Exactly How We Use YouTube for Homeschool
Homeschooling looks different for every family… and in our home, it’s a living, breathing thing that changes with the seasons, our work schedules, and even how everyone is feeling that day. With three kids spread across big age gaps, a mom who works from home, and a couple of chronic illnesses in the mix that can make our energy and focus unpredictable, we’ve learned one huge lesson over the years: flexibility is everything. I’m going to explain exactly how we use YouTube for Homeschool in this post so you can see how it works in real life.
Homeschool for SCHOOL?!
Yes really, and it’s not as crazy as it sounds.
Honestly? YouTube has been one of our biggest helps in keeping homeschooling doable, joyful, and consistent through it all. That and bath math… that’s another hack I use too (throw the kids in a detox bath and write math equations on the wall in crayons for them to do between playing).
There are days when I’m juggling a client project while teaching phonics and making sure someone’s resting enough to avoid a flare-up… and on those days, YouTube becomes the ultimate homeschool assistant. It gives me the ability to teach each child at their own pace, introduce new topics when I’m stretched thin, and still make learning feel alive and engaging when energy levels (for all of us!) are low.
It bridges the gaps between my oldest diving into more complex concepts, my middle exploring curiosity through songs and visuals, and my youngest dancing around while learning her letters. It’s a tool that keeps us connected to great teaching even when life throws us curveballs and I feel stretched too thin.
How We Use YouTube for Homeschooling
Most days, we use YouTube for just one subject, maybe a math review or a quick science video to supplement what we’re already doing. But on hard days (you know the ones) YouTube becomes our full homeschool day.
When someone’s sick or having an autoimmune flare, I’m behind on work, or everyone just needs a mental health day, we can still have a meaningful learning day thanks to carefully chosen videos and activities.
Let me walk you through how those days usually go…
Morning Warm-Up: Mindset, Devotions, or Stretching
Before we even start “school,” we always do a gentle warm-up to set the tone for the day. I’ve learned that when our minds and bodies feel aligned, everything else flows better. So we do some sort of health warmup.
Some mornings that looks like a short growth mindset activity — we’ve been using this workbook lately to help the kids build positive thinking and perseverance. Other days, we’ll start with a short devotion from our favorite doodling workbook for spiritual health in a way that actually keeps them engaged.
And when everyone’s a little wiggly or tired, we’ll pull out our somatic exercise cards and stretch along to a calming or energizing YouTube video. The movement wakes up their bodies while helping regulate moods, which is especially helpful for my kiddos with chronic health ups and downs.
Related: 30 More Learning Youtube Channels
English & Reading
For my youngest, YouTube has been incredible for reinforcing early literacy. There are read-alouds of classic picture books that she follows along with while turning the pages of our own copy — it’s like having a storytime buddy!
We also mix in phonics and letter songs that make learning letters and sounds fun and memorable. For my older kids, I’ll search for grammar or parts of speech songs that stick in their heads (in the best way possible). When I’m not available to sit down and teach directly, these videos keep their learning momentum going.
So we’ll put on some classics like “Conjunction junction” and things like that. Then we’ll hop into the next subject.
Science
Science is an area where YouTube shines. Whether it’s experiments, nature studies, or space exploration, there’s always something new to discover.
Sometimes we’ll watch a few short clips and then do a small hands-on project inspired by what we saw. Other days, we’ll just absorb and discuss. It’s perfect for days when I want to keep curiosity alive without overcomplicating things.
Other days we’ll just deep dive into things like, how to take care of all types of animals on a farm or multiple nature documentaries. Next, to tackle some math!
Math
Math can be tricky in a big-family homeschool, often times I feel like a chicken with my head cut off. But YouTube turns it into something accessible for all ages.
For my younger ones, we use number songs, counting games, and basic addition videos that make math feel playful.
For my older kids, I love that they can watch explanations from multiple teachers about the same concept — sometimes hearing it phrased differently makes everything click. It’s also a great way to review without me needing to create extra lessons from scratch.
After they watch the lessons I usually write out a handful of problems related to whatever they were learning to be sure the lesson stuck.
PE (Physical Education)
By this point my youngest usually wants to play and move around. But it’s my middle kiddo who has the most health struggles so sometimes little sis has to have chill days and tolerate it. This is when I switch over to PE, even if it’s just her or she and I doing it.
YouTube has tons of brain breaks, kids’ workouts, and yoga sessions that we follow along with right in the living room.
For us, this is more than just “PE.” It’s a way to regulate energy, improve focus, and even bond. Some days we’ll do a silly dance challenge, and other days we’ll pick a calm yoga flow to wind down.
History
This is one of our favorite subjects to dive into through YouTube! There are so many engaging history lessons and animated videos that bring the past to life.
When we’re low on energy or I need to focus on work for a bit, the kids can explore everything from ancient civilizations to modern history through videos that make it visual and memorable. We often pause and discuss what stood out, or they’ll draw something from what they learned afterward.
Youtube Helps Hard Days Go Smoothe
Homeschooling with chronic illness, multiple ages, and a work-from-home schedule can be challenging — but tools like YouTube make it not only possible, but beautifully flexible. It’s not about doing it perfectly; it’s about finding what works for your family’s rhythm.
And for us, on good days and hard days alike, YouTube helps keep learning fun, accessible, and alive.
Here is a bigger list of my top 30 Youtube learning channels for school broken down by subject.
Some of Our Other Favorite Ways to Use Youtube for School
- Whenever the kids want to learn about a new bug they found or animal they are randomly interested in.
- To go on a “field trip” by touring a factory, a farm, or something else.
- Creating their own Youtube videos or shorts to learn tech skills.
