Gather 'Round Homeschool
Christian unit-study curriculum that teaches the whole family one topic at a time, from pre-readers through high school. Each month-long unit covers history, science, language arts, Bible and art; math is sold separately as Modular Math.
What is Gather 'Round Homeschool?
Gather 'Round Homeschool is a Christian unit-study curriculum built for families who want to teach all their children together. Each unit takes one topic, such as the human body, oceans, space or US history, and builds about a month of lessons around it. History, science, language arts, Bible and art all connect back to that theme.
The company describes the program as open-and-go, Charlotte Mason inspired and minimal. It says it serves more than 100,000 families in over 70 countries. Math is the one major subject left out of the units. It is sold separately as Modular Math.
How it works
A typical full unit has 20 lessons, which works out to four weeks at five days a week. Each lesson day starts with the parent reading the Teacher's Guide aloud to everyone, usually 40 to 60 minutes. Then each child works in a student book written for their level.
Seatwork journals handle the language arts side: daily writing, mechanics, copywork, grammar, vocabulary and spelling. Answer keys come with the downloads, and the company suggests grading written work with a rubric. All in, a lesson day takes roughly two to four hours.
Gather 'Round suggests about eight full units for a year, plus math for each student. You can add two-week mini units, seasonal units and Fifty States units as you like.
What it covers
| Level | Rough ages | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Reader | Preschool and K | Picture-based activities |
| Early Reader | 6–8 | Simple reading and writing |
| Early Elementary | 8–10 | More independent work |
| Upper Elementary | 10–13 | Longer writing and research |
| Middle School | 13–16 | Deeper written assignments |
| High School | 16–18 | High school level reading and projects |
Some shorter units use three combined levels instead of six. For the youngest learners, Letters + Numbers and Ready to Read are complete preschool and kindergarten programs that include beginning reading and math. Modular Math runs from Foundations through Step 6, which the company places at kindergarten through Algebra 1. High school math is not available yet.
Who it's best for
Gather 'Round fits Christian families with several children who want one shared lesson each day and very little prep. It is a strong match if your kids enjoy themed, story-rich learning and you like choosing topics as you go.
Look elsewhere if you want a textbook-style scope and sequence with every grade-level skill in order, a secular program, or a curriculum that does not depend on a daily read-aloud. Families who want a similar family-style plan with a fixed chronological history cycle may prefer My Father's World or Heart of Dakota.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, a full unit costs $65 as a digital family bundle, which includes every student level, or $28 for one student. In print, the Teacher's Guide is $30 and each student book is $25. Digital files are non-refundable, so start with the free samples. Plan on eight units a year plus math.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Often, yes, though each program sets its own rules. Arizona's ESA law lists "curricula and supplementary materials" as an allowed use, and Florida's PEP handbook lists curriculum as an eligible expense. Learn how funding works on our homeschool scholarships and ESA guide, then check the rules for Arizona, Florida or your own state.
On Edulist you can save Gather 'Round to your wishlist without an account, then apply once to scholarship programs that may cover it.
How it compares
- The Good and the Beautiful also teaches families together with a Christian worldview, but uses fewer, broader units and separate leveled language arts and math.
- My Father's World follows a set multi-year cycle with a missionary emphasis and a more traditional package.
- Simply Charlotte Mason offers family-style Charlotte Mason subjects you buy one at a time.
Browse more family-style options in homeschool curriculum, unit-study curriculum and Christian homeschool curriculum, or see our picks for the best homeschool curriculum.
Who Gather 'Round Homeschool is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Christian families with several children of different ages
- Parents who want open-and-go lessons with almost no prep
- Kids who enjoy themed, hands-on, story-rich learning
- Families who like to pick topics month by month
Look elsewhere if
- Families wanting a traditional grade-by-grade scope and sequence
- Secular families, since lessons include Bible and a Christian worldview
- Parents who cannot read aloud for an hour most days
Gather 'Round Homeschool pros and cons
Pros
- One Teacher's Guide covers every child from pre-reader to high school
- Beautifully designed student books and journals
- Language arts is built into each unit through seatwork journals
- Flexible: choose units in any order and add mini units
- Low-cost digital option for one-student bundles
Cons
- Math is not included in units
- Printed books for several children get expensive across eight units
- Digital purchases cannot be refunded
- Topic-based coverage may leave gaps compared with a sequential program
What’s included
- Month-long themed units (about 20 lessons) with a family Teacher's Guide read aloud to everyone
- Six student levels from Pre-Reader through High School, so siblings share one topic
- Seatwork journals for writing, grammar, spelling, vocabulary and copywork
- Digital (PDF) or printed books; full-family or one-student bundles
- Modular Math sold separately, Foundations through Step 6 (K to Algebra 1)
- Letters + Numbers and Ready to Read programs for preschool and kindergarten
- Free sample lessons; optional Online Academy and Independent Enrollment with grading
Gather 'Round Homeschool levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Reader | Pre-K–K | Picture-based activities for preschool and kindergarten children who are not yet reading. |
| Early Reader | 1–2 | For roughly ages 6–8, with simple reading and writing tasks tied to the unit topic. |
| Early Elementary | 3–4 | For roughly ages 8–10, adding more independent reading, writing and narration. |
| Upper Elementary | 5–7 | For roughly ages 10–13, with longer written work and research tasks. |
| Middle School | 7–10 | For roughly ages 13–16, with deeper written assignments on the same family topic. |
| High School | 10–12 | For roughly ages 16–18. Units such as US Government, Human Body and Chemistry are especially suited to high schoolers. |
How much does Gather 'Round Homeschool cost?
As of October 2026, full units such as Human Body, Space and Oceans cost $65 for the digital full-family bundle (Teacher's Guide plus all six student levels) or $28 for a one-student digital bundle. Shorter units like US History 1 are $47 family or $18 one-student. In print, a full unit's Teacher's Guide is $30 and each student book is $25 ($15 for Pre-Reader). Modular Math printed books are $10 per topic and level. A year is about eight units, so a family's total depends heavily on digital versus print and the number of children.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-unit digital family bundle (e.g., Human Body) | $65 | One-time | — |
| Full-unit digital one-student bundle | $28 | One-time | — |
| Printed Teacher's Guide (full unit) | $30 | One-time | — |
| Printed student book, one level | $25 | One-time | — |
| Online Academy membership | $39/mo | Monthly | $39/mo |
| Full Year Independent Enrollment, 1 student | $1,800 | One-time | — |
Free trial: No trial for units, but free sample lessons are on the samples page. The Online Academy offers a free one-week trial.
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Published reviews praise how easy Gather 'Round is to teach and how good the materials look. The most common reservation is cost, especially for printed books, and that families still need to add math.
Common praise
- Superb graphics in the Teacher's Guide and student books
- Easy, open-and-go family lessons
- Works across a wide age range at once
Common complaints
- Expensive compared with other curricula, especially in print
- Math must be added separately
Sources: homeschoolgiveaways.com · an unsolicited and honest review of gather round homeschool · cathyduffyreviews.com · gather round homeschool
Gather 'Round Homeschool family reviews
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Gather 'Round Homeschool FAQs
Is Gather 'Round Homeschool Christian?
Yes. Gather 'Round describes itself as a Christian program and publishes a statement of faith. Bible and a Christian worldview run through the units, although some reviewers note the units themselves carry fairly light Bible content and add a separate Bible study.
Does Gather 'Round include math?
No. Full units cover history, science, language arts, Bible and art, but math is separate. Gather 'Round sells Modular Math (Foundations through Step 6, roughly K through Algebra 1), or you can use any math program you like.
How much does Gather 'Round cost for a year?
It depends on format and family size. As of October 2026, a full unit is $65 as a digital family bundle or $28 for one student. A year is about eight units, so a digital family year runs a few hundred dollars before printing, while printed books for several children cost more.
Can I use Gather 'Round for high school?
Yes. There is a High School student level, and units like US Government, Human Body, Chemistry, Life Skills and the US history units work well for older students. High school math is not available yet, so teens need another math course.
Is Gather 'Round accredited?
The curriculum itself is not accredited. Gather 'Round offers a Full Year Independent Enrollment with planning, grading and report cards, but that is a support service. Check your state's homeschool rules for what records you need.
Is there a free trial of Gather 'Round?
You can download free sample lessons before buying, and the Online Academy offers a free one-week trial. Digital unit files are non-refundable, so the samples are the best way to test fit.
Can an ESA or scholarship pay for Gather 'Round?
Often, yes, as curriculum, but each program decides. Arizona's ESA law and Florida's PEP handbook both list curriculum as an allowed expense. Save Gather 'Round to your Edulist wishlist and check which programs fund families in your state.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources:
- gatherroundhomeschool.com
- gatherroundhomeschool.com · all
- gatherroundhomeschool.com · samples
- gatherroundhomeschool.com · math
- gatherroundhomeschool.com · independent enrollment
- gatherroundhomeschool.com · academy insider subscription
- cathyduffyreviews.com · gather round homeschool
- homeschoolgiveaways.com · an unsolicited and honest review of gather round homeschool
- azleg.gov · 02402.htm
- stepupforstudents.org · pep family handbook