Sonlight Curriculum Review: Why Switch to Sonlight?

As a homeschooling parent, I know that this is the time of year at my house when the excitement of the beginning of the school year has worn off, and the reality of having to use a curriculum that we don’t love ALL.YEAR.LONG is really starting to set in. We start to notice ALL the problems with our routine, my kids’ attitudes, and any curriculum I’ve chosen that isn’t a perfect fit for my family. And then I wonder if switching our curriculum will fix things. Last year we did make a switch, from a popular textbook-based history curriculum to Sonlight’s History/Bible/Literature curriculum, and I’m so glad that we did. History went from a boring and dreaded subject to a fun experience that the whole family enjoyed. In this Sonlight curriculum review, I’ll share my family’s experience and why you might want to switch to Sonlight too.

I received compensation in exchange for my honest review, but all the opinions in this post are my own.

My Family’s Switch to Sonlight

About a year ago, we reached a turning point in our homeschool journey. We were using a popular textbook-based curriculum for history, which, honestly, my kids didn’t like at all. They were starting to complain that history was boring.

I remember being so bored by history as a kid in public school, and only falling in love with it when reading Little House on the Prairie books on my own. And now my kids were starting to have that same experience where history felt more like a list of dates than a vibrant story. This was a far cry from the love of learning I wanted for them. I knew I had to find a different option.

As I was researching homeschool curriculum options, I immediately fell in love with Sonlight’s literature-based learning approach. As a homeschool parent, my favorite part of my day is when I’m reading aloud to my kids, and my kids love reading together too. There’s something special about snuggling up with a good book and learning together. We made the decision to switch to Sonlight and we haven’t looked back.

Sonlight’s read-aloud books and their rich, living book selection were just what we needed. Now my kids are begging to do history, and even asking for it on weekends (instead of refusing to listen at all). And even better? I have seen a huge improvement in my relationships with them, because we’re spending time snuggling and reading books together, instead of whining about history.

Factors to Consider When Switching Your History Curriculum to Sonlight

Before switching your homeschool curriculum, it’s important to take some time to think about your family’s needs. Here are a few things to consider to make sure that your new curriculum will be right for your family and your homeschool.

Is it a good fit for your kids?

Finding the right homeschool curriculum can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But, the best homeschool curriculum for you is one that matches up with your child’s learning style and the way that they like to learn. For my family, this realization was a game changer.

Our homeschooling is centered around reading aloud. My entire family’s favorite part of our homeschool day is when I am reading out loud to my kids. I love to read with them, and they love it too. Our dream homeschool day would be to spend the entire day snuggling on the couch with a warm blanket and a huge pile of books. 

That’s why Sonlight, with its literature-based curriculum, was the perfect choice for us. The curriculum is based on reading real books and discussing them together. My kids don’t have to spend a bunch of time on busywork or boring worksheets- and they are learning way more as they explore different perspectives in each of the books.

Shop Sonlight curriculum for preschool through high school here.

Is it a good fit for you as the teacher?

As a homeschooling parent, balancing the roles of teacher and parent can often feel overwhelming. And before switching to a different homeschool curriculum, it’s important to think honestly about the season you are in. Is this new curriculum going to fit with the amount of time you have to teach AND prep for homeschooling?

That’s where the Sonlight Instructor’s Guide comes in, especially for busy parents like me. 

The Instructor’s Guide includes a daily schedule for each week of the school year. Each week also includes done-for-you daily lesson plans, which means I am spending much less time planning lessons each week. I love that I can spend more quality time engaging with my kids instead of planning lessons for them. 

I love Sonlight because all the lesson planning is done for me. All I need to do is open my binder, grab the next week’s lesson plans and our stack of books, and we’re ready to go.

Download a free sample of the curriculum and Instructor’s Guide for the level of your choice here.

Is it a good fit for your children’s ages?

One of the unique challenges of homeschooling multiple children is finding a curriculum that works for a variety of different ages and learning stages. This is one of my favorite parts about Sonlight for homeschool families like mine.

Sonlight offers curriculum for kids from preschool through high school, and each Sonlight History/Bible/Literature or Science curriculum is thoughtfully designed for kids within a three-year age range. This makes it easy for siblings to learn together. Sonlight calls these subjects “couch subjects” and the curriculum is designed so that the whole family can learn together on the couch.

This approach has been amazing for our family. It means that my kids, despite a 3-year age gap, can learn together. Whether we’re delving into American history or exploring world history, Sonlight’s core packages allow my kids to share these educational experiences. It has been so encouraging to see their relationships grow as they explore history together.

I also love that with Sonlight, I am teaching history just once per day. This saves so much time for me as a busy parent. I love that my oldest child and youngest can engage with the same material but at different depths. The Instructor Guide is so helpful in this. I can read the story out loud to both kids, but then review the discussion questions with just by older child. 

I also love the way that Sonlight includes great literature, wonderful new books, and engaging read-alouds in each level of their curriculum. These great books appeal to a wide range of grade levels, which makes it easy to use the curriculum with young children and older children alike.

Read more about using Sonlight with multiple children here.

Is it a good fit for your family’s schedule?

When I think back on the homeschool curriculum options that haven’t worked for us, it has often been because they weren’t a good fit for my family’s schedule. It’s important to consider your family’s unique schedule and any other commitments you have before choosing a homeschool curriculum.

In the past, we’ve struggled with options that simply didn’t align with our daily rhythm. This often causes more stress than learning. That’s why Sonlight’s flexible scheduling options have been so helpful for us.

Sonlight understands that every homeschooling family is different, and they offer both 4-day and 5-day curriculum options to cater to these varied needs. The 5-day plan is comprehensive, and it’s perfect for families who want to dive deep into history. It comes with a rich array of additional resources for exploring different time periods and cultures. 

The 4-day option is a game-changer for families that have other commitments – be it co-op, appointments, or extracurricular activities. With a built-in ‘catch up’ day each week, this option provides the flexibility to balance educational goals with life outside homeschooling. It alleviates the pressure of falling behind, which is a great thing for families that have busy life circumstances.

The variety of read-alouds, historical fiction, and other quality books in the Sonlight curriculum ensures that even on a 4-day schedule, my children are getting a rich educational experience. Plus, the flexibility to add other subjects like Sonlight Science or English means that we can tailor our year to our children’s needs and interests.

Get a free book in the mail so you can try Sonlight for free here.

Can you get support?

For a switch to really be successful, it’s important to have support. Make sure you have a place to ask questions as you are learning how to use the new curriculum.

That’s why I love that Sonlight offers free consultations with their Homeschool Advisors. These homeschool veterans have “been there and done that” and can answer questions about the curriculum and general homeschool questions too. 

Contact a Sonlight homeschool advisor right now here.

Switch to Sonlight

If you are looking for a literature-based history program that offers flexibility while giving your kids the opportunity to learn together from reading great living books, I highly recommend Sonlight’s History/Bible/Literature curriculum. With options for preschool through high school-aged students, Sonlight is a fantastic choice for kids of any age.

Learn more about Sonlight curriculum here and save $100 when you switch to Sonlight by January 31, 2024!