How to Choose a Curriculum

Picking a curriculum is the decision that paralyzes most new homeschool parents. There are hundreds of options, every Facebook group has a different opinion, and the stakes feel impossibly high. Deep breath. I've got a framework that works.

Step 1: Know Your Kid

Before you look at a single curriculum, figure out how your child actually learns. Not how you wish they learned. Not how their older sibling learns. How this specific kid processes information.

• Visual learners need to see it — diagrams, charts, colorful textbooks, videos.
• Auditory learners need to hear it — lectures, read-alouds, audiobooks, discussion.
• Kinesthetic learners need to touch it — manipulatives, hands-on projects, movement.
• Reading/writing learners do great with traditional textbooks and workbooks.

Most kids are a mix. But if your kid fidgets through read-alouds and lights up with blocks and crafts, a text-heavy curriculum is going to be a daily battle. Save yourself the fight.

Step 2: Be Honest About Your Involvement

This is the one nobody talks about. How much time can you actually spend teaching each day? Be brutally honest. If you've got a toddler, a newborn, and a third-grader, you need a curriculum that's either self-teaching or very low-prep.

• High parent involvement: Charlotte Mason, hands-on programs, scripted curricula (like All About Reading)
• Medium involvement: Traditional textbooks where you check work and explain concepts
• Low involvement: Self-teaching programs with video instruction (like Teaching Textbooks)

Step 3: Set Your Budget

Curriculum costs range from free to $1,000+ per year per kid. The good news: expensive doesn't mean better. Some of the best programs are surprisingly affordable, and there are excellent free resources if you know where to look.

Check out our budgeting guide for specific strategies. As a rough guide:

• Budget ($0–$200/year): Library books, free online resources, used curriculum sales
• Mid-range ($200–$600/year): Mix of purchased curricula and free resources
• Premium ($600+/year): Full boxed curriculum sets, online academies

Step 4: Pick an Approach First, Then a Curriculum

Don't start by comparing 47 different math programs. Start by deciding your overall approach, then narrow down to curricula that fit.

• Traditional/Textbook: Structured, grade-level, familiar. Good for: organized parents, kids who like routine. Examples: Saxon Math, Abeka, BJU Press.
• Classical: Grammar-logic-rhetoric stages, Latin, great books. Good for: academically ambitious families. Examples: Classical Conversations, Well-Trained Mind.
• Charlotte Mason: Living books, nature study, short lessons. Good for: families who value beauty and gentle learning. Examples: Ambleside Online (free), Simply Charlotte Mason.
• Literature-based: Everything centers around quality books. Good for: book-loving families. Examples: Sonlight, BookShark, Beautiful Feet.
• Unit Study: All subjects built around a theme. Good for: multiple ages, hands-on families. Examples: Konos, Five in a Row.

Step 5: Try Before You Commit

Almost every good curriculum offers sample lessons or a trial period. Use them. Buy one level before investing in the full set. Check your library for the teacher's manual. Ask in homeschool groups if anyone has a copy you can look at.

And here's the truth that experienced homeschoolers know: you will switch curricula at some point. It's not failure. It's responding to your kid's needs. Most families settle into their groove by year two or three.

Step 6: Don't Curriculum Hop Every Month

There's a difference between making a strategic switch and constantly chasing the next shiny curriculum. Give any program at least 6–8 weeks before deciding it's not working. The first two weeks are always rough as everyone adjusts. If something still isn't clicking after two months, then it's time to look at alternatives.

The Quick Decision Framework

When you're stuck between two curricula, ask yourself these three questions:

1. Can my kid do this with minimal meltdowns? — A curriculum that's too hard or too easy causes daily fights.
2. Can I sustain this? — Beautiful, elaborate lesson plans are useless if you burn out by October.
3. Is my kid actually learning? — Not just completing pages. Actually retaining and understanding.

If the answer to all three is yes, you've found your curriculum. Stop looking.

Ready to Browse?

Check out our curriculum reviews by subject or see how top programs stack up in our head-to-head comparisons.

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