One of the first questions people ask when they find out we homeschool is, “So, what curriculum do you use?” And I totally get it—it’s a natural starting point. But what I’ve come to realize over the years is that homeschooling is so much more than just a curriculum. It’s a whole lifestyle, and there are so many different ways to do it. The curriculum you use will likely depend on your style of homeschooling.

If you’re new to homeschooling or just curious about it all, here’s a little breakdown of some of the most common homeschooling styles. (Spoiler alert: you don’t have to pick just one.)

1. Traditional (School-at-Home)

This is what a lot of us picture when we first start. Think desks, textbooks, worksheets, and a pretty structured day that mimics what you’d see in a classroom. It can feel comforting, especially if you’re transitioning from public school. But for some families, it ends up feeling too rigid — and that’s okay!

2. Classical

Rooted in the ancient model of education, classical homeschooling is all about the Trivium: grammar (learning the facts), logic (understanding and questioning), and rhetoric (expressing ideas well). It’s heavy on literature, history, and memorization in the early years, and it grows with your child. It’s a rich and deep approach, but it definitely requires a bit more structure and planning.

3. Charlotte Mason

This beautiful method emphasizes living books (not dry textbooks), nature study, short lessons, and cultivating good habits. It feels gentle and wholesome, like the kind of education you’d want to give your kids if you love slow mornings, poetry over tea, and outdoor adventures. We’ve borrowed a lot from Charlotte Mason over the years.

4. Montessori

Montessori is a hands-on, child-led method that encourages independence and real-world skills. It focuses on prepared environments, tactile learning materials, and trusting a child’s natural curiosity. You’ll see a lot of life skills woven into the day — from pouring their own water to organizing their own learning. It’s peaceful, purposeful, and beautiful in its simplicity.

5. Unit Studies

With unit studies, you choose a theme or topic and weave all your subjects into it. If your kids are obsessed with dinosaurs, for example, you could read books about them, write stories, learn about the geography and history of that time period, and even do math around the topic. It’s immersive and works especially well for families teaching multiple ages at once. We have used many unit studies over the years.

6. Unschooling

This is a totally child-led approach. There’s no specific curriculum — just real-life learning, deep dives into interests, and a lot of trust in the process. It sounds wild at first, but I’ve seen families thrive with it. If you believe kids are naturally curious (and they are), this method allows them to learn on their own terms. There are certain subjects that we have chosen to take more of an unschooling approach with.

7. Eclectic

Honestly, this is where most of us land. Eclectic homeschooling is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. You might use a math workbook from one publisher, follow Charlotte Mason’s approach for literature, and lean into unschooling for science exploration. It’s customized, flexible, and very real-life.

Here’s the thing I wish someone told me in the beginning: you’re allowed to change.

Your homeschool style might shift as your kids get older. What works for your kindergartener might not work for your middle schooler. You might start out structured and slowly loosen up, or vice versa. Maybe you discover one of your kids is a visual learner, while another thrives on hands-on activities. And sometimes, your life circumstances just change — a new baby, a job shift, a season of burnout — and you need something different.

That’s not failure. That’s wisdom.

The beauty of homeschooling is that you get to tailor it to your family’s needs. It’s not about fitting into a box. It’s about freedom, flexibility, and learning alongside your children.

So if you find yourself questioning your current approach or feeling like you’ve outgrown it — take heart. That’s not a sign that you’re doing it wrong. It’s a sign that you’re paying attention.

You’ve got this, mama.