By Connie Overlock
As a homeschool mom, I’m sure you are always on the lookout for ways to help your kids learn without it feeling like you’re stuck in “school mode” all the time. Over the years, that’s probably looked like games, nature study, field trips, and leaning into hobbies that spark your child’s interest.
Let me share another exciting educational experience with you, The HOME Convention. The convention is not a day off from school — or even just a fun field trip — but another learning opportunity. One that naturally sparks curiosity and will give you ideas you can carry back home and build future studies around.
This year’s convention makes it easy to touch on just about any subject you want, depending on which workshops you attend and which vendor booths you wander through. Families can explore history, science, music, math, language arts, health, life skills, and even future planning for teens — all in one weekend.
History & Literature
If your kids enjoy history, there are some great options this year. Sessions like Liberty: A Revolutionary Idea, with author June O'Donal, will help students learn what Liberty means - and more importantly what it doesn’t mean - and how it can be compared to chocolate chip cookies. In addition, in Beyond Reproach, Trent Emmack uses notable historical figures who lived in an exemplary manner, and whose hard work, attention to detail, and general magnanimity allowed them to make a difference.
Teens can also explore sessions focused on military service pathways, which connect history with real-world opportunities.
Combine these experiences with further research, reading, or writing a summary of things learned and you’ve added computer, library skills, and language arts.
Science, Music & Exploration
Learning doesn’t always fit into one neat box, and that’s one of the things that makes the HOME Convention so unique. The Family Music Experience is a great example — kids and parents explore rhythm and sound together, which can easily connect music with science concepts like sound and vibration.
The exhibit hall is another place where curiosity takes over, with hands-on resources that often spark new interests and keep them alive long after convention ends.
Fine Arts, Humanities & PE
Fine arts are woven naturally throughout the weekend through music, creative activities, and interactive sessions. The Family Music Experience described above is only one example. Your teens can also attend a unique teen formal designed to provide a cultural, artistic and educational experience with an emphasis on etiquette, social skills, and classic and timeless music and dance.
Math
Math and language arts don’t have to mean worksheets. Sessions like Let’s Play Math Games! show how learning math can be playful and social, while Kids Who Learn Math Differently offers encouragement and ideas for families who need a non-traditional approach.
Language Arts
Students will learn the art of storytelling in Words by Heart, an interactive session with radio personality, Monica Mckean.
Then, you can help your teens learn and practice the art of debate and communicating in the workshop Learning to Speak Truth with Love with Grace Mack from Club America.
Career & Vocational Exploration
This year’s convention also does a great job addressing real-life skills. Parents can find encouragement through sessions on homeschooling through high school and avoiding burnout, while teens can explore future opportunities like scholarships, accelerated learning paths, career planning and the benefits of Maine’s Career and Technical Education centers.
In addition, they will have the opportunity to take the ASVAB test, a skills assessment that looks at math, reading, science, and hands-on problem-solving to help uncover career paths that fit their strengths.
It’s a great reminder that homeschooling is about more than academics — it’s about preparing our kids for life.
Community & Connection
One of the best parts of convention is simply being together. Between regional meetups, teen events, and mom-focused gatherings, there are so many opportunities to connect with other homeschool families and be encouraged along the way.
Whether you’re coming to convention looking for fresh ideas, or bringing your kids along to spark curiosity and excitement about learning, there truly is something for every age and stage. For our family, the Maine Homeschool Convention isn’t a break from learning — it’s a celebration of it.
REGISTER for the Convention today!
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