One of the biggest debates in homeschooling {right up there with screens vs. no screens, and schedules/routines vs. a flexible flow} is whether it’s better to follow a structured curriculum or take a more flexible, play-based approach, especially when it comes to learners 7 and younger. Many parents I talk to wrestle with the idea of striking a balance between formal learning {aka workbooks and time-tabled activities} and child-led discovery {aka following your child's lead}.

So, what’s the best approach? The short answer: It depends on your child AND you. 

The long answer? It's complicated. Let's find the sweet spot.

This post explores the benefits of both - through research and real, lived experience - you'll discover how you can create a homeschool experience that hits the "sweet spot" and works perfectly for YOUR family!

The Case for Structured Curriculum

A structured curriculum can be comforting for many parents, especially those who are new to homeschooling. Having a clear...

How many times have you added a curriculum to your virtual shopping cart 🛒 only to second-guess your decision?

I get it! 

Taking the leap into homeschooling your little one wasn't an easy decision, nor is selecting the "perfect" curriculum.

Spoiler: There is no one, "PERFECT," one-size-fits all curriculum.

However, there are certain universal criteria to help make your decision more informed and a little more grounded in educational research.

The following matrix includes a handy checklist of criteria you can use to score your curriculum contenders to ensure you're making the best possible decision for YOU and YOUR child. For each curriculum you're considering, head to the FAQ section and browse through the headings. These sections are typically where the important information can be found.

Read on for my top eight criteria for choosing the "right" curriculum for your early learner.

Play-focused approach

 All the research points to the fact that paper-pencil worksheets are NO...

How can you teach your child to read, write and do math in under <1 hour per day?

The secret inside Artful Teaching. Joyful Learning.® is an integrated approach - one that folds in literacy and numeracy into everything you do. The program is rooted in a Reggio-inspired approach, and its holistic style is what makes teaching and learning so seamless, streamlined and beautiful.

This blog post and video show a typical "flow" to an ATJL homeschool day, and includes predictable, repeatable rhythms and routines to teach reading, writing and math in a way that's playful, engaging and research-based.

Morning Meeting ~ 15 minutes

Morning meeting is a practice used in most early childhood classrooms, and for good reason! It's a beautiful way to teach reading and writing in a way that doesn't require much planning or headspace. Here's how.

1. Morning Message: A daily message written to your child with a rotating bank of 5 literacy strategies. Your child "fixes" the message, using skills ...

If you’re dabbling with the idea of homeschooling your little one this fall, you may be wondering about WHICH curriculum to use, and whether you even NEED a curriculum as you begin your homeschool journey.

And If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a parent who values play, creativity and nurturing your child’s wonder about the world.

You're likely the kind of parent who believes in a slow, gentle and natural approach to learning, and don’t like the idea of pushing hard academics, prolonged periods of seatwork, and countless worksheets and flashcards.

These ARE the good old days, and you know childhood’s too short and precious to sit at a desk for five hours a day.

 Truth be told, you don’t NEED a curriculum for the early years.

Learning in the early years should be play-based, experiential, capturing our children’s wonder and delight in their curiosity.  It should be free of pressure, gentle and slow.

In fact, formal schooling is not even mandatory until the age of 7...

Ever been in a traffic jam? Congestion, irritation, frustration.

If we had only listened to Google Maps, the highway would have been a much better route. Smooth, easy-going and enjoyable.

Teaching our children can have many "roadblocks" and traffic jams, especially if we're not in tune with our child's learning style. We may feel like they're not grasping certain concepts, unable to pay attention or just generally checked out and not enjoying learning.

It's not WHAT, it's HOW.

If your child has struggled with learning in the past, it may have had more to do with the way the material was presented - the HOW - rather than the material itself.

In other words, it's not so much the skills and content of utmost importance, but the route we take to get there.

Unlocking our child's learning style helps us to determine that route. 

Everyone has a preferred learning style that highlights how we best process, store and recall information. 

Tapping into our kids’ learning styles offers a w...

Parents of preschoolers and little ones: ready to bust boredom, and inject some creativity and artful learning into your homeschool day? 

Young kids are built to move, to create and build  - and that's exactly what these unconventional supplies encourage.

Weave these unexpected, inexpensive supplies into everyday learning to up-level the fun-factor in your homeschool program!

For those of you who enjoy hearing AND seeing, be sure to check out the full video above!

1. India Ink

A beautiful medium for creating strong, punchy bold lines, India Ink is a unique tool to create expressive portraits,  working BIG on easel paper, or creating fun script, alphabet letters and numbers. Available on Amazon or Michaels, I offer a BIG disclaimer: India Ink is highly staining. So get outside, and don those big sloppy smocks!

2. Sharpie

Fine-line Sharpie markers are not for the faint of heart, as they are as highly staining as India Ink, but they're much more portable and flexible in ...