10 BEST Classical Homeschool Curriculum PICKS
Are you overwhelmed by all the classical homeschool curriculum options available? In this post, I've carefully researched and compiled a list of the top 10 classical curriculum programs catering to various preferences and budgets.
I'll quickly show you all the most popular educational picks for classical homeschooling.
Our exploration will include not only affordable classical programs but also those that are accredited and offer tutoring options..
These make homeschooling so much easier for parents!
Then, we'll review some eclectic options if you want something in the middle.
I'll also incorporate some reviews I found in online Facebook forums so we can better understand each program.
Finally, I’ll give you some classical homeschool curriculum recommendations at the end of the post.
Let's dive straight in and have a look.
This post uses affiliate links. They don't cost any more to purchase through them, but they help my small homeschool family. Thanks in advance.
Veritas Press
Veritas Press offers one of the best classical Christian homeschool curricula available today.
They provide a few choices for homeschool families, such as their more affordable 'You-Teach' options.
These feature paper-based Bible, Geography, Grammar & Writing, history, reading and math.
If you want video lessons, their self-paced options, which offer a classical history curriculum and Bible lessons (see picture below), are very popular.
But, they're most well-known for their LIVE online courses and kits.
These accredited programs allow children to interact with teachers and other students online.
However, do a free consultation here before buying because many parents buy too much and overspend!
You can get the You-Teach options for around $750-1500.
Self-paced classes are from $200-900, including their popular history omnibus series described in more detail in this post.
Live Online lessons cost around 650-750 a course (but don't overspend—do the consultation above to find out what you need).
Veritas Press separates its curriculum into grammar and secondary school.
Classical Academic Press
By contrast, Classical Academic Press is more faithful to classical Christian education.
It separates its courses into the grammar, logic, and rhetoric phases, using a mixture of paper-based and video lessons.
These correlate to primary, middle, and high school ages.
CAP offers a rigorous classical homeschooling curriculum, including a popular Latin course called Latin for Children (see picture above), which is used in schools and homeschools.
(I use this one myself with my 7-year-old.)
Classical Academic offers Grade Kits spanning multiple years (for example, Grades 4 and 5).
However, they don't include all subjects, such as math. Additionally, at the moment, they only offer grades 3-7.
But, they offer a remarkable list of subjects not offered in many other places, such as:
Greek for Kids
Writing and Rhetoric
The Art of Argumentation and many others.
Prices vary quite a lot for various courses, but their 3rd and 4th Grade kit is currently selling for $404-450.
Individual courses are around $150-180.
Compass Classroom
However, if you have multiple children and want to teach them simultaneously, Compass Classroom can be an even more affordable fit.
They offer lots of engaging video lessons alongside physical workbooks or printable PDFs.
With this one, you can get a subscription that covers all children with all videos and digital resources for the whole year.
What I like about Compass is that they are immensely entertaining.
I've done their Vocab show (pictured above), which introduces students to basic Latin and Greek derivatives as a game show (see the video below for a look at this homeschool curriculum elective.
They also offer several classical science curriculum options with 4-5 star reviews, such as:
Physical Science
General Science
Devotional Biology
Creation Science and more.
For me as a Christian, I want a solid program that will teach my children the gospel and how to love Jesus.
Having personally used Compass Classroom, I've seen they stive to do this in all their programs and do a great job of it!
You can buy courses individually for life (they're always having sales!). These will be around $150 to 200, with LIVE courses around $300-550.
Or you can get a subscription for $39 per month or $390 per year.
That's an excellent deal for a classical curriculum.
But this program is technically a mixed classical program with Charlotte Mason methodologies incorporated (see the section at the end for more mixed classical curricula).
Classical Conversations
But let's say you wanted your homeschool to be more social.
Then Classical Conversations, a private business with the feel of a homeschool co-op, will be for you.
Classical Conversations (see picture below) is a highly organized curriculum that depends on the group working together.
If you sign up with CC, your family will join a group of homeschoolers who follow the same classical Christian curriculum.
This program gets very mixed reviews in online forums.
People either love it or hate it.
The families who like it tend to be more highly organized and like the structure.
Those who don't like it tend to want more flexibility in their program.
They want to avoid being tied down to a schedule of attending multiple times a week.
Also, in this group, you need to work with other people - and as people, that can be tricky.
The cost of homeschooling with CC varies a lot.
Younger grades cost around $700 (including tuition and various fees, meeting once a week), and high school costs around $1700 (including tuition and multiple fees, meeting a few times a week).
Memoria Press
But who wants to be tied down when you can get all subjects and all grades in a simple package?
Memoria Press (pictured above)offers one of the best classical curricula today, from preschool to high school, providing children with a complete and well-rounded education.
Their homeschool curriculum is mainly paper-based, and you teach with teachers' manuals (which are a little more demanding on parents, but their manuals are well-liked).
However, many courses, such as their classical math curriculum, have instructional videos or streaming services.
Prices vary widely, but you can get Grade 1 for between $450-600, while Grade 12 is around $913-1,200
Robinson Curriculum
But, let's say hundreds of dollars is way out of your budget.
What if you could afford to pay only a couple of hundred for all children and all grades for their entire homeschool education?
Enter the Robinson Curriculum, a budget-friendly option that can ease your financial burden.
Enter the Robinson Curriculum.
This program is a colossal PDF or printout of a program kids can do independently.
The course was created by a homeschool dad who didn't have time to homeschool his children but wanted them to have a high-quality, low-cost home education.
And this is the Robinson curriculum.
It doesn't have video lessons.
It doesn't have flashy graphics.
But, it is a solid Christian classical curriculum that won't cost the world.
Critical Thinking Co
Another program that won't cost the earth is Critical Thinking Co.
While not marketed as a classical secular homeschool curriculum, it was recommended in the forums for classical programs.
They offer affordable PreK to Grade 12 material in a paperback format.
Sometimes, their Grade Years aren't complete with all subjects so that homeschoolers can use the programs more eclectically.
For example, you can get their full K5 and 6 curriculum, complete with manipulatives, for only $70-80.
Their phonics program is just $30 to $40; Grade 12 material is similarly affordable.
Mixed Classical Homeschool Programs
However, some moms find a curriculum based solely on classical education somewhat restrictive and too robust at times.
They're after a more relaxed way of learning.
One that incorporates the family a little more. Perhaps they want more nature in their program.
If so, take a look at these options.
Tapestry of Grace (Charlotte Mason and Classical)
Tapestry is Christian, classical, and Charlotte Mason.
You can buy this one in entire grade years or separate subjects.
They incorporate classics from both Eastern and Western history as they carefully weave biblical concepts and ideas.
They run their program on several pillars: reading, thinking, writing, and (optionally) testing.
There's a big focus on reading good books, hands-on exploration, nature study and character development, and exploration.
Tapestry currently covers eight subjects but is still developing and evolving.
Purchasing Tapestry is complicated.
The price varies because you can buy the books directly from Tapestry with all the books (which might cost you more than $1600) or dramatically reduce your costs to $200 to $300 by borrowing books from the library or purchasing them second-hand.
My Father's World (CM, CL, and Unit Studies)
Another well-known eclectic program is My Father's World.
It uses the Charlotte Mason, Classical, and Unit Studies methods.
It will not feel like a typical classical homeschool curriculum, however, and it will be significantly easier than Veritas, Compass Classroom, and Classical Academic Press, for instance.
This program is very hands-on and crafty.
It gets great reviews, especially for its younger grades, like its preschool homeschool curriculum.
You can use this program to teach all subjects on the same topics you're studying (this is the unit studies method).
You can use their Family Learning Cycle with curriculum packages to teach multiple children simultaneously, making homeschooling faster.
This program is priced reasonably, with Grade 1 costing $390-460 USD (roughly $590-700 AUD).
Their Grade 8 program costs $440-$520, and high school prices depend on what electives you order.
Masterbooks (CM mostly but also a little Cl) intro to logic
Masterbooks is not much of a classical education program but more of a Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum.
However, it does dabble in classical education with its Introduction to Logic book and series.
This series is a clear and fun introduction to logic for high school students (or even adults) who have never experienced it before.
I have this book at home and love it.
My Classical Education Recommendations
Choosing the right homeschool curriculum will result in a different outcome for every family.
Have a careful think about your budget, Christian walk, and what exactly you want to get out of the curriculum.
Do you want to outsource teaching completely? Go with Veritas Press and do a consultation here.
Do you want video lessons for all your family and classical curriculum at a budget price? Go with Compass Classroom here.
Is a mixed online and offline approach going to suit you more? Do you want something super-rigorous with a good Latin program? Check out Classical Academic Press here.
And enjoy your journey. God bless.
