Another very commonly asked question I’ve been getting lately is
How in the world do you choose curriculum?!
It has taken me a good five years to choose a curriculum that I really love and feel like will work for us for the long term. I bought my first homeschool curriculum when my oldest was 3, and have learned a thing or two about choosing something to work for us since then. There are SO many curriculum options out there that it can be overwhelming, especially if you can’t quite figure out which one looks like the right one.
Before you choose curriculum, keep in mind your priorities and your vision. You’ll also want to make a list of subjects that you want to tackle this year. If you’re having trouble with this list, you can use your state’s standards as a guide, or World Book has a helpful page as well. As you make this list, remember that you don’t have to cover every subject every single day. Some families choose to learn 2-3 subjects for 6 weeks at a time and then move on to something else. The beauty of homeschooling is that you get to create something that works for you. Don’t think of homeschooling as “school at home” - but instead think of it as an opportunity to create an environment of lifelong learning.
So now that I’ve told you all of that, I’m going to suggest something that might sound crazy to you. If you’re reading this, it’s likely because this is your first year homeschooling. For many of you, it may be your only homeschooling year. Or maybe you’re reading this because you’re overwhelmed by curriculum and can’t figure out what your next step should be. I’ve been where you are. And trust me on this … don’t stress over curriculum. Instead, focus on creating a memorable learning year for your children. Focus less on making sure you meet all the guidelines and more in creating an environment where your children love to learn.
About this time last year, I was spending hours pouring over curriculum trying to figure out how to teach both of my girls - at different levels - at the same time. After many weeks - even months - of this, I took my own advice. I stopped stressing about curriculum and found something that would help us create meaningful memories together. We had the most amazing year. My kids - and I - learned a ton, we loved our year, and it helped sustain us even through the COVID shutdowns in early Spring. The best part? When I sat down to write our progress report for this year, I realized that we hit just about every subject I wanted us to, without me having to spend hours finding the right curriculum. I realized that my kids met most of the state standards simply by learning to love learning!
It’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of good curriculum, so I’m sharing my favorite resources with you here. There are so many other great choices out there, but I’m keeping this limited because curriculum fatigue is real. These are resources that I think can work for just about anyone. The Overall Resources listed below cover almost all of your subjects - you’ll need to add in a separate Math program and, depending on the age of your child, maybe a Language Arts program. I have found these resources to be some of the best for an introductory year of homeschooling. They are flexible and fun, they foster family connection, they are literature based, and they make meaningful memories.
Some of My Favorite Overall Resources:
The Peaceful Press
I used the Peaceful Preschool for my youngest’s PreK year, and we used The Playful Pioneers last year for a K/2nd grade year. I love every single bit about both of these curricula. They are easy to follow, super flexible, and we were able to fit in lots of time for free exploration and independent learning. The Playful Pioneers uses the Little House on the Prairie Books (as an alternate you can use Little Britches) as the main read aloud, and different activities are built around various parts of Early American History. There’s also a curriculum based on the Narnia books (The Kind Kingdom) that looks at European History. If you’re looking for an easy curriculum that will help your kids foster a love of learning and make meaningful memories, this is an excellent choice.
Five in a Row
We used Five in a Row for my oldest’s Kindergarten year. I love it because it uses picture books to explore all of the different subjects. Each week has a different picture book as it’s main book, and there are various activities built around it. We had SO much fun learning about human anatomy and France thanks to Madeline, about Japan and California thanks to Grandfather’s Journey, and about jellyfish and ocean life thanks to Night of the Moonjellies. I think this curriculum is best suited for the early Elementary ages - but I think it has enough meat in it to be used with older Elementary kids as well. We still use Five in a Row at times - I just adore it!
A Gentle Feast
A Gentle Feast is what we are using this year. After searching all over the place for a good way to teach Modern American History, I landed on A Gentle Feast, because it combined most of the things we were already trying to do in one curriculum. I ordered the book list first, and then decided to buy the full curriculum. A Gentle Feast is based on a 4-year history cycle. When you purchase a Cycle’s curriculum, you have access to it forever - so in 4 years I’ll be able to reuse the material I paid for this year. If you’re considering homeschooling for the long haul, this is a wonderful curriculum to take a look at. The creator of A Gentle Feast did what I spent so many hours trying to do two years ago, so I’m thrilled that I was able to find someone who did it for me!
Chalk Pastels with Nana
I don’t consider this a formal curriculum, but we use it so often with our other curricula that I couldn’t leave it out. Nana is a Grandma who teaches kids art through the use of chalk pastels. There’s an entire collection of “I drew it then I knew it” lessons that correspond with different parts of history, nature, maps, literature, and so much more. I love her lessons so much - she really empowers kids (and adults!) to become artists, and I’m amazed at how much my kids’ artistic ability has increased just through weekly lessons with Nana. We do 1-3 lessons a week - sometimes I directly connect it to something that we’re learning, and other times I let the girls choose what they want to paint.
Let’s Talk About Math
No matter what overall curriculum you choose, you’ll want to make sure you have an additional plan for Math. Again, there are TONS of options out there - I’ve narrowed it here to the few I like best.
Life of Fred
This isn’t an ordinary Math curriculum. It’s a story-based curriculum that jumps all over the place and makes my kids laugh like crazy. I’m amazed at how much math they learn from it, and they constantly pull the books off the shelf to read on their own. You can do it as a read aloud, or if they are readers, you can let them work at their own pace.
The Good and the Beautiful
This is what we use for our regular Math curriculum. We had a hard time finding a Math curriculum that didn’t bring tears, and The Good and the Beautiful does an amazing job of using games, stories, and fun manipulatives to teach Math. This is a parent-led Math, but is very open and go, so I find it super easy to follow. My girls love this Math - and that’s enough reason for me to keep using it.
Horizon Math
I haven’t used this, but I have friends who have. It’s a workbook based Math program that I believe is mostly student-led. If your kiddos love workbooks, this may be a good choice for you.
Grade level workbooks
Amazon and Costco are full of Homeschooling helps right now. Any grade level workbook will include Math at the Common Core Standards for that grade, so if you’re looking for an easy way to keep your kids at level for this year, this can be an easy option.
Prodigy Math
This is a video game where kids answer Math questions to complete quests. We don’t use a lot of screen curriculum, but when I need a few moments of quiet, this is a great way for them to boost their math skills and get some tablet time all at the same time.
Beast Academy
Comic-book based, Beast Academy has a workbook and an online option. I have friends who have used this for their comic-loving kids, and it gets rave reviews.
Games
Don’t underestimate the power of board games. There are tons of games out there that use Math. When my oldest decided she hated Math and couldn’t get through a lesson without crying, we put a pause on formal Math lessons and just played board games for a few weeks. Her math skills improved, and she was ready to jump back into formal lessons. Sometimes our brains just need to learn in a creative way, and board games do just that.
Let’s talk about Reading and Spelling
Bob Books
My youngest taught herself to read using Bob Books. I highly recommend them. I found the entire set at Costco a couple of years ago, and it was one of the best curriculum purchases I made.
Picture Books
I’m a firm believer that if you read to your kids, they will eventually learn to read. Kids learn to read at different ages, but if they are read to, they will almost always figure out how to read themselves. Sometimes it’s just like a light switch in their brain. There’s an actual curriculum that you can purchase to teach your child to read using picture books, but you could also just use one of those overall curriculum listed above and have your child read over your shoulder. (As a side note, I want to acknowledge that there are children that need extra assistance with reading, and there are specific learning disorders where your child may need something more than this.)
Teach Monster
This is another technology tool my kids used to bolster their learning of phonics. We didn’t do any formal phonics instruction, but this video game on the tablet did that work for me. I’ve heard many stories of kids teaching themselves to read through this game, and I’m a huge fan.
Teach Your Kid to Read in 100 Easy Lessons
If you’re looking for a formal reading program, this is a great one. Many of my friends have used it successfully, and for several children in their families - all with different learning styles. It’s inexpensive, and easy to follow, and you can get it on Amazon.
but what if my kids fall behind?
I’m going to say this to you over and over again. You aren’t going to screw up your child’s education. You’re going to foster a love of learning in them - you’re going to show them that learning is fun and rewarding, and you’re going to make so many awesome memories that you’ll look back on this year as one of your favorites. You’re going to create the most meaningful relationship with your kids that when they do go back to school, they are going to be just fine. In all likelihood, they aren’t going to fall behind. But let’s say they do. Take a deep breath. Because of this time you’ve spent together, they will know they can catch up with your help. You will have learned how to learn together. And don’t forget - your family is not the only one trying to learn at home this year. Education is going to look differently in the foreseeable future. Please trust me on this - stress less on how far ahead or behind they are and just love your kids. They will be fine.
See More Homeschooling 101 here.
Some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I get a very small commission if you choose to purchase. It costs you nothing, and I don’t recommend them because I’m an affiliate, but I am an affiliate because I think it’s a wonderful choice!
Photo by Thomas Kolnowski on Unsplash.