Teaching Models & Curriculum
Waldorf and Montessori are two distinctly different teaching and learning models; however, they often share similar values and activities. Many of the websites listed below offer a mix of resources that appeal to either teaching style.
Waldorf Education
A developmentally appropriate, experiential, and academically rigorous model, Waldorf integrates the arts and direct experience into all academic disciplines. Students cultivate their intellectual, emotional, physical and spiritual capacities to be individuals certain of their paths and of service to the world.
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Montessori Education
A self-paced but guided model, Montessori fosters rigorous growth in all areas of development—cognitive, emotional, social, and physical. Students in multi-aged classrooms embrace multi-sensory learning and passionate inquiry to be confident, enthusiastic, and self-directed learners and citizens, accountable to both themselves and their community.
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Daily Colours
Childhood and beyond | Natural play inspiration, wee felt folk tutorials and patterns, fairy home and garden ideas, and more.
Hearth and Gnome
Early Childhood through the Grades |(cost) Waldorf-inspired music lessons, curriculum, songs, verses, and more for circle time, festivals, seasons, and beyond.
Indoor Activities from Motherly.com
Ages 3-6+ | 49 Montessori-inspired ideas for indoor activities with your kids - practical, sensorial, gross motor, art, sewing, language, math and science.
Juniper Tree Puppets
Early Childhood | Blog and story resources from Suzanne Downs.
Lavender's Blue
K - Grade 3 |(cost) A full curriculum that captures the beauty, imagination, and flexibility of the Waldorf method without adding overwhelm. Includes step-by-step guidance, imaginative lessons, detailed daily lesson plans, fully planned out circle, math practice activities, and song recordings - broken down so you understand exactly what to do and when.
LifeWays North America
Early Childhood | LifeWays offers an innovative relationship-based vision for childcare, both by parents in the home and by childcare providers in home- and center-based programs, for children from birth to 6 years. Provides online courses (covering topics such as healthy home rhythms, singing with young children, loving discipline), resources, and early childhood certification programs for caregivers, parents and parent educators.
Living Music in the Home
All Ages | (cost + free samples) Waldorf-inspired resource for parents and teachers who wish to share the joy of music with their children and students, and provides musical training for adults so they can create living music in their homes and classrooms.
Mindfulness & Movement: Nature
All Ages | Visit the School Away From School's very own Nature resources page for outdoor activity ideas, including lessons about plants, animals, conservation and our environment.
Need of the Hour from Susan Perrow
Childhood and beyond | Therapeutic Storytelling: Stories and poems that you can extend with your children by making a picture book, puppet show, dance, music, acting, and many other kinds of activities.
Oak Meadow
K - Grade 12 | (cost) Print-based, can be used independently by homeschoolers, or through enrollment in teacher-supported distance learning. Approach is compassionate and student-centered based on belief that children are sensitive and intelligent and that learning can be joyfully integrated into life. Aligns with rigorous academic standards, and it can be customized to meet students’ interests, skills, and learning styles.
Rooted Childhood
Ages 3-8 | (cost+free) Seasonal collection of beautiful craft projects and opportunities for connection with your child. Each month contains a introductory section with everything you need to get started, including simple craft projects, a detailed supply list, whole food recipes, ideas for family gatherings and celebrations, stories to tell aloud, seasonal poetry, songs and fingerplays, and picture book recommendations. (Charlotte Mason method).
Storytime in the Schoolhouse
Early Childhood | Every weekday morning learn seasonal verses and songs as well as share in a story or a puppet show.
Waldorf Schools Songs
All Ages | An extensive online repertoire of music used in the Waldorf Schools. This website is meant to be a source of inspiration and an indispensable guide for everyone who sings with children and adults.
CRAFTS & HANDWORKS
- Finger Knit - How-To for Beginners (video)
- Flower Crown - How-To (video from Your Wild Imagination)
- Natural Dyes - How-To Make and Use (Gardening Channel)
- Pinecone Rabbit (from Natural Parent magazine)
- Sewing - Shooting Star & Flying Bird Beanbags (from LifeWays)
- Sewing and Crafts - Shining Star Waldorf (playlist of videos)
General Ready-to-Use Curriculum & Live Online ClassesOnline programs in all subject areas designed by qualified educators and aligned with state standards.
NOTE: While we strive to share mainly free resources on SAFS, we do share some curriculum resources below that require payment, indicated by "(cost)". |
ABC Mouse
Ages 2-8 | Full online curriculum in reading, math, science and art.
A Better Way to Homeschool
All Ages | A quick start resource to help families pull together a plan for homeschooling.
Acorn Naturalists
All Ages | (cost) Offers school supplies, science and nature activity kits, and hands-on educational resources for parents, classroom teachers, naturalists, camp leaders, outdoor educators, homeschoolers, preschool and afterschool educators.
Adventure Academy
Ages 2-8 | Learning games and videos for reading, math, science and more.
BBC Teach
Ages 5-16 | Curriculum-mapped videos, arranged by age-group and subject.
Boston Children's Museum: Daily Activities
All Ages | Every day you can receive an activity to work on with your children, as well as informative articles and podcasts about play and learning at home. Sign up for the daily email or visit the website archive of activities.
Brave Writer
Ages 5-18 | (cost) Focuses on establishing writing voice and the writing process by helping parents foster the right environment for writing risks. Instruction in how to nurture and draw out the writing voices of children without causing damage or making writing a chore.
Education Above All: Project-Based Learning
Ages 4-14 | A bank of educational projects that are across subjects, interdisciplinary, engaging and do not require any technology to be implemented. The projects are designed for different age groups and have low resource requirements.
Home Science Tools
All Ages | (cost) Homeschool science curriculum & kits for home, co-op, or school.
Khan Academy
Pre K - Grade 12 | Trusted nonprofit with the mission to provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere. Offers practice exercises, instructional videos, and a personalized learning dashboard that empower learners to study at their own pace with a focus on skill mastery to help learners establish strong foundation. Math, science, computing, history, art history, economics, and more, including K-14 and test preparation (SAT, Praxis, LSAT) content.
Knowledge on the Go
Ages 2-18 | Written materials, lesson plans, and parent guides for math, ELA and science.
Lavender's Blue
K - Grade 3 |(cost) A full curriculum that captures the beauty, imagination, and flexibility of the Waldorf method without adding overwhelm. Includes step-by-step guidance, imaginative lessons, detailed daily lesson plans, fully planned out circle, math practice activities, and song recordings - broken down so you understand exactly what to do and when.
My Think Scape
Grades K-6 | Critical thinking resources including lesson plans, activities, paper crafts and more.
Oak Meadow
K - Grade 12 | (cost) Print-based, can be used independently by homeschoolers, or through enrollment in teacher-supported distance learning. Approach is compassionate and student-centered based on belief that children are sensitive and intelligent and that learning can be joyfully integrated into life. Aligns with rigorous academic standards, and it can be customized to meet students’ interests, skills, and learning styles.
Outschool
Ages 3-18 | (cost) Live online courses led by qualified teachers.
PBS Resources for Emergency Closings
Prek-Grade 12 | Packets of printable activities and lesson plans to download in al subject areas.
Playful Learning
Ages 4-8 | Online educational enrichment centered on the magic that takes place when you meld a child's natural sense of curiosity with thoughtfully planned learning experiences. Includes free science, reading, global studies, math, technology + engineering, social + emotional, writing, art, and well-being resources and lessons.
Project Explorer
Grades 3-12 | Free videos and lessons to inspire global citizens.
Teachers Pay Teachers
Grades K-12 | For educators - resources, printables, knowledge, and inspiration.
Time for Learning
Preschool - High School | (cost) Create individualized curriculum that complements your child’s learning style and imparts the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values you choose. Select different grade levels for each subject to customize for your child’s specific needs.
Varsity Tutors
All Grades | Free live online classes, personalized 1-on-1 tutoring, and complete learning-at-home solutions. Combines video chat, interactive tools, and collaborative workspaces so students can enjoy the benefits of face-to-face tutoring experience and connect instantly with a tutor at any time, for any issue..
Wonderopolis
Grades K-12 | Short videos and readings that answer various burning questions for students.
Bamboo Luminaries (Alexa Skill)
Middle-High School | Education-focused game that showcases prominent and lesser-known influential historical figures from diverse fields including architecture, art, film, geography, history, literature, music, science, social justice, and sports.
Breakout EDU
Grades K-12 | A collection of digital games that students can play at home.
Kahoot!
All Ages | Create and play learning games and trivia in any subject, in any topic, any language in minutes.
Plays.org
All Ages | Hundreds of free educational and fun online games which can quickly be played from the browser with no app downloads.
Quizlet
Ages 4+ | Practice and master whatever your are learning. From flashcards to help you learn francais, to games that make it easy to get a handle on history, use a variety of tools to conquer any challenge.
Smash, Boom, Best (a podcast from Brains On!)
All Ages | A debate show for kids and families. Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Cats versus Dogs. Pizza versus Tacos. Super Speed versus Super Strength. Debaters use facts and passion to make their case...teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.
Middle-High School | Education-focused game that showcases prominent and lesser-known influential historical figures from diverse fields including architecture, art, film, geography, history, literature, music, science, social justice, and sports.
Breakout EDU
Grades K-12 | A collection of digital games that students can play at home.
Kahoot!
All Ages | Create and play learning games and trivia in any subject, in any topic, any language in minutes.
Plays.org
All Ages | Hundreds of free educational and fun online games which can quickly be played from the browser with no app downloads.
Quizlet
Ages 4+ | Practice and master whatever your are learning. From flashcards to help you learn francais, to games that make it easy to get a handle on history, use a variety of tools to conquer any challenge.
Smash, Boom, Best (a podcast from Brains On!)
All Ages | A debate show for kids and families. Every episode takes two cool things, smashes them together and lets you decide which is best. Cats versus Dogs. Pizza versus Tacos. Super Speed versus Super Strength. Debaters use facts and passion to make their case...teaching listeners how to defend their own opinions along the way.