Which homeschool curriculum to buy is everyone’s question every year! I will give you some pointers on how to choose which curriculum to buy. There is even a fun quiz to take!
Where to start:
If you are very new to the homeschool world, the very first thing to do is figure out how your children learn the best and how you enjoy teaching the most. This is also something that will more than likely develop over the years too! Do your children learn best by hearing something, seeing something, doing something or a mix of some? How do you enjoy teaching the most? Do you enjoy your children snuggled up on the couch with you while you read to them? Or do you like to read them a short summary of something then give them worksheets to work on independently? Do you like teaching hands on by experiments?
These are questions you will want to explore and practice before deciding. You will not mess up your child if you pick “the wrong curriculum” guess what…. You will probaby change what you buy year to year until you figure out what works – and THAT’S OKAY! As long as you are thinking of how you like to teach and how your child learns as you are researching and buying curriculum then you won’t choose wrong!
To know which homeschool curriculum to buy, it would be helpful if you knew which homeschool philosophy you follow.
If you don’t know which philosophy you lean toward, take this quiz. It will help give you a good idea of what philosophy or two you fall under.
A breif description can be found here of each philosophy.
Eclectic Homeschool Curriculum
This is a fun one to write. I am an eclectic homeschooler, I sway toward a Charlotte Mason approach, but I am not strictly following the “rules” of tradtional Charlotte Mason ways. For example, I start school before age 6. I am also an eclectic homeschooler because I use multiple different curriculums into my curriculum choices. I will do a yearly update of what we choose, but this year it has been great! The easiest way to describe an eclectic homeschooler is individualized plans for each child not adhering to one philosophy. So I will not list specific curriculum for an eclectic homeschool because it can be bits and pieces of all the following mushed together!
Charlotte Mason Homeschool Curriculum
Sonlight works where the “couch subjects” are history, Bible, literature and science are taught to all of the children at once and then the “table subjects” are individual per child.
Simply Charlotte Mason is a very traditional Charlotte Mason curriculum. They have lots of resources and information on being a Charlotte Mason purest!
Ambleside Online gives you a free book list and schedule and takes the guess work out of it for you.
My Father’s World uses “living books” and has short lessons and is an open and go curriculum.
Masterbooks has a flavor of Charlotte Mason and is open and go.
There are plenty more, but these are a great start!
Traditional Homeschool Curriculum
Abeka is a school at home open and go curriculum that is very throrough in every subject.
BJU Press is also a school at home traditional curriculum. Again, very thorough.
Time 4 Learning is an online traditional program.
Classical Homeschool Curriculum
Classical Conversations is one of the most well known curriculum choices for this type of curriculum. They have lots of co-ops too.
Memoria Press is also very well known in the classical homeschool world.
Unit Study Homeschool Curriculum
Gather Round Homeschool has so many wonderful options for a unit study curriculum. They just dont include math. I have used it and love it.
Harbor and Sprout has beautiful pages and lots of options for unit studies.
Winter Promise if you have read anything in unit studies, you will see this name come up.
Five in a Row is one of my favorite curriculums. It keeps the children so engaged.
Montessori Homeschool Curriculum
Child of the Red Woods is a very popular curriculum choice.
Guidepost I haven’t actually read about this one, but I have heard it is good.
In closing…
This is not an exhaustive list of curriculum choices, but I do like these and this is a great jumping off point to help you on your research journey.
The more you research, the more you know, and the more you know the more freedom you have in your homeschool.
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY,
If this was helpful for you please leave a comment and share.
If there is anyway I can pray for you please e-mail me at ministryofthehomemaker@gmail.com
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