Behold The Link's official top 75 recommended homeschooling sites compiled with your interests in mind. As far as the Internet is concerned, homeschoolers are definitely not alone. No matter what walk of life parents come from or what philosophy they believe in, they can find everything but the kitchen sink while surfing the Internet. The Web is a vast homeschooling cornucopia of information ranging from specific concerns (e.g. disabled children) to public forums; from buying educational tools to specific homeschooling trends; from explicit religious beliefs to legal issues. Finding information on the web, however, can be a bit daunting and time-consuming, since there are literally thousands of avenues to go down and very little direction when doing so. Also, as we've all grown accustomed to while researching on the net, there is a lot of garbage to be sifted through before finding the gold. Hopefully, this piece can help you keep your hands clean while finding something useful.
Don't get lost! Although it is impossible to list every single wonderfully made site available on the web, I've compiled a basic "starting place" and you can branch out from here. Many of the websites listed have helpful links as well, so there should be enough here to keep you busy. The idea is two fold: we want to make your web search easier while, at the same time, giving full respect to the differences found among homeschoolers. Have fun!
The list wouldn't be complete without the official website of The Link. Besides offering an Internet version of our bi-monthly newspaper, back-issues can also be ordered.
GETTING STARTED
1. www.homeschooling.com (update 2/13/2007: Site appears sold, link goes nowhere): This is a great place to start if you are thinking about getting into homeschooling. The main purpose of the site is "to provide parents and students with the best set of learning tools including assessment, online training, tutoring support and testing." Much more than a basic, general information website, homeschooling.com offers something for everybody including the latest news in education and government legislation.
2. www.everythinghomeschooling.com : Great website that features help on how to start homeschooling in your home. Also offers homeschooling products, lesson plans, lists of different associations, advice on child socialization and much more.
3. www.homeschool.com : Another great place to begin if you are new to homeschooling or need supplemental information. The heart of the site is its resource guide featuring such diverse topics ranging from adult learning to learning styles. Includes an ample message board, product reviews, newsletter sign-up and much more. This is an essential website and one of the best for finding products that are designed to make your homeschooling life easier and meaningful.
4. www.home2teach.com : Offers a discussion board and links to support all homeschooling teaching needs such as math, science, foreign languages etc.
5. www.homeschooling.about.com : Superb website for beginners. Everything you need to get started including how to begin, state laws, learning resources, homeschooling abroad as well as a variety of diverse articles plus a course of study and product reviews.
6. www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com : Homeschooling can seem like a daunting task at times especially in respect to the cost. Homeschooling on a Shoestring is the perfect site for the more frugally minded parents. Here you will find a section on how to get started, High School support groups, home educator discounts and even a link to making pretzels with your kids. Everything you need to know to get started is here and it won't cost you a dime!
7. http://www.education.com : Education.com is another nice general site to start with and is packed with information. Besides tackling topics such as "multiple intelligences" and pre-schooling, you can also find numerous activities and lesson plans. Also, there is a section called "Ask the Teacher", where teachers answer common questions regarding education.
DIVERSE APPROACHES AND SPECIALIZED SUBJECTS
8. www.homeschoolingonashoestring.com : Homeschool and save money. This website offers you tips on how to cut costs and be able to spend time with your children at home. It also offers homeschool methods, support groups, home educator discounts and family safety.
9. www.homeschoollearning.com : This is a nice basic homeschooling website, but what caught my eye was the homeschooling methods link. As we all know, homeschooling is a complex subject and can't be nut-shelled into a simple, easy definition or stereotype. If you want a to learn about homeschooling's different approaches and methods, this site is heaven. Includes descriptions of the Classical, Montessori, Unschooling and Reggio Emelia approaches among others. Also includes with paid membership an online K-12 curriculum service that "allows home educators and teachers to access thousands of unit studies, lesson plans, and worksheets."
10. www.calvertschool.org : The Calvert School program has been serving homeschoolers for about a century, and most homeschooling parents are well aware of the high regard the institution has earned over the years. Their attractive and comprehensive website goes a long way in explaining how their program works and is well worth a visit.
11. and 12. www.montessori.edu and www.montessori.org : Two sites to help you understand the Montessori System of educating your child. The first is perfect for the basics, history, philosophy, methods and materials used plus locations of schools. It also includes links that will direct you to homeschooling your child using the method. The second site is Montessori's official home page and is a great place to start if curious about the system itself.
13. and 14. www.unschooling.com and www.unschooling.org : Two great sites for those wanting more information about the ubiquitous method of "unschooling." In the former, beginners can find decent information in the "Library" section, while those who have a bit more experience will find the message board and newsletter helpful. The latter site serves as a resource and community center for like-minded parents.
15. www.homegrownfamilies.com : A great Christian resource website that offers homeschooling supplies and support groups. Also offers clothing apparel, newsletters, cooking recipes and more.
16. www.laurelwoodbooks.com : This site offers homeschoolers a large variety of new and used books for any academic need.
17. www.peah.com : Provides home educators with personal I.D cards, which will help save money on purchases for your homeschool needs.
18. http://www.sonlight.com/ : Offers important homeschooling articles and offers its members, access to homeschooling conventions schedules, homeschool forums and more.
19. www.nchea.org : Great website for how to start homeschooling in Nebraska. Offers great resources and information regarding state laws and regulations.
20. http://home-educate.com : Another very good site for the ones who seek, as the site says, to  break out of frames' of their children's education, Unschooling offers several interesting articles, resources and a message board. It is also excellent for beginners, as it answers various questions about the purpose and the meaning of this method of home-based learning.
21. http://www.borntoexplore.org : Born to explore is a set of highly useful links for the homeschooling family. Within you will find links to everything from child disabilities to homeschooling. Found within is Unschoolers Unlimited which is a support network for parents who prefer to let their children learn their own way, at their own pace. Besides finding good resources and suggested readings, you can learn more about Unschooling itself. The site also contains a nice variety of articles covering such topics as "uncurriculum" and "ungraduation."
HOMESCHOOLING RESOURCES, CURRICULUM SUPPLIES AND LEGAL QUESTIONS
22. www.books4homeschool.com : Wonderful resource of book supplies and links specifically directed at homeschoolers. Many of the resources are directed at buying materials, but you'll find a lot of everything here including a comprehensive list of homeschooling websites and a vast directory of where to obtain specific curriculum materials. Highly recommended site!
23. www.homeschooldiscount.com : Another all encompassing supplies and resources website. Excellent for the diverse variety of materials and especially strong with foreign language software material.
24. http://www.hslda.org/ : Do you have a legal question or doubt? The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is an excellent site for legal issues. It's actually quite definitive in scope and nicely organized. As a bonus, the site also contains information about homeschooling in other countries.
25. http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com : A to Z Home's Cool is a rich source of articles and information covering every homeschooling aspect you could imagine from homeschooling teens to international homeschooling to regional legal issues. Includes numerous links to the homeschooling world. Highly recommended as a resource guide.
26. http://www.homeedmag.com : For general resources and interesting articles, this is a nice, well-designed site. Award winning Home Education Magazine has been serving homeschoolers since 1983.
27. www.afamunschool.com : Nice, attractive site for African American homeschoolers, but with something to offer us all. Besides offering some general information on homeschooling and unschooling, there is a comprehensive resource section displaying information on African history, people, places and literature, as well as African American history.
28. www.homeschoolzone.com : Gleefully stated by the founders of this page, the Homeschool Zone "is an interactive global community of homeschoolers, afterschoolers and educators  welcoming not only homeschoolers, but educators, parents and kids." In truth, that's exactly what it is. If you are looking for informative articles, information about getting started in homeschooling, interviews with leading educators, or simply a fun place to learn about crafts and recipes this site is for you.
29. www.homefires.com : This attractive and interactive site is dedicated to supporting your quest to homeschool your child. If you have curriculum concerns, Homefires offers specialized help as well as daily and weekly updates on various educational topics.
30. www.thehomeschoolmom.com : Besides providing a truck load of great homeschooling ideas, TheHomeSchoolMom.Com site provides a lot of free homeschooling resources. You'll find free software, movies, games on school subjects and educational resources, all available online. Another very interesting thing on this site is a section called "TheHomeSchoolMom In The Kitchen", which is an e-mail group where parents can share helpful cooking and kitchen tips, recipes, and ideas.
31. www.homeschoolingadventures.com : This is a friendly and helpful website for homeschooling resources. Beautifully and simply laid out, the site is basically a compilation of informative homeschooling links with an emphasis on work materials and tips to make your job easier. Covers a wealth of subjects from Geography to Math, as well as kindergarten to 12th Grade.
32. www.home-school.com : This is the official website of Practical Homeschooling Magazine. Besides offering the publication, the site displays a wealth of good general information and articles.
33. www.homeschoolreviews.com : Want an honest review of a homeschooling product? Homeschoolreviews.com will give you an honest and objective opinion with no strings attached. The web site is a bit crude, but you will find a multitude of reviews covering everything from educational software to complete curricula.
34. www.nheri.org : This website is a must for those who want facts, statistics and research information about homeschooling. The National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) mission, as stated on the site, is to produce high-quality research on home education; to serve as a clearinghouse of research for home educators, researchers, policy makers, and the media; and to educate the public concerning the findings of all such research.
35. www.homeschoolingsupply.com : Another nice site for finding and buying supplies, with a very helpful browsing tool that allows you to search by subject, grade level or book publisher.
36. http://www.homeschoolingfriends.org : Another great general site, Homeschooling Friends offers several articles and a large selection of very interesting links. Besides all the information included in the site, educational meetings, classes and exciting field trips can be arranged.
37. http://www.madrone.com : Heather's Homeschooling Page is another independent site containing collection of articles in which the author shares her experience as a homeschooler and also discusses all sorts of topics, from socialization to the philosophy of homeschooling and the importance of learning math. The great thing about this site is that it contains vintage articles discussing the classic homeschooling topics such as socialization.
38. www.teacherresources.net : This site is principally of use for K-12 educators, but contains a wealth of homeschooling and teaching links that are very helpful.
39. www.heritagehomeschool.com : If you are thinking about investing in a homeschooling system and don't know where to start, you might want to give this a glance. Heritage Home School Academy offers a complete, thorough homeschooling program and curriculum designed to make your job easy. The site is easy to navigate and you might just find what you are looking for.
40. http://www.homeschoolcentral.com : This is a good site for general homeschooling resources and curriculum development for all levels. Check out the "Special Areas" section which contains extremely useful information on topics such as special needs children as well as pre-school level students.
41. http://core-curriculum.com : Another great curriculum program which is easy to use and very affordable. Covers kindergarten all the way to high school and comes complete with all the materials you're going to need.
42. www.besthomeschooling.org : A great website that has many resources and information regarding homeschooling. Also features homeschooling articles database so that is free to view.
43. http://www.rsts.net : The Homeschool Internet Resource Center is the place to look if you are in need of a great homeschooling program designed to cover your child's every need. If you looking for an accredited homeschooling program, this is your site. If you have a child with learning disabilities, check here as well. Most of the information on this giant resources site isn't free, but very affordable.
44. www.CHCweb.com : This website is perfect for Catholic families thinking about homeschooling their children. It offers free curricula, an online catalog, a list of mother support group information and much more.
45. http://theswap.com : Wonderful and venerable curriculum swapping site featuring tons of resources. One of the best pages for used curriculums, exchanging ideas, and general information on homeschooling. Highly recommended!
CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
46. http://www.nathhan.com : This is an essential first stepping stone for homeschooling parents who have children with special needs. Covers Autism, Down syndrome, mental and learning disabilities, blindness and deafness as well as legal issues, curriculum, testing and resources.
47. http://members.tripod.com/~Maaja/index.htm : Homeschooling Kids With Disabilities offers information and support to people who have chosen to homeschool their children with special educational needs. You can find several resources for kids who suffer from all kinds of disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, Fragile X Syndrome, autism, hearing impairment, learning disabilities and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome among others. The resources include articles, legal assistance, medical information, online libraries and links to other sites on the web.
48. http://www.gifteddevelopment.com : Within in this site for gifted children, you'll find Resources for Homeschooling Gifted Students which offers all kinds of resources for the education of these special kids. You will find articles, message boards, organizations, curriculum and online courses particularly designed for gifted children.
RELIGION BASED AND CLASSICAL WEBSITES
49. www.homeschooltoday.com : Homeschooling Today is one of the leading Christian homeschooling magazines. Check out this site if you are interested in subscribing to a well designed, informative publication specifically catering to your Christian needs. Site also includes many current homeschooling articles written by other publications and much more.
50. www.classical-homeschooling.org : One of the best websites devoted to Classical Christian homeschooling. Highly recommended for those starting out or who simply want to learn more about the subject. Comprehensive description of all aspects including the grammar, dialectic and rhetoric stages. Great source of links as well!
51. www.classicalhomeschooling.com : If classical homeschooling is your bag, then why not visit this website and perhaps subscribe to Classical Homeschooling Magazine? The magazine itself is "devoted exclusively to promoting and reporting on the growing revival of classical education," and the website is full of other goodies like articles and samples of the magazine.
52. www.homeschoolingbooks.com : Good comprehensive homeschooling materials site covering most topics including Biblical Studies and complete curriculum packages. Check out their daily specials link for extra savings.
53. http://www.teachinghome.com : Homeschooling for Christians, the web version of the magazine "The Teaching Home", offers a lot of resources and articles from the Christian approach. Besides being a wonderful bank of info relating to Christian homeschooling concerns, it also offers tips on Bible reading and suggests a unique month-by-month learning schedule.
54. http://www.crossdaily.com : (update 2/13/2007: site layout has changed, homeschool info not present on current site) Besides having its own activities, Homeschooling Resources offers a vast selection of great links to educational sites for homeschooled children of all ages. In addition, you will find links to games and online books and stories.
55. www.crosswalk.com : This site is a mecca for Christian based homeschooling education, no pun intended. The site itself is faith based, but has a wonderful homeschooling section rich with materials, curriculum ideas, informative articles and a useful "how to get started" link.
56. www.hometaught.com : (update 2/13/2007: site sold, link goes nowhere) Very unique website that offers homeschooling information regarding the background of education philosophy, rational curriculum, integration, motivation and structure.
57. http://www.love2learn.net : Practicing Catholics who want to incorporate their faith into their home schooling sessions will find Keeping it Catholic and Favorite Resources for Catholic Homeschoolers an extremely helpful start. Both sites have information about church guidelines. Also, you'll find resources on how to go about giving your children their sacramental rites and much more.
58. http://www.snj.com/jhen : Interesting website for Jewish homeschoolers. The heart of the site is the quarterly Jewish Home Educator's Network newsletter, but the page also offers a good FAQ section and links to other helpful sites.
59. www.muslimhomeschool.com : rejoice! Whether you are a beginner or have been homeschooling for some time now, this site is custom made for your every need.
DIVERSE SUBJECTS
60. http://www.homeschoolmath.net/ : Homeschool Math is a resource site for learning elementary math. Parents can create free worksheets, find teaching tips, free lesson plans and links to games, quizzes and interactive tutorials.
61. www.educationalfreedom.com : This site is a link from the Home Education in Alabama website. Besides being of great interest to our homeschooling friends in Alabama (home site is one click away), it has great legal resources. Also within you can find a great arts and crafts section. Has nice links to an art history section, a tutorial on 3D drawing and a link to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
62. http://www.tchg.com : 100 Homeschooling Science Activities offers a product called "The Teaching Tank", with which your children can have lessons in Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry and Physics, all at the same time. It gives kids the chance to do a lot of experiments and integrate various science concepts with their practical life.
63. www.homeeducator.com : The Homeschool Support Network is a great support website for homeschoolers. It offers access to a large online homeschooling support group and article database.
64. www.mastercta.com : A great family homeschooling site to find math and science games! Creative Teaching Associates offers plenty of activities based on problem solving, algebra, languages, fractions, literature and more.
65. http://www.ala.org : This is the main site to the American Library Association. Besides being a worthwhile site in and of itself, you can find Great Websites for Kids in the contents section. Here you can explore countless educational websites for students of all ages.
INTERNATIONAL AND LANGUAGE SITES
66. http://www.multcolib.org : (Updated 2/13/2007: This link no longer goes to this website, it was purchased by the Multnomah County Library) This is a resource link for the Spanish speaker. This link gives access to a rich source of sites en Espa ol including several dedicated to homeschooling.
67. www.elhogareducador.org : This is another great site for speakers of Spanish. Although it's not the most colorful site in the world, it is choc full of resources and information. The site is completely made in Spanish and also includes what is happening with homeschooling in Mexico.
68. http://www.german-homeschool.de : As this is going to print, homeschooling in Germany is facing its biggest battle as several cases go to court. Currently, homeschooling is illegal in the country, but for those who want resources and information, this is a superlative site. Can be viewed in both German and English.
69. www.flora.org/homeschool-ca : For our Canadian neighbors up north, here is a great site providing lots of homeschooling information including specific provincially based facts and links. Also features chat rooms and message boards.
70. http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ja8i-brtl/ : Have no fear if you are thinking about homeschooling your children overseas. Homeschooling in Japan is a no-frills page that sticks to the basics and gives important information on Japanese education laws, homeschooling and unschooling tips as well as a community resources directory. The site can be read in Japanese or English, and you'll also find an events calendar, a message board and links to other sources.
71. http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Woods/6564/ghs/ _ghsintr.html : Homeschooling Gifted Kids is a simple web site, which offers a list of links to excellent art resources. It will guide you to sites where you can learn to draw in 3-D, play art games, study art history and famous artists, do clay sculptures and much more!
72. http://www.homeeducationfoundation.org.nz / : Great resource website for Homeschooling in New Zealand. Lists pros and cons of homeschooling in New Zealand and has list s of upcoming events and workshops.