The Homegrown Preschooler

Multi_subjectGrades 3–7

About This Curriculum

A play-based, developmentally-appropriate preschool curriculum that helps parents use their homes as classrooms through everyday learning opportunities, featuring over 200 hands-on activities, organizational tips, and planning resources.

What makes it unique: Transforms everyday home life into rich learning opportunities through Charlotte Mason-inspired, play-based education that rivals traditional preschool classrooms while being individualized to each child and family.

The Homegrown Preschooler: Play-Based Home Learning for Young Children

The Homegrown Preschooler is a play-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum designed for preschoolers that transforms everyday home activities into learning opportunities. The program emphasizes developmentally-appropriate, hands-on learning through real-life experiences rather than formal academic instruction.

Best for

Parents seeking a play-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired approach for preschoolers who prefer experiential learning over formal academics and want to use everyday home activities as learning opportunities

Evaluation Criteria

2 strengths · 2 concerns · 2 neutral

Teacher TrainingStrength

The curriculum provides extensive background information, organizational tips, and practical guidance for parents new to homeschooling. The first half of the book focuses on child development and teaching philosophy.

Reviews describe 'first few chapters lay the groundwork as they talk about child development and age-appropriate learning' and note it serves as 'an excellent homeschooling primer for those unsure where to start'

Cross Curricular IntegrationStrength

The curriculum naturally integrates subjects through real-life activities and themed monthly units. Learning happens organically as children engage in cooking, gardening, and household activities that incorporate multiple subject areas.

Reviews describe activities like counting library books, setting tables for one-to-one correspondence, and recognizing letters on food containers, with monthly themes like 'Fall and Apples' that connect across subject areas

Direct InstructionConcern

The curriculum provides activity suggestions and ideas rather than structured lesson plans with explicit instruction. Parents select activities based on their situation rather than following prescribed teaching sequences.

Reviews note 'activities are listed and described, but they are not set up in lesson plans' and 'lesson plans do not set up a schedule of what to accomplish each day'

Individual Subject RigorConcern

The curriculum deliberately avoids academic rigor in favor of developmentally-appropriate play-based learning. It serves as an alternative to academic preschool programs rather than providing formal subject instruction.

Reviews explicitly state it's 'a wonderful antidote to academically-oriented preschool programs' and emphasizes that 'young children learn best through hands-on, experiential learning' rather than workbooks

Retrieval PracticeNeutral

The program includes some organizational tools and tracking sheets but does not emphasize systematic review or retrieval practice. Activities are designed to be repeatable but without formal assessment.

Reviews mention 'weekly Activity Checklist' and tracking tools, with activities described as 'open-ended and repeatable,' but no mention of systematic review or assessment practices

Knowledge CoherenceNeutral

The curriculum builds knowledge through seasonal themes and character traits but lacks a systematic progression of academic content. The approach prioritizes experiential learning over cumulative knowledge building.

Each month organizes around themes and character traits (October: 'Fall and Apples' with orderliness), but reviews emphasize activities and experiences rather than sequential knowledge development

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com, truenorthhomeschool.academy