Top 7 Homeschool Convention Tips

Homeschool convention season is beginning soon, and today seemed like an awesome day to list our favorite tips for attending conventions. We’ve made most of these mistakes, and as the saying goes: “The smart {wo}man learns from {her}his own mistakes, the wise one learns from the mistakes of others.” We figure that you should be the beneficiary of our hard-learned lessons.  While conventions can be overwhelming to the new homeschoolers out there, they’re a tremendous education in what’s available. And just think: What you see at the conventions is only a small fraction of the range of choices we have available to us!

A few things to keep in mind as you get ready to head out for a convention:

1. Wear comfortable walking shoes.
   Self-explanatory – but we’ve all made the mistake of wearing our favorite cute shoes when we should have been thinking comfort! Remember that you’ll be on your feet for a good portion of the day or days, and comfort should always be a priority.
2. Carry a backpack.
   You don’t always know if the vendors will have those great giveaway bags, and honestly, it’s just better to come prepared to take samples home. There are always great informational packets and booklets that you’ll want to have later.
3. Narrow down exactly what you’re looking for
   It’s like going grocery shopping – you never, ever, go shopping hungry or without a list. Likewise you should never go to a convention without some sort of idea on what you’re looking for. Your wallet will thank you.
4. Get a map at the door.
   Some venues are huge, and having some idea of where things are located will be valuable. Make sure you mark your favorite vendors on the map in order to find them easily.
5. If the venue allows it, carry water bottles with you.
   It’s just easier to have something to drink in your hands than it is to wait in line for something, and the cost of those venue food and drinks is outrageous.
6. Keep an open mind!
   Sometimes we find the most useful resources in the most unlikely places. If you put on the blinders to keep from getting distracted, you may also miss that one thing that may make math work for your kids.
7. Balance workshops with wandering.
   I love workshops and seminars, but I love the wandering too. I never quite seem to have enough time to do everything, but it’s great to try to find a way to balance most things. Try not to pack your time so tightly that you’re running from seminar to workshop and back again.

I hope these tips help keep you happy and sane this convention season. Be sure to check out our big list of events to find one near you. We update it about once a month, and welcome anyone to send info on one we missed. With an active homeschooling community all over the country, it’s difficult to keep up with them all. So we rely on you, our readers, to help us out.

What do you wish you had known before you went to a convention? Tell us in the comments.

Check out the list at https://learningtangent.com/homeschool-events/