Homeschooling in Oregon offers a wealth of opportunities, but finding quality resources that won’t break the bank is essential for many families. Fortunately, there are plenty of free or low-cost options available across the state.
Whether you’re a new or veteran homeschool parent, this list is for you! We’ve gathered several ideas, including suggestions from parents in our Homeschooling in Oregon FB group. We hope they are a blessing to your family!
Free or Low-Cost Homeschool Resources in Oregon
- Discounts & Freebies for OCEANetwork Members – Signing up as an OCEANetwork Supporting Member gets you a Teacher ID card as well as great discounts and freebies from fantastic homeschooling and discipleship companies.
- Discounts with Teacher ID Card – Your Teacher ID card, which you receive as an OCEANetwork Supporting Member, can get you discounts at any company that typically offers homeschoolers teacher discounts. For example, ThriftBooks, Michael’s craft store, Apple, etc.
- Conference Admission – When the Oregon Christian Home Education Conference is held, we offer free admission to parents of preschoolers (restrictions apply). We also have a Benevolence Fund that can be used to offer free admission, upon application approval, for pastors, active military, missionaries, single parents.
- Free Getting Started Homeschooling in Oregon video course – If you’d like a crash course on how to get started homeschooling in Oregon, this is for you!
- Free Homeschool Planner – Get organized for the homeschool year with our free Homeschooling in Oregon Planner! You’ll find it toward the end of the What to Teach My Child and When post.
- Support Groups & Co-Ops – Some support groups and co-ops are free of charge and most are very frugal. They also often offer extra activities and opportunities for learning and socializing!
- Apple Pie Day / Capitol Day – Each year, OCEANetwork hosts a legislative day at the Capitol. Many families use it as a free educational experience that teaches their children about government and homeschool freedom. We have a free downloadable Capitol Field Trip printable pack to accompany any trip you make to the Capitol.
Libraries and Used Books for Oregon Homeschoolers
- Little Free Libraries – “We get tons of great books from Little Free Libraries! We also put lots of books back in when we are done with them.” ~ Missi
- Public Library Systems
- Check out books from the library – we recommend pre-reading or at least checking for content considerations as you go, or taking advantage of online book hold systems offered by the library. In addition to literature and educational non-fiction books, you may even find homeschool teacher support books and curriculum picks there. Consider, too, offering book suggestions to the library to help stock it with books your family would enjoy.
- Library of Things – More libraries now have a “library of things” to participate in, offering patrons a chance to check out microscopes, board games, garden tools, etc.
- Museum Passes – “Try museum passes from your library.” – Jenna. Museum or cultural passes are a great way to save on local museums and cultural centers.
- Friends of the Library Book Sales – Several libraries have regular “friends of the library” book sales, or for-sale shelves that are always available to choose from. They often have good literature or non-fiction books suitable for homeschooling.
- And more! Check your library for available ebook and audiobook options, video streaming services, online course memberships, access to foreign language programs, high school study and test prep resources, and more!
- Every local library has their own special offerings! Here’s what Jody says about the Molalla library: “Homeschool Huddle at the library with once a month classes for homeschoolers! They also have a once a month Lego Club.”
- Summer Reading Challenges – Homeschool through the summer with free reading challenges like Pizza Hut Camp Book It. Find more reading challenges here.
- Used Book Sales / Swaps
- OCEANetwork has hosted a large Used Curriculum Exchange as a part of the annual homeschool conference when it’s held.
- You can also ask in local groups about used book sales in your area. Support groups and co-ops often hold them.
- Smaller local book stores may also have used or discounted book bins.
- Also consider checking out the following online resources for used books and curriculum:
- Homeschooling in Oregon Marketplace Group
- Other used curriculum FB groups
- FB Group: Homeschool Curriculum Free for Shipping
- Facebook Marketplace
- ThriftBooks (homeschoolers can get teacher rewards)
- Homeschool Classifieds
- Amazon
- eBay
- Exodus Books – This is a fantastic book store in Molalla. You’ll find helpful advice, discounted used books, frequent clearance and freebie deals, and a chance to flip through curriculum picks in the store.
National and State Parks – Great Resources for Oregon Homeschoolers!
- Oregon State Parks – Free entry and educational programs at various state parks.
- State Parks Educational Programs: Oregon State Parks offer free or low-cost educational programs, including ranger-led nature events and activities and junior ranger programs.
- State Park Pass: For frequent visitors, purchasing an annual park pass can be a cost-effective way to access state parks year-round.
- National Parks Free Entry Days – Free access to national parks in Oregon on specific days.
- Specific Parks to Consider Visiting:
- Forest Park (Portland) – Free hiking trails and educational opportunities.
- Silver Falls State Park (Silverton) – Free waterfall hikes and nature study opportunities.
- Mount Hood National Forest – Free entry to various trails and educational activities.
- Wildwood Recreation Site (Mt. Hood) – Affordable entry with educational trails.
- Tualatin Hills Nature Park (Beaverton) – Free programs and nature walks.
- Cape Perpetua Scenic Area (Yachats) – Free tide pool exploration and educational programs.
- Oxbow Regional Park (Gresham) – Affordable entry with educational nature walks.
Science, Agriculture, and Nature for Oregon Homeschoolers
- Hatfield Marine Science Center – “Especially if you hit up their science fair day! We just happened to be at the beach this year when they were hosting it, it was so much fun! 2025 science day is April 25th from 10am-4pm” – Samantha and Katherine
- Mount St. Helens Creation Center – Free entry for an immersive Mount St. Helens learning experience. https://www.mshcreationcenter.org
- Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom – Lots of free resources including virtual farm field trips, free curriculum and printables, free physical learning kits, and more.
- 4-H Oregon – Affordable programs in agriculture, science, and more.
- Hunting for Fossils and Rocks – There are many free or frugal places to search for fossils and rocks, minerals, and gems in Oregon.
- Oregon Zoo (Portland) – Discounted field trip rates for homeschool groups.
- OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) – Membership discounts for families who can show a copy of their ESD acknowledgment letter.
- ASTC Passport Program – Participating science museums (such as OMSI) offer free admission to their network of museums in that state if one membership was purchased.
- Creation geology videos from Northwest Treasures, a Washington homeschool curriculum provider.
- Your local STEM Hub – This is a great way to connect with a group and participate in STEM learning.
- Home Depot Activities for Kids – Kids enjoy these free DIY and STEAM projects. They also provide online guides & resources for projects you can do at home.
- Hoyt Arboretum (Portland) – Free entry with events and self-guided educational tours.
- Oregon Gardens – Homeschool Day each year in early fall. Call ahead for group rates or get a cultural pass from your library, if available.
- And more! Check out our big list of field trip ideas as well as these helpful Oregon nature study ideas. Many of them can be done free or for a low price.
Oregon Cultural and Historical Sites for Homeschoolers
- Oregon Historical Society – Discounted or free admission on certain days for educational visits.
- Reciprocal Membership Program – The Oregon Historical Society offers a reciprocal membership program where your purchase of one participating museum get you free access to several other on a rotating monthly basis.
- Portland Art Museum – Free for ages 17 and under and free admission on first Thursday of each month
- Oregon Symphony – Free and frugal family concerts, group rates, special events, and more.
- Fort Vancouver National Historic Site – Free entry with educational programs (Portland).
- Pittock Mansion in Portland – Affordable educational tours.
- Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Astoria – Free entry on certain days and educational programs.
- Tamástslikt Cultural Institute – Affordable admission for educational groups. “The first Friday of each month is free entry at the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute in Pendleton, OR.” – Jennifer
- Willamette Heritage Center in Salem – Discounted admission for homeschool groups.
- Seek Out Local Resources – Many cities and towns have smaller museums and cultural centers. Look at your town’s online information and get plugged in with your local community and find out what’s available!
More Free or Low-Cost Homeschool Resources in Oregon to Consider
- Share and swap in local homeschool groups – Ask your local homeschool group if you can have a curriculum sharing night where you can check out what others are using and give away any resources not still in use.
- Follow Groupon for deals on local events, activities, and attractions.
- Group rates for attractions and events – Interested in a particular attraction or event? Call ahead and ask if there are homeschool or group discounts. (Here’s a great list of field trips to check out.)
- Corban University homeschool library – A local homeschool group worked with Corban University to set up a homeschool corner with books and curriculum that homeschoolers can check out if they purchase a patron membership. If they just want to check it out first, they can do so without a membership, but remember that it is a small university library that is somewhat quiet for studying students. Call ahead before visiting!
- Church libraries – Many churches have libraries with books that can be great for homeschooling.
- Oaks Park – Every fall they have a Home School Rides day with discounts.
Additional Free and Frugal Resources (Not Specifically in Oregon)
- Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) – Discounts on membership for legal support and resources.
- Easy Peasy All-In-One Homeschool – Free online Christian homeschool curriculum for all grades.
- ABC Jesus Loves Me – Free Christian curriculum for ages 5 and under.
- Freedom Homeschooling – offers s=a guide for putting together a free Christian homeschool curriculum for your family.
- Hillsdale College – Free online high-school courses on history, economics, literature, philosophy, and more.
- Free Homeschool Deals – Search the topic you want to teach for a wealth of freebies to choose from.
- Audiobooks – LibriVox has many free online audiobooks. This article from Proverbial Homemaker also has helpful tips for finding free and frugal audiobooks. Your local library, too, likely offers access to digital and CD audiobooks you can check out.
What would you add to this list of free or low-cost homeschool resources in Oregon? Comment and tell us! We’ll keep adding more to the list as we find them, too.
Looking to make homeschool friends in a state other than Oregon? Check out HomeschoolFreedom.com’s blog post from homeschool organizations nationwide!
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The OCEANetwork List of Homeschool Curriculum & Family Resources
