This is a list of homeschool articles to encourage and equip South African homeschool families.
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2026
The Homeschool Thief
An exposé of the sneaky homeschool thief which robs so many parents of their confidence and joy. Discover the antidote and why trusting yourself, appreciating your season and your unique approach matters more than perfect plans.
Mining the Gold in Your Homeschool Situation
Homeschooling does not require parents to manufacture an ideal environment, but you need to recognise the hidden opportunities, benefits and lessons in every season of your family’s unique life.
Five Things to Remember to Homeschool with Confidence
A reassuring guide for South African homeschoolers with five essential reminders to help you homeschool with confidence, reduce pressure and build an education that truly fits your family.
2025
Homeschool Mentoring from Footprints
Get personalised homeschool guidance from Wendy Young or Shirley Erwee. Two online consultations taken up within a year of purchase and a month of ongoing support to help you make confident, informed decisions for your family.
Why All Footprints Programmes Meet and Far Exceed CAPS
Footprints homeschool programmes meet and far exceed CAPS requirements, offering a richer, story-based education in Life Skills and Social Sciences. Footprints sets a trajectory for families that elevates the standard, is research-driven and rooted in children’s developmental needs, giving children a lifelong academic advantage and a love of learning that grows with them. Discover why families can confidently follow an eclectic, literature-rich, Charlotte-Mason or unit study approach that provides deeper learning and long-term academic advantages.
Little Footprints and Barefoot Days – What’s the Difference?
Both Barefoot Days and Little Footprints are story-driven, Charlotte Mason-inspired programmes designed for children aged 4 to 8. They share a gentle, literature-based approach that nurtures curiosity, creativity and a love of learning through stories, play and hands-on experiences. The key differences lie in their focus and developmental emphasis.
Little Footprints and CAPS
Little Footprints – South Africa in Stories aligns with and by far, surpasses CAPS Life Skills requirements for the Foundation Phase. See how it compares in laying a strong academic foundation to give children a lifelong advantage in an engaging, open-and-go format, that captivates children with the power of stories.
From “Invisible” to a Validated Cultural Heritage
Exploring South African history from multiple perspectives helps families reconnect with their roots, celebrate every culture’s contribution and inspire children to see themselves in the nation’s story. It’s a vital experience because, no matter our race group, our history is the foundation of identity, belonging and understanding.
Why Story-driven Learning is Vital in the Age of AI
Discover why story-driven, literature-rich learning is more relevant than ever in the age of AI. Neuroscience confirms what Footprints families already know: real books, meaningful conversations and human connection still shape future-ready children.
DBE’s New BELA Rules Threaten Real Learning
South Africa’s new end-of-phase testing rules could force homeschoolers into a rigid, one-size-fits-all system, undermining the freedom and flexibility that make home education so powerful. This article reveals why real learning is under threat, especially for children with learning challenges, and what every home-educating parent needs to know.
Honouring the Legacy of Women’s Day – A South African Homeschool Perspective
Women’s Month is more than slogans and symbolic gestures—it’s an opportunity to teach our children about the courage and conviction behind the 1956 Women’s March. This article explores how homeschoolers can honour the legacy of Women’s Day through storytelling, discussion, creative expression, and acts of service. It’s not just women’s history—it’s South African history. Includes a free set of printable activity pages designed for ages 8 to 13.
The Parent-Child Dance of Eclectic Home Education
Discover the unique, dynamic relationship between parent and child in eclectic home education — where teaching becomes a dance of leading, following, and shared discovery. Learn how to balance structure and delight-directed learning in a rich, generous curriculum.
GED vs. AHSD: Which is best for your child?
Comparing the GED and the American High School Diploma through Home Life Academy for South African homeschoolers—discover the pros, cons, and which option best suits your child’s future education path.
How CAPS Sabotages Learning—and How Footprints Restores It with Purposeful, Joyful Education
CAPS curriculum undermines deep learning through rigid pacing, content overload, and over-assessment—and Footprints offers a flexible, story-rich alternative that nurtures critical thinking, creativity, and lasting understanding. Transform learning from labour to love with Footprints.
Why Footprints Programmes Prepare Your Child for More Than Just Matric
When South African homeschoolers consider curriculum choices, one of the most common questions is: “Will this prepare my child for matric?” It’s a valid concern—every parent wants their child to be academically equipped. But what if the real question isn’t just about academics?
Why Footprints Is Better Than Online Schooling: One Mom’s Tears, and the Joyful Turnaround of Dozens of Families
Discover why Footprints “saves” families from CAPS-based online schooling. Read heartfelt stories from families who found joy, connection, and a love of learning after ditching the screens.
“We Didn’t Know Learning Could Feel Like This”: Why These South African Families Ditched CAPS for Footprints
CAPS wasn’t built for homes—it was built for classrooms. Two families tell how the “pressure cooker” of CAPS nearly ruined their experience, but how Footprints brought the transformation that turned home education into a delight!
Why Footprints is Better Than CAPS for South African Homeschoolers
When it comes to educating your children at home, the curriculum you choose can either ignite a love of learning—or snuff it out entirely. For many South African families, the default option seems to be CAPS-based online school services, simply because it’s what schools use. But as more parents discover the freedom and flexibility of homeschooling, they’re realising that school-at-home isn’t necessarily the best fit for home education.
Why South African Homeschoolers Must Exercise Their Freedom of Choice — And Say No to One-Size-Fits-All Online Schooling
When the BELA Bill was passed in December 2024, many parents feared their right to homeschool freely might be lost. But here’s the truth the Department of Basic Education quietly admits: you are still free to choose ANY curriculum that suits your family. Discover why South African homeschoolers should choose customised, eclectic homeschooling over CAPS-based online school systems. Real stories, real freedom, and a better way to learn.
No Quarterly Reports for Homeschoolers: BELA Guidelines Confirm Flexibility for Families
The Department of Basic Education released the official guidelines for implementing the BELA Act—and it confirms what many of us hoped: NO quarterly reports are required for home learners! Also no pre-approved curriculum list and more…
Raising Creative, Innovative Children
“The principal goal of education in the schools should be creating men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.” We offer you a strategy to accomplish this.
An Educational “Pie” – A Recipe for Holistic Education
Most of the time, we think of education very narrowly, only in terms of academics, but that is only part of the whole pie we need to offer our children to help them develop to their full potential. Read about five types of learning to give children a holistic education…
2024
Footprints Guidelines for Registration with the DBE
If you choose to register with the DBE, get help writing your letter of motivation and description of your Footprints eclectic home education plus informal learning.
Your Learning Pathway with Footprints
Use this handy table to determine at which level you should begin with one of our beautiful Footprints programmes. From preschool level to high school, Footprints gives you the tools you need to prepare your children academically for excellence when they reach matric level and beyond.
Is the BELA Act a Sword over Your Head? Many parents feel conflicted about the BELA Act and the registration requirements for home educators. Gut feelings, vagueness of the law and the current ‘climate’ are valid considerations. What now?
“You may register later,” says WCED. In response to the passing of the BELA Act, the Western Cape Education Department said it is “business as usual”. No need to worry. No need to rush to register.
Give your children a 1.4 million word advantage
Discover one thing parents can do to catapult their children’s language and concentration skills to give them a lifelong academic advantage.
Barefoot Days/ Kaalvoetpret versus CAPS
A comparison of our junior programmes versus the recommendations of CAPS for Life Skills in the Foundation Phase. You can give your children a rich education that easily meets and exceeds the minimum requirements of the national Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS).
5 Tips for the Stressed Homeschool Mom
When the day-to-day reality of homeschooling doesn’t match the ideal you imagined, these 5 tips for the stressed homeschool mom can help you address the cause of your stress.
2023
Footprints and CAPS – Astonishing Alignment
Footprints and Voetspore meets 80-90% of the CAPS Social Sciences requirements and exceeds them! Our story-based programmes for the intermediate and senior phase are well-aligned with CAPS! See how they compare with tables of comparison and a never-before-published scope and sequence for Footprints and Voetspore.
Refocus for a Strong Finish to 2023
Reflect on how your plans have unfolded so far this year, acknowledge the curve balls and disruptions to you plans, adapt, adjust and refocus for a strong finish to 2023.
Homeschooling – Blessing or Burden?
Four easy tips to lighten the daily load and make home education a joy!
Reading Power On! – Help us kickstart a national movement to get all parents in South Africa to read aloud to their children. Research shows that reading aloud catapults children’s progress academically. We can’t wait for the school system to be fixed, we have to help families to help their children learn at home, by giving them books and lights to light up the darkness of illiteracy!
Home Education with Dyslexia (and other Labels) – Children with learning challenges fail to thrive doing school-at-home. They need customised learning that allows progress at their own pace. This article explains why and what to do instead.
2022
Nature Study Made Easy:
Unlocked Learning at Home – Discover how home education can equip your children to excel at their strengths and stand out from the crowd, if YOU will let them!
Homeschool Daily Schedules – The good, the bad and tips to make them work instead of stressing you out!
2021
5 Tips for “Just Right” Homeschooling – like Goldilocks in the story of the three bears, the first thing you try is not always the best for your family!
7 Skills Schools Don’t Teach Children – It’s vital to focus not merely on preparing kids for tests, but to equip them for success in life!
8 Tips When Learning to Read is Hard – sometimes you have to choose between persevering or waiting for your child to be ready. Both are hard. Here are tried-and-tested tips to encourage you.
6 Reasons Stories are Better than Textbooks – research shows we learn best through stories and real-life experience. Read why.
School-at-Home vs Eclectic Homeschooling – if you are tired of feeling stressed, find out how to switch to a more joyful way to home educate your family.
9 Tips for Winning Dad’s Support for Homeschooling – advice if your children’s dad is still doubtful about the decision to start homeschooling in South Africa.
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Tips for Starting Homeschooling in South Africa
Read our 7 part series of homeschool articles:
You might like to bookmark this page so that you can come back to it when you have time to continue.
1. Reasons to Homeschool – Bringing the children home
2. Deschooling – Your first 6 weeks to three months
3. Parenting and spending quality time together
4. Learning styles, philosophies and methods in the homeschooling movement
5. Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum – essential tips to avoid costly mistakes
6. Organization 101
7. Preventing Burnout
More South African Homeschool Articles
Homeschooling and Family Relationships
The Hidden Blessing of Homeschooling
Homeschooling is not just about academics. Find out what else you get.
Are You Working Yourself Out of a Job?
Why Homeschooling Moms are Better Than Teachers
Seven reasons homeshooling moms are highly successful at helping their children learn.
10 Tips for Worried Homeschool Moms
Read solutions for concerns and real problems that homeschooling parents face.
Am I Doing Enough? Homeschool Self-assessment
Relaxed Homeschooling in South Africa
The majority of South African homeschooling moms are stressed out by their homeschooling curriculum and are looking for “permission” to relax and take “the scenic route”!
Raising Men and Women of Character – Homeschooling
The measure of your homeschooling should not be the capital letters behind your children’s name one day, but rather the people of integrity and good character they have become.
Entitlement and Teaching Thankfulness
Tips to raise appreciative and thankful children who won’t develop an entitlement attitude.
Preschool Ideas – Living Alongside Your Little Ones
This homeschooling article answers a question that we are commonly asked by moms of preschoolers who feel pressured to ‘do school’ with their little ones.
How Homeschooling in South Africa Works Best
Eclectic Homeschooling
Discover why eclectic homeschooling, customised education, with specially selected electives is the way to develop our children to their fullest potential.
Choosing the BEST Curriculum – How do you choose the best for YOUR family?
Homeschooling in Hard Times
6 tips to help you through hard times like financial, family, health or other crises.
How to Ensure Deep Learning in an Age of Digital Distraction
As homeschoolers can harness the power of technology in our world and yet still benefit from the time-tested methods of learning that best suit the way our brains were created.
Literature for Lifelong Learning
6 Essential skills that all kids need to be media-savvy and informed young adults.
Charlotte Mason Homeschool
A Charlotte Mason Homeschool explains the ethos and philosophy behind the Footprints on Our Land South African homeschool curricula.
Benefits of Literature-based Learning
Research has shown that reading to children significantly raises their potential for academic and life-long success and using a literature-rich curriculum offers many benefits.
Notebooking – an Alternative to Workbooks
Homeschool notebooking is a wonderful way for each child to keep a record of their learning and express their own unique personality at the same time.
Don’t be a Pirate Home Educator
Know the copyrights and wrongs of home education curriculum materials. When is it OK to make copies and when isn’t it?
Homeschool Expo Tips
Don’t be overwhelmed at expos but use these homeschool expo tips from seasoned homeschool moms to avoid making impulse decisions that you might regret.
Real Life Learning
Entrepreneurship for Kids is Essential
Most parents have a curriculum for traditional school subjects, like Maths and Spelling, but few realise that helping our children develop entrepreneurial skills is essential for success in the future economy.
A South African Garden Route Trip
This article describes an educational tour of the Garden Route undertaken by two homeschooling moms and their 11 children. Places of interest and sites that you can visit are described to inspire you to plan your own educational South African trip.
South Africa Travel – Footprints around SA
– a 6000+km educational tour through 7 provinces of SA, taken by a homeschooling family with 5 kids under 10 to see the sights and historic places of interest of South Africa.
Homeschool Special Education Needs (SEN)
Homeschooling A-typical children – a homeschool mom’s perspective
Video: Neuro-diversity and special needs, a homeschooling mom’s perspective – interview with Wendy Young