Homeschool History With YouTube

YouTube videos are an excellent way for your family to explore history. There are YouTube videos covering nearly every historical event. These engaging videos can help spark the interest of a child who thinks history is boring. They also give children who love history another way to learn more about the topics that interest them. Educational videos can be used to fill in gaps when you haven’t been able to get to the library, or the library doesn’t have books on a particular historical event.

Below are some YouTube history channels that are favorites among homeschoolers. Many of the channels have a wide variety of content, so the suggested age ranges are very approximate. I strongly recommend that you preview the videos before allowing your children to watch them, as standards vary by family.

YouTube History Channels

American Experience– A PBS television series about events that shaped America’s past and present. (upper elementary to adult)

America From Scratch– Explores questions related to America’s history and government. (middle school to adult)

Crash Course– Videos on U.S. and world history, as well as other subjects. (middle & high school)

The Daily Bellringer– The Daily Bellringer provides short videos covering American History. (upper elementary to high school)

EmperorTigerstar– Videos and map animations of historical events. (middle school to adult)

Epic History TV– Dramatic events in history. (upper elementary to adult)

Extra Credits– Extra History episodes explore little-known but dramatic adventures in world history. (middle & high school)

Free School– Various history topics, as well as other subjects. (elementary & middle school)

Geography Now– Profiles of countries around the world. (all ages)

Geo History– Map animation videos that summarize historical subjects. (middle school to adult)

George Washington Speaks– History educator Vern Frykholm portrays George Washington as he describes 18th American historical events. (upper elementary to high school)

Hip Hughes History– Mostly focuses on U.S. history and politics but also includes some world history and general interest. (middle school to adult)

History Buffs– A show dedicated solely to reviewing historical movies for accuracy. (high school & adult)

The History Channel– Episodes cover a wide variety of historical events and general interest topics. (varies)

History for the Ages– History professor David Halahmy shares his lectures covering Early and Modern Western Civilization, the History of the Middle East, and other topics. (high school to adult)

The History Guy– Stories of forgotten history. (upper elementary to adult)

History Matters– Animated videos that teach European and world history. (high school)

Homeschool Pop– Various history videos, as well as many other subjects. (elementary)

Horrible Histories– The funniest, yuckiest, and most gruesome bits of history. (upper elementary to high school)

Jam Campus– Educational songs that teach history and other subjects. (all ages)

A Kid Explains History– The title says it all! (elementary)

Kings & Generals– Animated historical documentaries covering various time periods. (middle school to adult)

Liberty’s Kids– Animated historical fiction series covering the American Revolution. (elementary & middle school)

Mark Felton Productions– Military history with a  focus on WWII and the Cold War. (middle school to adult)

Modern History TV– Series that investigates what life was really like in the past. (middle school to adult)

Mr. Bett’s Class– Humors videos cover a variety of history and social studies topics. (elementary to high school)

Mr. Nicky’s World History Songs– Musical parodies that teach history. (all ages)

National Geographic– documentaries about history, geography, and more. (varies)

Ollie Bye– Map animations on the histories of countries, wars, and other topics of historical interest. (high school to adult)

Simple History– Brings history to life through animation. (upper elementary to high school)

Ted-Ed– These videos cover a wide variety of history topics, as well as many other subjects. (upper elementary to high school)

Timeline– Documentaries and series from the world’s top broadcasters, including the BBC, Channel 4, Discovery, and PBS. (varies)

Tom Richey– History lectures for AP US History and AP European History, as well as review videos for South Carolina US History. (high school)

Useful Charts– Explores history, religion, and genealogy using charts. (middle school to adult)

Brookdale House– This website has created galleries of YouTube history videos organized by time period. (varies)

NeoK12– NeoK12 provides a directory of YouTube history videos sorted by topic. The videos are free to watch, but other features require a paid membership. (all ages)

Additional Free History Resources

History and Social Studies Curriculum– Free curriculum for history, social studies, geography, and government.

History Unit Studies and Lesson Plans– Numerous sources of free history unit studies and lesson plans.

History Timelines– Free printable and online timelines.

History Websites for Homeschoolers– Learn history with these informative websites.

Virtual Field Trips– Explore the world, including many historical sites and museums, through virtual field trips.

Note: This post was originally published on September 22, 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.