Choosing a homeschool curriculum for the first time can feel completely overwhelming — especially when you’re not just planning for your own kids, but a whole group! Whether you’re homeschooling one child or organizing a homeschool pod (also called co-ops) like I did, here’s what helped me research and pick our first homeschool curriculum.
If you read my last post, you know I was on track to open a homeschooling pod for a mix of 8 kindergarten and first graders. So when I first started researching curriculum, I wasn’t choosing just for my kids—I was choosing for a group. Basically, I needed a “one size fits all” situation and I had no idea where to start.
The Tools That Helped Me Choose Our First Homeschool Curriculum
Here’s what actually helped me narrow things down without completely losing my mind.
How ChatGPT Helped Me Pick a Homeschool Curriculum
What on earth is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is a computer program that you can talk to, like you’re having a conversation with a person. You type something, and it answers back. It can answer questions, help you write things, explain ideas, brainstorm with you, even make worksheets! It’s powered by “artificial intelligence” (AI).
So here is what I asked:
“I would like to create a homeschooling pod for kindergarten and first graders. There will be individual subjects like math and language arts and group subjects like social studies and science. It can be religious but I do not want to teach religious content. I would like to focus on human kindness and emotional intelligence at this age instead. We will incorporate cooking, gardening, and we also have chickens and a yard for the kids to play in. It can have online components, but it will not be an online curriculum. We can pay for the curriculum. Please incorporate math, language arts, social studies, art, science. We have visual learners as well as kinesthetic learners.”
These are the results it gave me:
| Curriculum | Torchlight | The Good and the Beautiful (TGTB) | Oak Meadow | Build Your Library (BYL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Style | Literature-based, focuses on emotional intelligence & diverse perspectives | Traditional, structured, beautifully illustrated books | Waldorf-inspired, creative, gentle academics | Literature-based, secular, with a strong global focus |
| Religious Content | Secular but emphasizes kindness & emotional intelligence | Christian, but light on doctrine (can be adapted for secular use) | Secular, but inspired by Waldorf, which has spiritual elements | Fully secular, but includes world religions in history studies |
| Teaching Approach | Literature-rich, Socratic questioning, encourages deep discussions | Structured, workbook-based, strong phonics and math instruction | Hands-on, creative, nature-based, encourages storytelling | Literature-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired, global history focus |
| Math | Not included; requires a separate math curriculum | Strong math program with a conceptual approach | Gentle, real-world-based math | Not included; requires a separate math curriculum |
| Reading & Writing | Heavy on read-alouds, integrates writing into discussion-based learning | Phonics-based reading instruction, handwriting practice | Encourages storytelling, creative writing, and hands-on projects | Heavy on read-alouds, copywork, and writing activities |
| Science | Focuses on inquiry-based learning, hands-on activities | Traditional but engaging, includes beautiful illustrations and experiments | Nature-based, integrates with seasonal studies | Literature-based, encourages hands-on exploration and experiments |
| History & Social Studies | World history with diverse perspectives, encourages empathy | U.S.-centric, faith-friendly history | Storytelling-based, gentle introduction to history | Global history, strong booklist, diverse perspectives |
| Outdoor/Nature Focus | Encourages nature study but not central | Some nature study, but not a main focus | Very nature-focused, integrates outdoor learning | Some nature study, mostly through literature |
| Best for Your Homeschool Pod? | Yes—if you want a focus on kindness, literature, and emotional intelligence | Yes—if you want structured learning with an easy-to-follow format | Yes—if you want a slower, creative, nature-based approach | Yes—if you love using books to guide discussions and learning |
You could go on to ask it all kinds of questions, break things down further, expand the list, etc. The possibilities with ChatGPT are endless (scarily).
That initial list gave me a great place to start digging deeper. After some research, we landed on a starter mix of The Good and the Beautiful (TGTB) and Build Your Library (BYL).
Using Facebook Groups to Choose a Homeschool Curriculum
I also joined general homeschool groups, curriculum-specific groups, and even buy/sell curriculum groups. Those were gold in choosing homeschool curriculums. I searched through old posts and asked my own questions. This is actually how we ended up switching from TGTB math to Math with Confidence (MWC)—thanks to some very convincing parent reviews.
YouTube: Curriculum Reviews and Homeschool Curriculum Comparisons
So. Many. Videos.
There are reviews, walk-throughs, and side-by-side comparisons of different levels. It’s like curriculum window shopping from your couch, and it’s essential if you’re trying to visualize what the day-to-day would actually look like.
Curriculum Websites: Free Homeschool Samples
The homeschool Costco!
Curriculum companies want you to love their programs, so most offer free samples.
- TGTB offers free Math & Language Arts downloads.
- Build Your Library offers a free week download.
- Most others offer something similar.
Definitely try before you buy — it can save you money and stress.
Tailoring Our Homeschool Curriculum to My Kids
So once we had our picks for the Co-op, we of course changed it all up (again, check out my last post to find out why). There is such a difference planning for a group of kids than just your own kids.
And this is where everything shifted for me.
I was no longer picking something that would kinda work for a group—I could finally tailor each subject to my kids’ learning styles, interests, and pace.
And that’s when the real fun began. Check out our tailor-made curriculum choices here!
Are You Choosing Your First Homeschool Curriculum?
Choosing a homeschool curriculum for the first time definitely felt overwhelming at first, but with the right tools, it became one of the most exciting parts of our homeschooling journey.
Are you in the middle of picking your first homeschool curriculum, too? I’d love to hear what’s helping you!
Comment below or share your favorite resources — I’m always looking for new ideas!
