🌿 MotherNode's Personal Picks

Curriculum I actually
use in my homeschool.

These aren't random recommendations. Every resource on this page has been tested in our home, with our kids. I only list what I'd buy again.

MotherNode
Curated by MotherNode — Founder of CoopNest & Ever Root Learning Academy
All Recommendations
✍️
🔗 Affiliate Link Well-Trained Mind Press
Writing Curriculum
Writing with Ease
📚 Writing 📅 Grades 1–4
Narration and copywork that actually builds real writing skills before jumping into composition. The structured approach works beautifully for kids who need scaffolding.
Check it out →
🖋️
🛍 Amazon Associates
Classical Academic Press
Classical Academic Press — Creative Writing
🖊 Creative Writing 📅 Grades 3–8
Their writing programs bring classical rhetoric into modern homeschool without making it feel like a chore. The progression from imitation to original composition is well-designed.
Check it out →
🔬
🔗 Affiliate Link
Elemental Science
Elemental Science
🧪 Science 📅 K–8
Hands-on science that doesn't require a PhD to teach. We use the Biology for the Logic Stage and the experiments actually work. Great scope and sequence for classical-leaning families.
Check it out →
🔤
🔗 Affiliate Link idevaffiliate · 30-day cookie
Logic of English
Logic of English — Foundations
🔤 Phonics & Reading 📅 Pre-K–2nd
The most thorough phonics program I've found. It explains the actual rules behind English spelling — no more "just memorize it." Kids get the logic and it sticks.
Check it out →
🧮
🛍 Amazon Associates
Art of Problem Solving
Beast Academy / Art of Problem Solving
➕ Math 📅 Grades 2–12
Beast Academy for the early grades is the best math program for kids who need to be challenged. The comics format keeps them engaged and the problems actually make them think.
Check it out →
🌍
🛍 Amazon Associates
GeoMatters
GeoMatters
🌎 Geography 📅 Grades 1–8
Geography done right — maps, regions, cultures, and physical features woven together. Their Expedition Earth program turned geography from a dusty subject into something my kids ask to do.
Check it out →
📘
🔗 Affiliate Link Penguin Random House
DK Publishing
DK Publishing — Reference Library
📘 Reference 🌟 All Ages
DK books are reference staples in our home. The visual encyclopedias on history, science, and geography are the books my kids actually reach for on their own. Worth owning in print.
Check it out →
🌈
🏪 Retailer
Rainbow Resource Center
Rainbow Resources
📚 Multi-Subject 🌟 All Ages
The homeschool catalog that has everything. When I can't find something locally, Rainbow Resources is my first stop. Competitive prices, fast shipping, and they carry virtually every curriculum publisher out there.
Browse Rainbow Resources →
📜
🛍 Amazon Associates
Memoria Press
Memoria Press
📖 Latin & Grammar 📅 Grades K–12
If you're building a classical education, Memoria Press is the backbone. Their Latin program is structured and thorough, and their literature guides give you everything you need to discuss great books with your kids.
Check it out →
🏛️
🛍 Amazon Associates
Curiosity Chronicles
Curiosity Chronicles
🏛 History 📅 Grades 1–6
History told as a story, the way kids actually remember it. Curiosity Chronicles turns timelines and civilizations into narratives that stick — my kids bring these up at the dinner table unprompted.
Check it out →
🎨
🛍 Amazon Associates
Artistic Pursuits
Artistic Pursuits
🎨 Art 📅 Grades K–12
A real art education, not just craft projects. Artistic Pursuits teaches art appreciation alongside hands-on technique — art history, elements of design, and actual drawing/painting skills in one program.
Check it out →
🎓
✨ Free Resource
Khan Academy
Khan Academy
➕ Math 🔬 Science 📅 All Ages
Completely free and genuinely good. We use it as a supplement for math and science — the mastery-based progression and instant feedback loop works well alongside our main curriculum.
Visit Khan Academy →
MotherNode
A note from MotherNode

I built CoopNest to organize our homeschool — but the curriculum choices underneath it matter just as much as the tools. These are the resources I've personally paid for, used with my kids, and would buy again without hesitation.

I don't recommend things I haven't tested. Some of these have affiliate programs I've applied to, which means I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links. That commission helps me keep CoopNest free for families. But I would recommend every single one of these regardless.

🌿 MotherNode
ℹ️

Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, CoopNest earns a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend resources the founder personally uses and trusts. Free resources are marked clearly and have no affiliate relationship.