Our Favorite Homeschool Electives That Actually Teach Life Skills

When people ask me what our homeschool electives are, they’re expecting the usual suspects: art, music, typing. And yes, we’ve done SOME of those (do we really need a typing class...?) But if you peek into our homeschool plans, you’ll also see things like Manners Camp and Public Speaking right alongside grammar and math.

Because here’s what I’ve learned after almost a decade of homeschooling:
Life skills are not extra. They’re essential.

If anything, the “electives” that teach communication, confidence, social awareness, and adaptability are often what shape the kind of young adult your child is becoming. And at Curio, we’ve seen over and over again how giving kids a safe, supportive space to build those skills pays off in real, lifelong ways.

Let me share two quick stories that inspired the creation of some of Curio’s most popular classes.

When Smart Kids Stay Silent Around Others

One of my daughters is endlessly curious. She’s always the first to ask thoughtful questions, notice connections, and explain things with insight that often surprises even me. Around the dinner table or when chatting one-on-one, she shines.

But in a group?
In front of people she doesn’t know well?
She clams up.

She’s not shy in every setting. But like a lot of kids, she struggles to show up fully when the environment shifts—even if she has something valuable to say. And I realized: what she needed wasn’t just “more chances to talk.”
She needed a low-pressure environment where she could build public speaking skills gradually, with encouragement, structure, and specific feedback.

That’s how CurioSpeak was born.

It’s a series of 1:1 live virtual classes tailored to help kids build presentation, debate, and public speaking skills at their own pace. Some students come because they want to prepare for a competition or speech. Others just need to be nudged gently out of their shell. Either way, we see major growth in their confidence and ability to communicate clearly—and that carries over into every part of life.

We also put together some of the most fun "bite-sized" challenges and set them up as a free 30-day challenge you can do with your kiddos. Pick up the FREE 30-day Speaking Challenge here!

When Even Thoughtful Kids Miss the Social Cue

Another day, at a homeschool group gathering, one of my kids—who is usually kind, thoughtful, and socially aware—blurted out something that came off as rude. It wasn’t intentional. But it was one of those cringey moments where everyone pauses, unsure how to respond.

He wasn’t trying to be disrespectful.
But like so many kids, he hadn’t learned how to match what he meant with how he said it.

That’s when I knew we needed to add something different to our homeschool: not a lecture about manners, but a space where kids could learn the why and how behind respectful conversation, tone, posture, introductions, and kindness in action.

That’s why we created Curio’s Manners Camp—a 5-day live virtual reset designed for ages 6-10. It’s fun, not fussy. It’s practical, not preachy. And it gives kids real tools for navigating social situations with kindness and confidence.

We cover things like:
✔️ How to interrupt politely
✔️ How to greet adults
✔️ What to say when you’re uncomfortable
✔️ How to use your voice and body language well in a group

And most importantly? We help them connect those actions to their values and their character—not just a checklist of “what to do.”

Electives That Actually Matter

Whether your kid dreams of being a lawyer or a Lego designer, these are the kinds of electives that prepare them to work with others, speak up for themselves, and show respect in community settings. That’s why these classes are baked into what we do at Curio—not just because they’re “fun,” but because they grow kids who are prepared for life beyond the homeschool table.

We love platforms like IndyEd and Outschool, and we’ve used both to explore other amazing electives too. I put together a quick YouTube video breaking down our top 5 favorite electives and where to find them—you can watch it here.

So if you’ve ever wondered whether “life skills” should count for school…
I’m here to say yes, absolutely.

And Curio is here to help.

Want to learn more?

→ Try CurioSpeak and get $10 off your first session with code CURIOSPEAK10
→ Join Manners Camp (don’t forget to use code NOTFUSSY to get one session free!)
→ Explore all our classes at thinkcurio.com — including ELA, writing, and creative electives that bring curiosity and confidence together.