Homeschooling in Connecticut

     The following is a guest post from Crystal Starr for the 50 States feature at a glimpse of our life.

Homeschooling in Connecticut

Do you want to know which is the absolute best state in the country to homeschool? Connecticut! Yes, tiny little old Connecticut! Hard to believe such a tiny rather obscure state could be so awesome but it really is. Why? Well I’m glad you asked… let me tell you!

For those curious to know, because I would be, Connecticut is a non-reporting state. Yes, that is right, we do not HAVE to fill out a notice of intent. It isn’t required. If you want you can just do your thing and no one will ever bother you. It is all perfectly legal and I have to say, that is such freedom.

There are other reasons homeschooling rocks in Connecticut. Where else in the entire country can you take a short train or car trip and hit not only New York City to the west but Boston to the north? The plethora of museums and cultural experiences in these two cities is staggering and all it takes is a day trip! Oh and the history! So much history in this area of the country it is dizzying. Or if you prefer just turn south and before you know it you’ve hit the ocean! We are so centrally located right here in tiny old Connecticut.

Right here within in the state you can explore historical sites such as Mark Twain’s home, Noah Webster’s Birthplace, and Prudence Crandall’s house. Or head down to Groton and checkout the world’s first operational nuclear submarine the Nautilus. Do you have a thing for old prisons? Old New Gate Prison and Copper Mine is open to the public.

The list of museums is an arm’s length. We have the famous Peabody Museum. A new world class CT Science Center right in Hartford, Mystic Marine Life Aquarium with it’s brand new Titanic exhibit, the Lutz Children's Museum, the Connecticut Trolley Museum, Essex Steam Train… and the list goes on and on and on.

We also have the Mashantucket Pequot Museum! Imagine immersing your children into a dramatic scene that depicts Native American Life exactly as it was before the Europeans came to America. Together you can walk through a village filled with characters so life like you expect them to start moving at any moment.

If you come in the summer how about a trip to the Oldest Amusement Park in America... Lake Compounce! It is home to one of the few remaining true carousels in America. To learn more about that you'll just have to drive across town to the The New England Carousel Museum.

Whatever your pleasure, whatever your interest, there is sure to be a fantastic resource for you likely within an hour’s drive or less.

Then of course there is nature. There are too many parks and reserves to even begin listing them all. From the mountains to the sea there is plenty to keep you moving and learning. We enjoy four solid seasons. We have heat in the summer, cold and snow in the winter, beautiful fall foliage, and gorgeous spring color.

My list is no means exhaustive. It really just scratches the surface. I could take up pages and pages listing everything to do and see in this state that you can drive through in about an hour, depending on traffic of course. We do have our fare share of traffic! Check out some of these links to see what else we have to offer!

Connecticut Historical Attractions

CTVisit.com

A List of Historical Parks

Information on Area Beaches

The world is at your fingertips right from this tiny, not so famous state. I was born and raised here and I highly doubt I’ll ever leave. There are so many interesting places to visit, so much great stuff to learn, I'm sure my children and I will never cover it all. If you are looking to move or just want to visit, you really can't go wrong!

Crystal Starr is homeschooling mom to 3 little guys 7, 5 and 2 living in the heart of Connecticut. She blogs about her faith, life, food, her photography business, and of course her family's homeschool at www.crystalstarrblog.com