Ultimate Guide to Charlotte Mason Curriculums in a Box

If you are new to the Charlotte Mason method or you are just looking for the easiest way to begin implementing a Charlotte Mason education, in your homeschool, using a “curriculum in a box” may be the perfect choice. And the best news is that there are quite a few really great options available.

When I first started homeschooling my oldest son, I was intrigued by the Charlotte Mason philosophy. In case you don’t know already the Charlotte Mason method is an educational approach designed by British educator, Charlotte Mason, during the 1800s. It emphasizes the use of “living books,” nature study, narration, and a broad curriculum to cultivate a love for learning, develop good habits, and nourish the whole person. 

I  absolutely loved everything about the idea of teaching the whole child through a beautiful feast. And most importantly giving my child the opportunity to really love and enjoy learning his lessons every day. However, I didn’t really know where to start. I was very overwhelmed by all of the information I was reading and didn’t trust myself to put together any of my own lessons, yet.

So, naturally…I did the next best thing.

I decided to turn to curriculum options that followed the Charlotte Mason approach and that would gently guide me through my homeschool day.  Basically, I was looking for simple options that would give me everything I needed in one place with very little planning or organizing. 

 I can say it was honestly one of the best decisions that I made as a new homeschooling mom. It allowed me to learn exactly how the Charlotte Mason method worked and taught me the best ways to continue on with the Charlotte Mason way of learning every year after that.

Charlotte Mason Curricula: Boxed vs. Study Guides

When looking at all of the various Charlotte Mason curricula available, they fall into two basic groups; either a curriculum that follows a study guide with a book list or a box curriculum (all-in-one).

Choosing a Charlotte Mason Curriculum in a Box: What to Look For

When choosing the right curriculum it is important to explore the essential elements that make a Charlotte Mason curriculum stand out, so that you can make an informed decision that aligns with your child’s unique needs and learning style.  

Charlotte Mason Curriculum in a Box

These boxed curriculums are the best options available if you are looking for an all-inclusive Charlotte Mason homeschool.

Queen Homeschool Supplies

Queen Homeschool Supplies has curriculums available that are literally called “Charlotte Mason in a Box Kits”.  These kits have everything you need for your child’s education, with the exception of math and foreign language. The lessons are short, comprehensive, and easy to follow.

It includes phonics, handwriting, history, science, geography, and a student planner to stay organized and on track. They go from Box 0 for the preschool years all the way up to Box 12 for high school students.

I have never personally used anything from Queen’s Homeschool Supplies but after looking through each of the kits, they look really good and seem to follow the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education pretty well.

These seem to be a really good choice for a first time homeschooling family.

Beautiful Feet Books

Beautiful Feet Books is one of my favorite places to get boxed curriculums from. They have the best books that always seem to hold my children’s interest. The lesson plans tell me exactly what to read and what other resources to use to further our homeschooling days.

The box sets are more of a unit study with short lessons that have enough living books to cover an entire year. They have many different subjects to choose from, including science, geography, history, and even character building. Most of their curriculums are history based though. 

Keep in mind Beautiful Feet doesn’t sell a complete box set that includes every subject. You basically pick and choose the unit studies that you want to use and then add in your math, language arts, and foreign language.

While they have curriculums for the younger grades vs the older grades so many of the books can work for the whole family. It is perfect if you have a big family like mine you can teach your kids altogether-which is a huge deal to me. 

As for how closely it follows Charlotte Mason learning I will say the amazing living books are perfectly Charlotte Mason, but personally, for my children, we did stray from the study guide a little bit and did not do a lot of the writing parts that they recommend in the older elementary studies.

My Father’s World

My Father’s World is probably the most popular boxed curriculum in the Charlotte Mason world. It is a comprehensive curriculum that incorporates elements of the Charlotte Mason approach mixed equally with a classical approach, making it a viable choice for your homeschooling journey.

It seems to be more Charlotte Mason aligned in the earlier grade levels (K-3rd) and transitions to a more classical approach beyond that.

With that being said it is a solid curriculum that is centered around god and includes many classic books. Making it a popular choice for families looking for a curriculum that is similar to a Charlotte Mason education. Their boxed curriculums start in Preschool and go up to grade 12.

My Father’s World covers all the subjects your child needs in a single boxed set.

Living Books Curriculum

Living Books Curriculum may be my favorite of all of the Charlotte Mason Curriculums in a box. It has everything you could want for Charlotte Mason homeschooling while being super affordable.

Living Books follows a very flexible, yet very much Charlotte Mason-type schedule that utilizes a 36-week year divided into four terms. They have all the books and materials you need for the perfect gentle feast that teaches the whole person. The materials cover Christian studies, language arts, American history, world history, poetry study, memory work, narration, nursery rhymes for younger children, science, geography, composer study, art study, composer study, picture study, and nature studies.

Seriously everything you need to start your Charlotte Mason education. Depending on your child’s age, you can choose between Preschool up to Grade 8. Unfortunately, they do not have a high school curriculum, as of yet, but it would be amazing if they added one eventually. You would also need to add in your math and foreign language, just as you would for any of the other box curriculums. 

Living Books Curriculum is one of the best available for Charlotte Mason-style learning!

Bright Ideas Press 

Bright Ideas Press is slightly more of a classical education vs a Charlotte Mason education. However, they still encompass so much of the  Charlotte Mason style that I thought they deserved an honorable mention. They have some really good sets for world history, United States History, geography, and science. You would need to piece together different unit studies, in a similar fashion as you would with other unit studies.

Also, they use a lot of workbooks and busy work-type learning that would be more classical education than Charlotte Mason education.

Create Your Own “Box Curriculum”

It is actually pretty simple to create your own curriculum that perfectly fits into the Charlotte Mason homeschool method. 

I have had so much fun creating different Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculums for the last few years with my children. I love that I can create a learning experience that works perfectly for my family’s needs while encompassing all of my children’s interests as well!

All you really need are some good books that are enjoyable and are considered living books. Add in a good math curriculum and just go from there. You can add as much learning or as little learning as you want. Just be sure to create something for all of the subjects otherwise you will be missing parts of the feast that we have all come to love about Charlotte Mason.

By incorporating these curriculums and customizing them to meet your needs, you can create a fulfilling Charlotte Mason homeschool experience that aligns with your family’s values and nurtures your child’s love for learning.