We have been homeschooling all along, and it has been great for us. We have always had unschooling tendencies, though we have done some structured stuff, and are doing more now that they are older.
When my dd was younger, we went to the zoo or a science museum at least once per week. We took walks in the woods and collected rock samples. Once we got home, we all washed them in the sink and then spread them out on the kitchen floor with a geology book and tried to identify what kinds of rocks they were. We took walks in the woods and noticed different mushrooms, different kinds of tree bark. We grew crystals. We read books about ancient China, watched documentaries about ancient China, and then took a road trip to DC to see the terracotta warriors exhibit. We attended a Chinese New Year celebration, and made our own dumplings. When we learned about Vikings, we made our own mead, and learned about fermentation into the bargain. When we learned about ancient Egypt, we mummified a chicken. (It is now buried somewhere in the back yard.)
During the summer, we planted milkweed, watched the butterflies lay their eggs, then watched every stage of the monarch life cycle up close. When the last butterflies of the season emerged, we tagged them and sent them on their way to Mexico. (We still do this. Kids are sick of it, but I am now a die hard butterfly hobbyist. My kids have seen so many monarchs emerge they aren't even interested in it any more!)
We went to library all the time, and came home with stacks and stacks of books. Science books. Myths and fairy tales from the cultures we were studying.
Most of these things were activities that my older one could fully participate in, but even my squirrely boy could be on hand for, or get something out of. There was little to no sitting at the kitchen table doing book work. There was no power struggle because we just did fun learning things every day. There was no line between "school" and "play" because learning is play, and play is learning. I always let my kids help pick what we were going to "study" that year.
To check the box in terms of "hard core" academics, I had my daughter do some "school on the computer." We used time4learning for math and reading, and also reading eggs for reading and dreambox.com for math. (We still use dreambox.) My daughter could work independently once I signed her on. It didn't matter what the younger one was doing. She didn't need a lot of attention from me. If she got something wrong, it was the nice computer voice that would say, "That's not quite right! Try again!" not me. I have NEVER had to play the instructor. If I really needed direct instruction, I just found a computer option for it.
This is still true, incidentally. Now my kids use EPGY for math, and take online classes at places like CTY or OnlineG3. I just kind of help them create the structure to make sure they have time to get it all done.
HTH.
