Milwaukee County
Homeschool Resources
More than 1,900 students are homeschooling in Milwaukee County.
There are approximately 1,930 homeschooling peers and so many local resources available to enrich your student's home-based education. Milwaukee County includes the following communities: Bayside, Cudahy, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Oak Creek, Shorewood, St. Francis, West Allis, Whitefish Bay, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, Greenfield, Milwaukee, River Hills, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and, West Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County Males vs. Females
2023-’24
Milwaukee County K-8 vs. HS
2023-’24
Milwaukee County Enrollment
Trends
Homeschooling is not school at home.
It’s a way of living that inspires students to be life-long learners, develop well-rounded social skills and engage in their local communities.
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MSOE Homeschool STEM
If you have a student who’s always loved taking things apart and putting them back together, you might have a future engineer on your hands! The Milwaukee School of Engineering’s program, STEM on Site, allows homeschoolers to drop in at the We Energies STEM Center for a nominal cost. Check the website for a variety of other workshops, summer camps and competitive robotics teams as well!
What’s it like being a student at MSOE? Take a virtual tour of the residence hall(s), innovation and technology center, the campus center and more!
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Urban Ecology Center
Rain or shine you can always pop in for free at the Urban Ecology Center! Check out an activity backpack, take a little hike, visit the animal rooms, participate in a program or simply cozy up by the fireplace while you tackle your learning goals. Each branch offers different amenities so be sure to check out the Plan a Visit page to determine which one you’ll stop at first, Riverside, Washington Park or Menomonee Valley.
Always FREE Admission
Pack your lunches and grab a few books… it’s free to hang out at any one of the three Urban Ecology branches! -
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Audubon Homeschool Science
We’ve been to the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center a few times and have always enjoyed our visits! There are plenty of indoor spaces to tackle your table topics before heading out on a trail and/or reading on the beach. If you live near Milwaukee County, you may be interested in the Homeschool Science programs for grades K-5. These programs meet once a month starting in September and concluding in May.
FREE Audubon Passes
Are available in three library systems for Southeast Wisconsin: County Cat, Monarch and, Bridges. -
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Milwaukee County Zoo
Did you know the zoo has a variety of classes hosted year round in addition to multi-day summer camps? Students will learn about wildlife, science, and conservation through fun-filled, engaging workshops. Other unique opportunities include the High School Assistant Volunteer Program and creative opportunities for Kohl’s Wild Theater! Popping in for a day trip? The Family Free Days for 2025 are Jan 4, Feb 1, Mar 1, Oct 4, Nov 1, and Dec 6.
FREE Zoo Passes
Are available in all four library systems for Southeast Wisconsin: County Cat, SHARE, Monarch and, Bridges. -
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Milwaukee Art Museum
Does your student have a passion for art? Drop-in to the Kohl’s Art Studio Saturdays and Sundays from 10a-4p to explore new materials and creative projects. Popping in mid-week? Ask about the ArtPack stations and family guides as you browse the collections. MAM also offers classes, summer camps and teen internships. And don’t miss the annual Scholastic Art Awards which are open to home-based students!
FREE Art Museum Passes
Admission is always free for kids 12 and under. Passes for adults/teen are available in the County Cat, SHARE, Monarch and, Bridges library systems. -
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Best Libraries for Students
With nearly 30 libraries in Milwaukee County, it can be hard to decide which ones to check out first! We particularly like Franklin Public Library for the cozy reading tree and funky teen space. Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee with Kids, put together a guide of the 10 Best Libraries for Kids in Greater Milwaukee that may help you prioritize your next visit.
FREE Attraction Passes
The County Cat library catalog has more than 30 “attraction passes” available including options like the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame, Milwaukee County Zoo, Discovery World and more!
Explore Milwaukee County
You will be amazed at the no-cost, low-cost, educational classes and social opportunities offered at your community libraries, nature centers, museums and more. Consider signing up for the Weekly Snapshot for Southeast Wisconsin roadschooling inspo.
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⭐ Great spaces and/or amenities for K-12 students!
Brown Deer Public Library ⭐
Cudahy Family Library ⭐
Franklin Public Library ⭐
Greendale Public Library ⭐
Greenfield Public Library ⭐
Hales Corners Library
Milwaukee Central Library ⭐
MPL Bay View Branch
MPL Capitol Branch
MPL East Branch ⭐
MPL Good Hope Branch
MPL Martin Luther King Branch ⭐
MPL Mitchell Street Branch ⭐
MPL Tippecanoe Branch ⭐
MPL Villard Square Branch
MPL Washington Park Branch
MPL Zablocki Branch
North Shore Library
Oak Creek Public Library ⭐
Shorewood Public Library ⭐
South Milwaukee Public Library
St. Francis Public Library
Wauwatosa Public Library ⭐
West Allis Public Library
Whitefish Bay Public Library
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Museums
America's Black Holocaust Museum
Harley-Davidson Museum
Jewish Museum Milwaukee
Milwaukee County War Memorial Center
Milwaukee Public Museum
Mitchell Gallery of Flight
National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum
North Point Lighthouse
South Milwaukee Historical Museum
Trimborn Farm
Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum
Historical Places
Benjamin Church House
Frank Lloyd Wright's Burnham Block
Historic Wadsworth Library Building
Pabst Mansion
Historical Markers
372: Bay View's Immigrants
196: Boyhood Home of Jeremiah Curtin (1835-1906)
287: National Soldiers Home
Historical Tours
Historic MKE Student Tours
MKE Skyline Bike Tour
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Museum(s)
Discovery World
Astronomy
Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory
The Daniel M. Soref Dome Theater & Planetarium
UWM Manfred Olson Planetarium
Biology
Milwaukee County Zoo
Urban Ecology Center - Menomonee Valley
Urban Ecology Center - Riverside Park
Urban Ecology Center - Washington Park
Hawthorn Glen Outdoor Education Center
Wehr Nature Center
Franklin Woods Nature Center Pavilion
Engineering
Bucyrus Museum
MSOE STEM Center
Geology
UWM CLS Thomas A. Greene Geological Museum
Supplies & General Classes
Mad Science & Crayola Imagine Arts Academy
American Science & Surplus
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Museums/Galleries
Charles Allis Art Museum
Grohmann Museum
Haggerty Museum of Art
IPAMA - Institute for the Preservation of African American Music and Arts
MIAD Gallery at The Ave
Milwaukee Art Museum
The Catacombs of Neto /Las Catacumbas de Neto
Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum
Sculptures
Lynden Sculpture Garden
Art Classes & Workshops
Arts @ Large
Cloud 9 Workshop
Cream City Clay
Fiber Fever
Fiberwood Studio
Just Kiln' Time Paint Your Own Pottery
MIAD Teen Classes
Ritu's FineLine Art School
The Art School
UWM Studio Arts & Craft Centre
Vibez Creative Arts Space
Walker's Point Center for the Arts
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Community Classes & Clubs
More ways to socialize!
Socialization is the process of learning and adopting the values, behaviors, and social skills of a society. It's a lifelong process that shapes a person's identity and helps them fit into their culture. Ideally, you’re interacting with people of all ages in real-life situations throughout Milwaukee County. But homeschool co-ops can be a great way to find support and group outings!
Milwaukee County Homeschool Groups
Note: These listings are provided as a courtesy and do not constitute endorsement of a particular group. Please use your discernment to do further research on the philosophy and practices of any group.
Food for thought…
Did you know that home-based students can compete in sports, join clubs and take up to two academic (or elective) courses at district schools?
Source: WHPA and WI Statute 118.53
Explore: Milwaukee District Schools