CT State Homeschool Organization
Connecticut Homeschool Association (CHN)
CHN is a statewide organization that serves as a support network for all homeschool families.
The Education Association of Christian Homeschoolers (TEACH CT)
TEACH CT board is made up of homeschooling couples of varying backgrounds. They work together to provide information and services to homeschooling families in Connecticuit.
CT Homeschool Law
Connecticut Homeschool Statute state that parents are required to provide instruction in reading, writing, spelling, English grammar, geography, arithmetic, United States history, and citizenship. More information about these options as well as other helpful information on homeschooling in Connecticut can be found on the Connecticut Department of Education website, the Home School Legal Defense Association, Connecticut Homeschool Association, and The Education Association of Christian Homeschoolers.
CT Homeschool Events
CT Homeschool Network’s Homeschool Conference
Meriden, CT – This one-day conference is a family-friendly event focused on the information and support sought by new homeschoolers, prospective homeschoolers, and those seeking new resources for their current homeschool or co-op. Have you been considering home education? This is the event for you! CHN is pleased to offer free admission, though donations are always warmly welcomed.
MassHope Annual Homeschool Convention
Sturbridge, MA – This 2-day annual event features a Ladies’ Dessert evening, a children’s program, a teen workshop, exhibit hall, and great speaking sessions.
CT Homeschool Field Trip Destinations
American Clock and Watch Museum
The Bristol Clock Museum was the first museum in America totally devoted to horology. At the time of the opening, there were approximately 300 clocks on display and a small library containing 50 books. The collection has grown and visitors to the museum will find over 1,500 clocks and watches on display including advertising clocks, punch clocks, grandfather clocks, blinking-eye clocks, railroad watches, character watches, and even Hickory Dickory Dock clocks.
They offer on-site and off-site programming for children’s groups that cover state or local history, helping your students understand the development of instruments to tell time or the Industrial Revolution, or learning about proper handling of artifacts. Interactive programs can be tailored to fit your needs.
American Legion and Peoples State Forests
Located in the Pleasant Valley section of Barkhamsted, the American Legion and Peoples State Forests provided an example of proper forest management as observed by U.S. soldiers throughout Europe during World War I. The West Branch of the Farmington River, designated as a Wild and Scenic River by the National Park Service, is the center point of river-based recreational activities including trout fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and tubing. Rugged terrain with steep, rocky hillsides typifies the remainder of the forest. The Henry Buck Trail, which winds through the forest for 2.1 miles, passes by historic mill sites and offers a view of beautiful rock formations and the river valley. The Austin F. Hawes Memorial Campground provides thirty spacious campsites near the river.
Other attractions include the 200-year-old white pine picnic groves in the Matthies Grove and Whittemore Recreation Areas, over 11 miles of hiking trails, the Barkhamsted Lighthouse, and other cultural and historic sites.
Avon Historical Society offers educational presentations, programs of specific local interest, and exhibits for the community to enjoy now, while also curating a legacy for future generations to appreciate.
The 1865 Pine Grove Schoolhouse is on Sundays in the summer. There are ongoing exhibits and displays in the History Corner at the Avon Free Public Library.
Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo has a proud history of over 100 years as Connecticut’s only Zoo and is committed to the preservation of endangered animals their wild habitats through education, conservation, research, and recreation. It provides a wonderfully wild experience for students and families and invites you to book a field trip filled with adventure!
The zoo also offers a collection of free online resources such as coloring pages and interactive content.
Temporarily closed for a MAJOR renovation, the Barnum Museum is the leading authority on P.T. Barnum’s life and work and contains more than 60,000 artifacts relating to Barnum, Bridgeport, and 19th-century America. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the museum remains committed to Barnum’s own mission: growing curiosity, creativity, and confidence through instructive entertainment.
The Connecticut River Museum plays an important role in collecting and protecting manuscripts, books, art, and artifacts of regional significance. It delivers high-quality exhibitions and educational programming and introduces school children to the important stories of the River and its people. Visit National Registered buildings on Steamboat Dock in Essex and a spectacular waterfront park.
The museum invites homeschool groups to schedule a custom program or register for one the Homeschool Program Series designed for children ages 6 – 12 years old. Parents/guardians may explore the museum or grounds with younger siblings during the program time. All Homeschool Days are 10:00am – 12:00pm at the Connecticut River Museum. There are also Sensitive-Friendly Days where exhibits with loud noises and/or bright lights are modified to allow people with a range of abilities to experience all the museum has to offer. A designated quiet room is set up to allow visitors to decompress, take a break, and experience the museum at their own pace.
Group tours with a Museum Guide can be customized for your group. The average group spends 90 minutes to 2 hours at the Trolley Museum. Groups of 20 or more receive a discount on admission.
Visitors experience living history at the nation’s oldest incorporated organization dedicated to the preservation of the trolley era, riding in vintage electric streetcars on a 3.2-mile round trip. Tour the large Visitor Center with static trolley cars, exhibits, artifacts, a theater showing a trolley-themed movie, and a gift shop to buy that ‘special’ souvenir. The Fire Truck Museum has 15 fire trucks dating back to 1923 and a collection of historic fire fighting equipment (admission included with admission to the Trolley Museum). Stop by the Museum’s Trolley Maintenance & Restoration Shop for a behind-the-scenes tour.
Special events include Kids’ Arts & Crafts Saturdays, New Operator and Junior Operator Training, Dino Trolley, Trolley Care Program, Easter Eggspress Trolley, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Pumpkin Patch Trolley, Rails to the Dark Side, and homeschool programs.
The Danbury Railway Museum is home to an ever-growing collection of railroad artifacts and objects. Inside Union Station, you’ll find railroad lanterns, china and silverware, timetables, tools, historic photographs, uniforms, telegrams, and model trains. All these items help illustrate the impact railroading has had in New England and our region. The 15-track, 10-acre historic Danbury Railyard yard is home to over 75 pieces of railroad rolling stock and locomotives.
Check the schedule for train rides in the historic Danbury railyard. Board at the station and take tour the ten-acre railyard from the comfort of a vintage coach, historic caboose, or even the cab of the locomotive! Seasonally, they have special events like Absolute Baloney Month, Santa Trains, Storytime Express, and Pumpkin Patch Trains.
Those over age 18 can realize the childhood dream of becoming a locomotive engineer in a Hand on the Throttle class. The three-and-a-half-hour program includes a classroom session covering safety and basic operating rules, learning and practicing basic brakeman duties, learning and practicing locomotive operation, and then making up your own freight train in our historic railyard!
Historical Society of East Hartford
The Society maintains a three-building complex in East Hartford’s Martin Park for showcasing facets of the city’s history. The 1761 Makens Bemont House (commonly called the Huguenot House) depicts the home of a fairly prosperous late 18th/early 19th century East Hartford workingman. The 1820s Goodwin Schoolhouse displays items as they might have been used in an early/mid 19th century school. The 1850s Burnham Blacksmith Shop displays late 19th and early 20th century tools and equipment used in the East Hartford area.
Guided tours by Society volunteers are available at the park in the summer months. There is no fee but donations are gladly accepted. Over the years the Society has presented historical displays, teas, and events like The Old Quilt Show, Bridal Gowns Through the Years, an Old-fashioned Ice Cream Social fundraiser.
Imagine Nation is only open to the public for special events and field trips. They offer intentional facilitator-led experiences rather than self-exploration within the museum. This provides the opportunity to expand educational experiences and create meaningful family engagement. Programming includes a variety of workshops, field trips, birthday parties, and family event opportunities.
If your homeschool is studying something specific, perhaps the lifecycle of a bee, forms of matter, animals, or types of energy, Imagine Nation is a great place to conduct some field work! It may include experiments, creating slides for magnified study, animal handling and feeding, or scientific drawings. The experience is tailored to your topic of study and the age of your students.
Sacred Heart University’s Discovery Science Center and Planetarium
Discovery Science Center and Planetarium offers dozens of programs designed to excite young minds and inspire exploration. All of the programming in their School Program Guide is available to home-schooling groups of 10 or more students in an age band. Experiences include learning labs, planetarium shows, science demonstrations, Science on a Sphere, virtual programs, and Challenger Center missions (ages 10 and up only). Whether you are looking for a one-time event or a series of learning experiences, Discovery can help your family or co-op group find the right fit for your STEAM needs!
They also have some nice FREE online astronomy STEAM resources.
Reserve a private tour just for your group of 5 to 105. The Museum welcomes you for an in-depth look at the beauty and history of the carousel. A visit to the Carousel Museum offers an opportunity to learn about the art, history, and fabrication of this little-known form of American sculpture. Customize your visit with add-ons. Stay for lunch, a “Make and take” art activity in the Art Studio, or visit to another Bristol Museum.
Discover over 200 antique wooden horses and objects, see the restoration department where they are preserving these American treasures, and take a ride on our indoor carousel.
Summertime is the busiest season at the Dudley Farm Museum with the farmhouse open for tours, gardening activities, and the Farmers’ Market in full operation, however, the farm does remain active year-round. It is a small working farm with livestock appropriate to the late nineteenth century including chickens, sheep, and hopefully will include other livestock in the future. Early morning and afternoon visitors might watch as fresh eggs are collected from the hens daily, while maple sugaring, apple grafting, wildflower walks, creating pollinator gardens, varying living history immersions, and more occur seasonally.
The hiking trails at the farm that connect to Guilford Land Trust trails offer a unique opportunity to enjoy the grounds in the quieter fall and winter months.
The Shoreline Trolley Line Museum
The Shore Line Trolley Museum, its collection of street railway vehicles, and the existing mile-and-a-half-long segment of the Branford Electric Railway are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Branford Electric Railway Historic District. A visit to the Museum is a multi-sensory voyage into the past, from the moanful growl of the motors, to the smell of the electric arc, to the feel of rattan seats and varnished hardwood detailing. The Shore Line Trolley Museum operates the Branford Electric Railway, which together with the collection of cars is a nationally-recognized Historic District. The railway is the oldest continuously operating suburban trolley line in the United States.
Is homeschooling for you?
The community of homeschool families is diverse. One study reports that 41% of homeschool students are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or other non-White/non-Hispanic groups (2). Homeschoolers come from all faiths – Christians, Jews, Muslims, agnostics, atheists. Teaching parents have a range of formal education, from high school diplomas to graduate degrees, and cover the array of household incomes.
How do you homeschool?
While laws regulating home education vary from state to state, homeschooling IS legal in all 50 states. Many states offer more than one option. One of the first steps in your family’s homeschool journey is to become familiar with the laws in your state. Then the fun begins!
Click on your state below for resources on homeschool regulations, state homeschool organizations, homeschool conventions in your area (here’s why these are amazing for new and experienced homeschool parents), as well as other homeschool perks in your state.
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Disclaimer: Please note that the information on this page is provided for your convenience as a research tool and resource as to where to find the information you need to homeschool in your state. The team at 3 Moms Blog are not attorneys. This content has not been reviewed by an attorney. It is not legal advice.
Brian D. Ray. (2017) A systematic review of the empirical research on selected aspects of homeschooling as a school choice, Journal of School Choice, 11:4, 604-621, accessed April 7, 2023 at https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15582159.2017.1395638
US Department of Education. (2019) Homeschooling in the United States: Results from the 2012 and 2016 Parent and Family Involvement Survey (PFINHES: 2012 and 2016). Accessed 4/7/2023 at https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2020/2020001.pdf