Whether you homeschool full-time or are just looking for extra enrichment activities, finding quality free curriculum can be tough! We've rounded up resources by grade level — from preschool through high school — to help your family learn, explore, and grow together, plus a whole section of local homeschool days, co-ops, and library perks right here in the greater Charlotte area. Bookmark this page and check back often — we'll be adding more links and free programs as we find them!
Preschool
Learning at this age is all about play, exploration, and building foundational skills in language, numbers, and movement. These sites offer free early learning activities and printable lessons.
- PBS Kids – Educational games, videos, and printable activities featuring favorite PBS shows.
- Starfall – Free phonics and reading games for early learners.
- ABCya! – Fun, educational games sorted by grade level.
- Scholastic Learn at Home – Free themed lessons and activities.
- Khan Academy Kids – Free, comprehensive learning app for ages 2–8, with offline-friendly lessons.
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
These early elementary resources help kids strengthen reading, writing, and math skills while sparking curiosity in science and art.
- Khan Academy Kids – Free comprehensive learning app for ages 2–8.
- Education.com – Free printable worksheets for math, reading, and more.
- Reading Eggs (Free Trial) – Interactive reading lessons and phonics games.
- Funbrain – Math and literacy games by grade.
- Reading A-Z / Learning A-Z Sample Resources – Leveled readers and printables (some free samples available).
3rd – 5th Grade
Upper elementary learners thrive with hands-on projects and deeper exploration of core subjects. These sites offer full lessons, virtual labs, and interactive tools.
- Khan Academy – Complete, self-paced curriculum for all subjects.
- Mystery Science / Amplify Science – Free science lessons and experiments for elementary grades.
- National Geographic Kids – Videos, articles, and activities that make science and geography fun.
- CommonLit – Free reading passages and comprehension questions.
- NASA STEM Engagement – Free space and engineering lessons, activities, and printables for kids.
6th – 8th Grade
Middle schoolers need engaging, challenging materials that build independence. These resources support all core subjects plus electives.
- CK-12 Foundation – Free digital textbooks for math, science, and more.
- OER Commons – Teacher-created lessons and open education resources.
- Duolingo – Free foreign language learning app.
- TypingClub – Free typing lessons with progress tracking.
- Code.org – Free coding and computer science courses for all skill levels.
High School
These advanced resources provide full courses, electives, and college prep — perfect for homeschoolers or students looking for supplemental materials.
- edX – Free online courses from top universities (many offer certificates).
- Khan Academy – Complete lessons in math, science, history, SAT prep, and more.
- Curriki – Open-source curriculum for all subjects.
- Open Culture – 1,700+ free courses and educational materials.
- MIT OpenCourseWare – Free college-level courses, including AP-adjacent science and math.
- Big Future by College Board – Free college and career planning tools, plus free official SAT practice through Khan Academy's partnership.
Local Homeschool Resources: Mecklenburg, Union & York Counties
Free curriculum is a great starting point, but some of the richest learning happens off-screen. Here's what's available right in our own backyard, organized by area.
Union County, NC
- Union County Public Library – Free educator and LEAP accounts (available to homeschool families), plus research databases and regular free programming across all branch locations. See programs.
- Shanan Classical Co-op / Level Up Educational Academy (Weddington/Union County area) – A Christian-based academic co-op serving PreK through high school with field trips and electives. Learn more.
- Several Charlotte-area co-ops (including Cabarrus/Mecklenburg/Union-serving groups) welcome Union County families — worth checking Facebook groups like the Cabarrus Homeschool Information Hub for meetups closer to home.
- Union County 4-H and the Union County Cooperative Extension office are worth a look for hands-on agriculture and life-skills programming, a nice complement to science curriculum.
Mecklenburg County, NC
- Charlotte Mecklenburg Library – All 20 branches offer homeschool-friendly resources, and homeschoolers can get a free ONE Access library card (the same digital access CMS students use) for databases, e-books, and research tools. Details here.
- ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center (300 E. 7th St., Charlotte) – A free, joint library and Children's Theatre space with storytime, a maker studio, and theater performances — a great regular field trip for younger learners.
- Discovery Place Science (Uptown Charlotte) – Offers monthly Homeschool Programs and periodic Homeschool Days with discounted admission, IMAX access, and hands-on science demos.
- Mecklenburg County Park & Rec / "County as Classroom" – The county highlights ways to use its parks, greenways, and history trail (like the Trail of History along Little Sugar Creek) as free, self-guided homeschool field trips.
- Carolina Raptor Center & Charlotte Museum of History – Both offer nature and local-history programming that pairs well with science and social studies units.
- Local support groups to check out: Charlotte Christian Homeschool Network (CCHNet) and area-wide listings at Fun4CharlotteKids' homeschool resource page.
York County, SC
- Museum of York County (Rock Hill) – Runs monthly Homeschool Days with planetarium shows in the Settlemyre Planetarium and hands-on time in the Naturalist Center Lab with fossils, minerals, and mounted animals.
- York County History Center / Historic Brattonsville – Offers themed Homeschool Days with hands-on STEAM workshops tied to colonial life, plus free time to explore the museum's interactive exhibits.
- Main Street Children's Museum (Old Town Rock Hill) – Great for younger learners on rainy days, part of the same Culture & Heritage Museums family.
- York County Library System – Free library cards for SC residents with research databases and regular programming across Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Clover, and surrounding branches.
- Local support group: Fort Mill Area Homeschoolers, serving Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Indian Land, and Rock Hill families.
A quick note on legal requirements: North Carolina and South Carolina have different homeschool registration, testing, and recordkeeping rules. If you're new to homeschooling or just moved across the state line, check current requirements with the NC Division of Non-Public Education or the SC Department of Education's homeschool page before you get started, since specifics can change.
Know of a great free curriculum or local resource we should include? Click here to share it with us!
