We started by using manilla folders that the boys decorated for the covers, adding in the notebooking pages and tying it all together with string. Now, we are using ring binders to hold all our notebooking pages together until the boys have completed their topics and then we find ways to attach them together. Sometimes we use a binder and make it into a book, other times we go back to our manilla folder idea, and on the odd occasion, we just staple the corners together.

If you have a printer and ink, you can always print out already prepared notebooking pages. There are many notebooking pages out there, but our favourite are the ones at NotebookingPages.com. As Debra has been using notebooks in her homeschool for many years, she has a great variety available. You can also grab over 600 sample pages for free! I also have many notebooking pages that are free for you to use. 

Notebooking Area. Set up an area where your children can complete their notebooking. This would be a good place for you to store all your notebooking supplies such as a folder with pre-printed notebooking pages in it, stationary and resource books for your kids to use.

Resources. You can find resources for your notebooking in many different places. 

• the library
• a field trip
• nature walk
• the internet
• the curriculum you are using
• books you have at home
• second-hand shops
• Scripture

Learn and Enjoy!  I realise notebooking may not be for everyone, but for us it is an excellent learning tool. If you haven’t given it a go, try it and let me know how it goes for you.