Oak Meadow vs Blossom and Root
The main differences
Both draw on Waldorf ideas, with nature, stories, art and hands-on projects. Oak Meadow sells printed coursebooks from pre-K to 12th grade, and up to 3rd grade one coursebook of 36 weekly lessons covers every subject, math included; the 3rd grade print package was $584.25 on sale. Blossom and Root is PDF only, runs from preschool to 6th grade, leaves out math, spelling, handwriting and history, and its 3rd grade full bundle was $162. All of Blossom and Root's sales are final.
| Oak Meadow | Blossom and Root | |
|---|---|---|
| Subjects | All subjects: math, language arts, science and history and geography | Language arts and science |
| Grades | Pre-K to 12th grade | Preschool to 6th grade (Level 6 still being finished) |
| Method | Waldorf | Charlotte Mason, Waldorf |
| Format | Books and workbooks | Books and workbooks |
| Faith label | Secular | Secular |
| Cost a year | $584.25. 3rd Grade Package in print (coursebook for all subjects, resource book, cursive workbook, recorder songbook and literature books): $584.25 on sale, list price $615. A digital version is $327.60 on sale (list $468). A teaching guide, crafts book and health book are recommended extras. | $162. Third Grade (Level 3) Full Bundle, PDF downloads for a year of science, language arts and literature, nature study and art: $162 in the publisher's own online store. Books, supplies and math are not included. |
| Placement | None on the publisher's site | None on the publisher's site |
| Parent time | Not stated by the publisher | Not stated by the publisher |
| It fits | A family that wants a gentle, arts-rich year in print, with stories, crafts and nature woven into each week. | A family that wants a gentle, hands-on year built around nature, books and art, and is happy to choose its own math. |
| It doesn't fit | A family that wants a low-cost plan, lessons on a screen, or a program the child works through alone. | A family that wants every subject in one box, printed books, or a program that carries on into middle school. |
Oak Meadow
Oak Meadow is a Waldorf-inspired curriculum from preschool to 12th grade, sold as print coursebooks (or digital) for families to teach at home; its enrolled distance-learning school is a separate option. From kindergarten to 3rd grade each grade is one coursebook of 36 weekly lessons, each with a story, covering language arts, math, science, social studies, art, music and crafts, along with a resource book and literature. Children in the early grades spend about 3 to 4 hours a day on the work.
Does well: Kindergarten to 3rd grade fits in one coursebook per grade, with weekly planners, assignment checklists and a materials list.
Watch for: The 3rd grade package is $584.25 on sale, and the teaching guide, crafts book and health book are recommended extras.
Blossom and Root
Blossom and Root is a nature-based curriculum inspired by Charlotte Mason and Waldorf, sold as PDF downloads from preschool to 6th grade. A grade level such as Level 3 gives 36 weeks of weekly prompts for science, literature read-alouds, narration, copywork and journaling, nature study and art, and you can buy the full bundle or single subjects. Math, books and supplies are not part of a grade bundle, and U.S. history is sold as separate volumes.
Does well: Each week of Level 3 typically takes about 30 to 45 minutes for the parent to prepare, and supplies are kept minimal.
Watch for: Math, spelling, handwriting and history are not in the grade bundles, so you add them yourself.
Lists with both
How we label
Every fact on a card was read on the publisher's own website on the date shown, and the page it came from is linked. A fact we could not confirm there is left out. Costs are for one child and one year of the main package, as the publisher's page showed them that day; prices and sales change. Method and format are the publisher's own description where it gives one. The only thing we say about religion is one label, secular or faith-based, given by the rule above; where the publisher's pages don't settle it, the card has no label.
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