Preparing for a Homeschool Convention, Part 2

In my last post, I talked about planning for a Homeschol Convention. Today, I’m going to give you some tips for making the most of your time at the convention.

1.       Bring your spouse.

Homeschool conventions are a great chance for both parents to make informed, united decisions about their children’s education. It’s also a great chance for the non-teaching parent to have a voice in the homeschool, and two heads are better than one when it comes to making final selections.

2.       Bring cash for parking.

3.       Bring a large bag or backpack for your purchases.

Some conventions don’t allow rolling cases, so suitcases may not be a good idea. Conventions do usually have a storage room where you can check your purchases, but you can also wait to the end of the day and buy everything on your way out.

4.       Leave early.

If you plan to attend the first workshop, leave early enough to register beforehand. Remember, there will be some line, not as long as if you hadn’t preregistered, but leave yourself time anyway.

5.       Look through your welcome materials.

At registration, you will receive a bag of goodies. Look through this. Vendors sometimes include coupons in these.

6.       Make one pass of the sales floor before buying anything.

Visit all the vendors and products on your must-see list first. Make notes of what you want to buy and how much it cost. Take into account all of the sales and convention deals. You may even want to talk about your buying plans over lunch with your spouse. This will help you stick to your budget and prevent a lot of impulse purchases.

7.       Once you’ve visited all of your must-sees, take time to roam and talk to vendors.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and look through the products. Think about how you would use the product and how it would fit into your homeschool. Some products are really inventive and fun, but they may not be practical for you.

8.       Start buying.

On your final pass through the convention hall, buy your materials.

I hope this series has been helpful. If you have any other tips, please send them to me. Happy Homeschooling, Everyone!