Preschool and Kindergarten Curriculum review for 2025-2026
We are wrapping up our first year of homeschooling, and I can hardly believe it! If you're new here, I have twin kindergartners, one preschooler, and one toddler. Today, I'm sharing a review of the preschool and kindergarten curricula we used this year, along with my honest thoughts on what worked—and what didn't.
Reading Curriculum
The Good and the Beautiful- Kindergarten Curriculum
Our main language arts curriculum this year was The Good and the Beautiful Level K. One of the things I appreciated most about this curriculum was that it was truly open-and-go and could be completed in about 20 minutes a day. It allowed me to work one-on-one with each of my twins and move at their individual pace.
I especially liked the strong focus on CVC words and early reading skills. However, I found some of the lessons a bit clunky, and I felt there wasn't enough spelling practice built into the program. By around Lesson 80, all of us were feeling a little burned out. My kids were struggling with focus and motivation, and the lessons no longer held their attention.
For the last few weeks of school, we've switched things up a bit. We're using Explode the Code for phonics and spelling while continuing with The Good and the Beautiful readers, which have been a great fit for our family.
Math curriculum
We started the year with Math with Confidence, and it was an instant favorite. My kids absolutely love math, so we moved through the curriculum quickly and enjoyed every lesson.
After finishing it, we decided to try The Good and the Beautiful First Grade Math. This curriculum uses a spiral approach, meaning each lesson covers several different math concepts at once. At first, I liked the challenge it provided, but over time my kids became overwhelmed by the constant switching between skills.
Ultimately, we decided to switch back to Math with Confidence First Grade, and I'm so glad we did. The lessons feel more focused, and my children have thrived with its gentle, mastery-based approach.
handwriting
The teacher in me loves creating activities and workbooks for my kids, so for handwriting I designed my own Handwriting & Tracing Workbook. It begins with tracing basic lines and shapes, progresses to letters, and finishes with copywork practice.
Typically, my children complete one to two pages each day, depending on their mood and attention span. Creating our own handwriting practice has been a fun and flexible addition to our homeschool routine.
science and social studies
For science, we used The Good and the Beautiful's Science for Littles: Bones and Stones curriculum, and we absolutely loved it! The lessons were engaging, hands-on, and mostly open-and-go, making them incredibly easy to implement.
Science quickly became one of our favorite subjects, and we're already looking forward to trying the Sparks and Stars curriculum next year.
Music, art, p.e., and health
Music, art, P.E., and health were all completed through our local homeschool co-op. Not only did my children enjoy the classes and social opportunities, but I also appreciated not having to plan and teach those subjects myself—especially during our first year of homeschooling!
Final Thoughts
We learned so much this year, both academically and as a family. Homeschooling has been a wonderful experience so far, and I'm excited for next year!
However, before we dive into another school year, we need to enjoy a month and a half of summer break. Then we'll be ready to jump back into lessons with fresh energy and excitement!
