Homeschool benefits and savings in De Soto

De Soto Public Library lends 25 STEAM to Go kits (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) for three weeks each, every kit with a topic book and 2-4 activities for preschool through grade 3 or grade 4 and up. Any De Soto library card, including your child's, can check them out, along with education databases and Brainfuse tutoring.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Has a De Soto library card

   Adult residents of the city of De Soto apply in person with an ID and proof of residence, preferably a De Soto water bill dated within three months.

2. Or buys a non-resident card

   Families outside De Soto city limits pay $40 a year for a card that covers all household members over 7. Register in person and pay in full.

3. Parent signs for a minor card

   Minor cards come only with an adult membership. A parent or guardian must be present with ID and sign a consent form.

What the library lends you

The terms come from the library's STEAM to Go page, its kit list, and its library card page.

STEAM to Go kits on the list

25

Kit checkout period

3 weeks

Activities in each kit

2-4 plus a book

Items out on an adult card

25

Items out on a minor card

5

Non-resident household card

$40 a year

You may be charged for lost or damaged kit pieces, so count every piece before you return a kit.

How to borrow a kit

1. Before you go

   Bring ID and proof of address

   Bring a driver's license or non-driver ID and a De Soto bill dated within three months. Post office boxes do not count as an address.

2. At the library

   Get your cards

   Apply at 712 S. Main Street. Add a minor card for your child while you are there.

3. Pick a kit

   Choose by grade

   Kits are labeled PreK-3 or grade 4 and up, from Letters and Numbers to Explore Circuits and Robotics and Coding.

4. Within 3 weeks

   Return the kit complete

   Check that all pieces are in the kit before you bring it back.

What it includes

Included

• STEAM to Go kits
• Education databases such as ERIC
• Brainfuse tutoring and homework help
• Downloadable books and magazines

Not included

• The free Teacher Card, which is for local school teachers
• Lost or damaged kit pieces

Good to know

• Homeschool families can borrow the kits

  The library says STEAM to Go kits are for parents, teachers, and homeschool families, and they check out on student, minor, and adult cards. No homeschool paperwork is listed.

Who to contact about the kits

Library staff answer questions about cards, STEAM kits, and the education databases.

desotolib@dspl.missouri.org 636-586-3858 Educators and homeschool families

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Missouri

No annual homeschool registration required. If withdrawing from public school, a written notice requesting removal from its rolls documents the change.

Missouri sets these rules:

• Subjects: For students under 16, offer at least 1,000 hours of instruction: 600 in reading, language arts, math, social studies, science, or related courses, including 400 at the regular homeschool location. The statutory hours and recordkeeping rules do not apply at age 16 or older.
• Testing: Missouri does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: For students under 16, keep a subject and activity record, a work-sample portfolio, and progress evaluations, or equivalent written or credible evidence.
• Teachers: No state teaching-license or degree requirement for a homeschool instructor.

Read the Missouri homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Missouri

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