Encyclopedias for Homeschool

When I was a little girl, I had an old and yellowed Golden Book Encyclopedia set. I loved those encyclopedias and would pour over them on lazy afternoons. In fact, I read each volume cover to cover one summer. I found it fascinating that everything– virtually any topic- was right at my fingertips.

Nowadays, we live in an everything-at-your-fingertips culture. In this age of Google, YouTube, and Siri, encyclopedias are obsolete…

… or, are they?

What if I told you that I think children’s encyclopedias are better now?

Encyclopedias are an important part of our homeschool over here, and our family is in love with the Usborne Internet-Linked series. Not only do you have information about, well, anything at your fingertips but you can now take it a step further and learn more online!

Nonfiction is important.

Here’s the thing… nonfiction is important. Why? Because your child will need to read nonfiction all the time throughout his or her life. Nonfiction is everywhere. It is in the newspaper, at the office, at doctor appointments, etc., etc., etc. Put simply, reading nonfiction is an important life skill. Encyclopedias are a fantastic way to introduce your children to and whet their appetite for nonfiction.

Our favorite encyclopedias for homeschooling:

I cannot tell you how much our family loves the following four encyclopedias. Just as I used to get lost in the Golden Book Encyclopedia, my children can spend hours with these titles.

You can get lost in these books, folks. Each encyclopedia contains striking photographs and illustrations and they are jam-packed with information on a wealth of topics, however, unlike my old Golden Book Encyclopedias the fun doesn’t stop when you close the cover.

Each of these titles contains multiple internet-linked information to take learning to another level. Usborne’s internet-linked books contain links to recommended websites where readers can learn more on a given topic. Links include access to virtual tours, video clips, games, and other multimedia.

Additional internet-linked science and history encyclopedias we enjoy:

There are over 500 Usborne internet-linked books from encyclopedias to sticker books. Our family is obsessed with these books. Here is a photo of a teetering stack of our internet-linked Usborne collection:

Three more amazing internet-linked encyclopedias:

These are just a handful of our favorites, folks. I honestly could gush on and on and on about the Usborne internet-linked books. I enjoyed these titles before homeschooling and my love for them has only increased since embarking on this path.

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me, do you love encyclopedias? Have you read any of the books mentioned herein? What are your favorite ways to spark a love of nonfiction in your children? Share here!