DIY Summer “Homeschool Conference” 2026

Last year I curated my own DIY Summer Homeschool “Conference” and I really enjoyed it. I’m doing it again this year. Instead of going to a destination homeschool conference, I’m staying in, reading books, thrifting, supporting local small businesses, and finding inspiration close to home.

I shopped the Goodwill near my parents home, and while my husband and tween played disc golf all day, I shopped a new-to-me Goodwill. My mom and my two teens helped me shop!

I organized a girl’s trip to visit a local coffee shop and then a bookstore. I invited two homeschool mama friends, and my daughter. I had store credit at the bookstore for trading in some picture books that I was able to part with during my recent assembling of our New IKEA Bookshelf and book purge project. We also visited a quilt shop and a thrift store.

The tween/teens and I went to a Friends of the Library book sale in a neighboring larger city.

We picked up teeny tiny canvases to get creative and participate in a community art exhibit, and we signed up for the summer reading program.

I revamped my Christian Vision Board.

When we learned that a younger girl (age 8) wanted to have a play date with my daughter (age 13) we hosted a mother-daughter tea party for them!

A nearby library hosted a tote making class for teens.

And after making tote bags I got some books at $1/each sales at the library and at a nearby bookstore.

I organized another girl’s trip to a different coffee shop and bookstore. I bought two books to support local business.

I went shopping at a few local thrift stores with my oldest son on his day off. He loves thrifting almost as much as I do. We also did a DIY mini-tour of the college campus he’ll be attending in a few weeks!

I’ve got a few weeks of summer left to get organized and ready for 7th grade (12-year-old), 9th grade (14-year-old) and my 16-year-old will be taking 13 units of dual enrollment credits at a local community college.

Happy back-to-school season friends! 🍎