We’ve officially begun our third year of homeschooling, which still feels a little crazy to say considering my husband and I were those people who said, “I’ll never homeschool my child!” (Insert God laughing as he looked down on us, knowing what lay ahead.)

But, here we are, kicking off our third year with a second grader and a 4-year-old who will be doing a loose version of Pre-K.

Homeschooling has been one of the sweetest seasons I’ve experienced as a mother. While we are simply taking it year by year, assessing what is best for our family and each of the girls, I’m so grateful I get to have a front-row seat to their education in this way, during these early years.

Homeschool Style

When we first started out on this journey a few years back, I started out by studying the different homeschool styles; it was a little bit overwhelming, to say the least. Waldorf, Classical, Charlotte Mason, Traditional, Unschooling, etc. there were so many different styles and even more options when it came to curriculum. But after spending much time diving into the various methods, styles, and curriculums, I landed on an Eclectic Style, with a heavy bend towards Charlotte Mason.

Knowing my style helped me determine what kind of education I wanted for my children; not just what topics I wanted them to learn about, but HOW they learned about those topics.

I knew starting out that I did not simply want to replicate public school at home. I am not anti-public school by any means, as I do believe there are some good public school systems out there, with some phenomenal teachers. However, I don’t need to tell you that the American public education system has a great deal of problems that need improvement.

Moving past that though, I chose the Charlotte Mason style because her focus was not just on educating children academically, but also teaching them valuable life skills and good habits, all intertwined together. Rather than focus heavily on worksheets, she focused on narration, having children recall what they learned from their lessons. In addition to your basic academic concepts such as math and language arts, this style focuses heavily on living books, art and nature study, handicrafts, music, etc. It’s about educating the whole child, not just his or her mind, showing them the beauty of the world that God has created through their academics, not separate from it.

Now I say our style is Eclectic because I don’t solely use the Charlotte Mason style, I also incorporate in other pieces of curriculum such as Seasonal Bundles, The Good and the Beautiful, Explode the Code, and others that I might find work well for my girls along the way, and are not deemed fully Charlotte Mason. But, at the end of the day, my style and spine curriculum choice fall under the Charlotte Mason style.

Curriculum We’ve Used

While we didn’t formally start homeschooling until my oldest was Kindergarten level, we started when she was just a few months shy of 5, and we’ve been doing some kind of “education at home” since she was around 2.5-3. We started with Busy Toddler’s activities, doing alllllll the play! Eventually, we purchased her Playing Preschool (which is on sale right now!) and did that when my oldest was 3.5-4 years old. It was a favorite when my girls were little, and I actually still pull from some of the themes/activities even now, just adjust them to fit their ages. Her activities truly age well, just ask my now 7-year-old!

While doing Playing Preschool, we also did, and still do seasonal bundles from Home and Haven (also having a major sale right now!) Their pieces are not only beautiful but also fun for both the parents and the kids. We have purchased almost all of their bundles (Fall, Spring, Winter, and a couple of the Summer ones) at this point. They make great busy binders as well and are loaded with so many fun things. I still use pieces from ours for the girls both sprinkled in our homeschool and as busy binders for in the car or during the holiday season when we take a light day/week instead of doing our regular school work.

After we moved on from Playing Preschool, and I began to seriously consider homeschooling, I began the task of being bombarded by the millions of pieces of curriculum out there. I landed on the Peaceful Press and the Good and the Beautiful as our main pieces.

From the Peaceful Press, we have done the Peaceful Preschool, Nourishing Nature Kindergarten, and Playful Pioneers. We have loved every single level we’ve purchased. Truly a wonderful experience through the years!

From The Good and the Beautiful, we have done the Preschool curriculum, the Kindergarten Language Arts, Math, and Handwriting, and the Level 1 Language Arts, Math, and Handwriting.

In addition to our main pieces, a few other stand-alone books we’ve tried/used over the years are Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons, Horizons Math Grade 1, and the Explode the Code books. We did try Singapore Dimensions Math for my oldest in first grade, but she did not enjoy or thrive with it, so we switched back to The Good and the Beautiful for that, and that was the best thing I could’ve done for her. I use Horizon’s Math and Explode the Code books for summer as a way to keep her mind fresh on things we have learned through the year, and she enjoys both of those.

Curriculum Lineup 2024 for 2nd Grade

Which brings us to our curriculum choices for this year! Sticking with the Peaceful Press, we are moving right along into their Kind Kingdom (Volume 1) bundle. This year we will be focusing on European history, studying the kings and queens, and major events in Europe. We will also be going through the Chronicles of Narnia series, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, and Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare as the spine. Last year, with Playful Pioneers, we focused on American history and went through the Little House on the Prairie series (which was a blast and so sweet to do at that age)! Kinsley and I are both excited about this year’s focus.

What is Included in the Download of this Curriculum?

• A 30-week Parent Guide: “The parent guide includes suggested language arts activities, poetry, hymns, Bible verses, map work, timeline work, science experiments, art, practical life skills, and more.” It also has a weekly grid that lays out the whole week for you. It’s a 4 day-style curriculum, with Fridays being an “off” day so you can do adventures, field trips, or other fun/life skill-type activities that relate to that week’s studies.

• An extended book list: This is for parents or students who want more reading on the subjects covered.

• Student Sheets (Kinder, Print, Cursive, or Elementary): These sheets include Bible verses, hand-drawn illustrations, poetry, and quotes in both print and cursive, as well as several maps for getting a sense of the changing political boundaries in Europe from the Middle Ages through the Cold War.

• Recipes: These recipes correspond with the weekly lessons/time period being studied.

• Art: This bundle includes art prints to coincide with the weekly lessons in the parent guide, covering a range of artists from Monet, DaVinci, Nash, Constable, and more.

• Scripture Cards: Each week’s memory verse to have on hand easily.

  *You can also purchase the Morning Menu (or organize it yourself from the downloads you have), the Kings and Queens cards, and the TImeline cards each for $5 if you’d like to have those additional resources.

Morning Menu – (also known as morning basket) During this time, we will all sit down together (both girls and I) and we will go through our readings, our bible time, etc. (The Chronicles of Narnia, Hymn of the month, scripture of the week, bible time, poetry, etc). For Kinsley, I found a Chronicles of Narnia coloring book so while I read, she sits and colors, I just make copies for Audrey if she wants, or give her a simple activity to keep her hands busy.

• Bible Time – Last year’s curriculum had us go through a book called The Ology, my oldest really enjoyed it. This year, they recommend reading through the book of John. Because Audrey is with us during this time this year, I opted out of that, and we are instead using How Great is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science and we also do a Manners or Character Card from September and Co. Again, I bought these back when Kinsley was a toddler, but we go through these yearly because at this age, they are great reminders.

Math + Language Arts

As I’ve explained we use the Peaceful Press as our spine, but you do have to add in your own Math and Language Arts/Phonics to it (Jennifer Peipito does give her recommendations for some options that pair well with it, but you are free to choose whatever works best for you and your child). That’s how we landed on the Good and the Beautiful to fill in those gaps. As with all curriculums, not everyone will love this option, other’s use them for every aspect (history, science, etc). For my oldest, The Good and the Beautiful has been a good fit, but it may not be the best option for my secondborn, a bridge we’ll cross when we get there. So choose whatever is best for you!

That said, we will be using their 2nd Grade Language Arts bundle, their 2nd Grade Math, and supplementing writing with their 2nd grade handwriting book.

The nice thing about this curriculum is that you can preview the full Math and Language Arts through their website with their free downloads. They also provide assessments to see what level would be best for your child. Another aspect that both my daughter and I like, is that they have a great YouTube channel full of stories, songs, and other things, that go along with the lessons. You can also download their app for free to use alongside the Language Arts and Math which includes things like, spelling practice, word games, and more.

Why We Don’t Do Formal Lessons Until Age 5

As I mentioned, we don’t start formal lessons until around age 5, depending on the child’s desires, but even then, we still take it slow. Personally, from studying and talking to other parents and even many teachers, both current and former in the public school system, the push for kids to learn even the basics like ABCs and 123s at an earlier age has gotten younger and younger over the past decade, and it doesn’t seem to prove beneficial. Many teachers I’ve talked to are actually against this idea that by age 2-3, and even 4, they should start formally learning these basic concepts through the use of things like flashcards, workbooks, etc.

Now, don’t get me wrong, tons of learning can still be taking place in these early years – your kids can learn all of these things such as colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and so on, but why not focus on letting them learn as they go through their everyday life of just playing and living, rather than trying to make them sit down and learn through a flashcard system or worksheet. And if they don’t pick up on all of these concepts by age 4, don’t stress about it.

Studying the way a child’s brain works and what is truly developmentally appropriate at their age was a game changer for me.

If there’s one thing I want to do well during our homeschooling, it’s to teach my girls to love and enjoy learning, not dread and hate it, and fostering that love starts with the teacher/parent and the environment they create for each child.

If you have a 3-year-old that knows their ABCs, can count to 20, can spell their name, and has a natural desire to read – great! Don’t feel bad about that, (that was my oldest) but also, if your young child can’t do these things, and is much more content sitting looking at picture books, building blocks, or making mud pies, then let them. Don’t disrupt their play, just for the sake of being able to say “Look how smart my kid is, they can already _______.” (And this is my second child).

Force them enough, and they will be able to do those things… but will they enjoy doing those things? Will they desire to continue building on their education and the desire to learn a new concept? Or will it now shape their view and be a fight every time you try to engage in teaching something new to them?

My oldest was begging me to teach her to read and write by her 4th birthday, she was very naturally inclined to learn your common academic concepts. My secondborn, who turned 4 in May, still does not know all of her ABCs, and I’m fine with that. She’s been very naturally inclined to learn things creatively and artistically, as well as far surpassed her big sister in physical milestones, compared to academic ones. Each of them has their own learning style and strengths, and the funny thing is, I didn’t do a whole lot different between the two in terms of the early years and “teaching” them. My secondborn had no desire to learn her letters at the age my oldest did, but now here we are a little later and she is eager to learn letters, numbers, etc. this year. That was just naturally the way their personalities and brains were wired. Now here we are, and

Foster a love for learning, and they will learn, maybe sooner, maybe later.

After all, even when you’re an adult, you’ll still be learning, but will you have the desire to learn new things, or will it be a forced must that you deem as “I know it well enough, why learn something more?”

NOTE: (I would like to add, that if you have children who have a learning disability, this is very different in terms of me saying “wait to teach them and just let them play forever.” If you notice your child struggling whether it be with dyslexia, speech impediments, ADHD, etc., early on, then it is important to intervene to help your child get the assistance they need to be able to have the tools and resources to learn in a way that is best for them.

Curriculum Lineup 2024 for Pre-K

With a newborn on the way, and her still being an early 4, I had planned on going VERY slow with Audrey’s education, I plan to still heavily focus on lots of play, reading, activities, practical life skills, and just being outside to learn things such as her letters, numbers, etc. However, back in May, she asked me over and over, if she could please do school like her sister in the fall, so I decided to pull out our Peaceful Preschool, along with our seasonal bundles to give her something to do. That said, I am not holding myself to any expectations of what this “needs” to look like every week. If we decide to simply play all week and not do the outlined guide, then that’s a-okay by me.

This curriculum has a very gentle approach, which is perfect for both of us in this season. As I said, The Peaceful Press is Charlotte Mason-based, so it meets everything I want in how I plan to educate her when we do start our formal lessons.

Just like the Kind Kingdom (and other pieces by them), this digital download bundle comes with everything you need.

What is Included in the Download of this Curriculum?

• A 26-week Parent Guide: The parent guide includes suggested read-alouds, phonics activities, counting skills, fine motor skills, life skills, and art skills. It also has a weekly grid that lays out the whole week for you. It is also a 4 day-style curriculum, with Fridays being an “off” day so you can do adventures, field trips, or other fun/life skill-type activities that relate to that week’s studies. (This pairs perfectly since my oldest is doing the Kind Kingdom).

• A Supply List for Each Week: The weekly list goes through any books, kitchen, and craft supplies you may need for that week, along with what printables to have on hand.

• Student Sheets: These sheets include the letter of the week and any templates you need for the craft/activity.

• Recipes: These recipes correspond with the weekly lessons. Ex. A is for Apple, you make an Apple crisp that week.

• Art: Each week there are activities listed to do – watercolor painting, puppet making, cutting, collages, painting rocks, lots of nature-based activities, etc.

  *You can also download for FREE the Scripture Memory Verse cards, the Master Supply List, Phonogram Bingo Cards, and the Calendar Bundle.

• From what I understand, the recipe book is an additional fee of $9.00 now, but I believe it includes ALL recipes for all of their curriculums (worth it in my opinion!)

Since I had previously purchased this when Kinsley was younger, I did not have to purchase anything separately, just printed out the student sheets for each week and made sure my supply list was up to date in the craft closet. Ta-da! Her curriculum is ready to go!

I do add in the seasonal bundles/unit studies from Home and Haven, as well (for both girls). For Ex., one of our bundles has an apple unit, so I went through and printed a couple of fun apple crafts/activities for Audrey this week since we were talking about A/Apples in the Peaceful Preschool. Again, because I bought this back when Kinsley was 2, I have these files forever, so I just pull from them whenever I please and print what I want.

We do the seasonal bundles year-round though, so even in summer we’re still having fun “learning,” but the girls don’t even realize it’s technically “school.” That’s how much we enjoy them.

Additionally, I do have on hand the Preschool curriculum from The Good and the Beautiful, because Audrey will be turning 5 in May. So, if we get to Jan.-Feb. and she wants something more, I’ll go ahead and pull that out, but if not, then I’ll hold off on it until next year and we will do it and the Kindergarten prep as they are structured shorter and to pair one after the other before later starting their full Kindergarten curriculum.

Why The Peaceful Press?

Aside from being heavily Charlotte Mason-based, which was a key reason for my decision, I loved the way the curriculum cycles through 3 phases. What I mean by this is, that outside of Peaceful Preschool and Nourishing Nature Kindergarten, the Playful Pioneers, Kind Kingdom, and Precious People bundles will each cycle through a second time with volume 2, so if we decide to continue our homeschool journey and choose the Peaceful Press, there is a Volume 2 for each of these bundles, geared toward the older ages, but still going through the similar themes, with adjusted readings for the older years.

Additionally, Jennifer Pepito, the creator of the Peaceful Press is a wealth of knowledge and provides so many good resources, both on the blog/social media, as well as through her podcast. There is also a Facebook group that is full of other seasoned moms (and first-timers with questions) all sharing their journey through the different bundles, from pictures, to book resources, or tips or tricks on things they’ve found helpful or changed up as they went.

If you’d like to try or sample the Peaceful Press, there is an option for a FREE week download to see if it’s something that would be a good fit for your family.

Here are a few looks at some of our past year’s Peaceful Press curriculums.

Happy Back to School!

While normally we don’t start back until the first or second week of September, we began earlier in August this year since I am due with my 3rd the beginning of September. Once the baby arrives, we will take some time off from most of our regular work and just enjoy our newest addition (the beauty of homeschooling).

Like I said, I’m definitely not a pro-homeschooling mom by any means at this point. I still look around confused, shocked that people are asking ME questions about homeschooling because I still feel so green compared to many of my friends and others on social media. There are tons of seasoned moms out there who are rocking it, educating multiple children, have tested out numerous learning styles/curriculums, and are just a huge encouragement if you’re considering homeschooling, or just starting out.

Look to them, glean all you can! But remember, everyone’s journey is different because each child is different, and each family dynamic and desires are different, but knowing WHY you want to homeschool and even more importantly knowing YOUR children, will help you create a homeschooling environment and experience that is beautiful, hard at times, but still beautiful nonetheless.

Find a homeschooling community, and if there isn’t one, create one! Having other like-minded families in your corner walking a similar path can make all the difference for both you and your child. We joined a local co-op last year that offered elective classes once a week (Art, Drama, STEAM, etc. as well as fun preschool classes, too) and the three of us loved it. Highly recommend getting plugged in somewhere.

Wanna Talk?

If you have questions, just slide into my messages! If you’re local and want to meet up and see our curriculum in person, reach out! I’ll bake some muffins, we can have coffee/tea and let the kids run wild out in the yard while we chat.

For me personally, I have some amazing homeschool mom friends who have been generous and let me come over and see their curriculum choices in person, sharing all the info I just mentioned to help me decide what would be a good fit. I’m so grateful for them, as I’m a visual person and let’s be honest, curriculum isn’t always cheap, and a 1-2 page preview online doesn’t always help determine if that’s the book you want to spend the money on. The least I could do is pay it forward and now be that mom friend to someone else.

So, whether you’ve started your school year or not, are a first-time homeschooler, or a ten-year veteran, I hope you have the best year!