Yes, our curriculum is faith-based, thoughtfully integrating Christian teachings, values, and sometimes Scripture across various subjects. For example, our Scripture Scribes series combines handwriting practice with daily Bible verses and reflective questions. We long to serve our King in everything we do.

Our materials are intentionally designed to complement various homeschooling philosophies. We have a gentle approach that aligns us with Charlotte Mason, but we also teach things like Latin that are more in the Classical tradition. We find that our products can be used on their own or alongside any curriculum.

We have produced a range of faith-friendly books and supportive material to fill gaps we have seen over the years. While homeschooling my own children, writing, and selling curriculum, I discovered "holes" in what is generally available out there. 

Here at Laurelwood Books, we offer support with spelling, grammar, Latin, handwriting, dictation, scripture, study guides based on historical fiction, poetry — and very soon, math.

We highly encourage you to browse our shop to see our full range of curriculum and supplemental materials.

Yes, we include cursive in most of our books, including dot-to-dot tracing to aid those not familiar with this skill. 

Our handwriting programs also intentionally incorporate cursive instruction. Both our Scripture Scribes and Patriotic Penmanship series begin with print (manuscript) practice and provide a guided transition into cursive.

Our Patriotic Penmanship: Transition to Cursive features do-to-dot for both manuscript and cursive practice. Children need to remember manuscript (what they see when reading) while learning the new cursive skill (for ease in writing).

Cursive is more than beautiful handwriting. It's a powerful skill with many lasting benefits. The fluid, continuous motion helps different parts of the brain to develop, supporting memory, focus, and learning. It can even play a role in emotional regulation. Research has shown that cursive can also help students with dyslexia or other learning challenges.

From a practical standpoint, cursive improves fine motor skills in younger students and becomes a time-saving tool for note-taking in higher education, like high school and college.

And let's not forget: children grow up! One day, they'll need to sign legal documents, checks, or forms with a signature that's uniquely theirs. They need time to practice in order to make their own mark.

Learning to read and write cursive also unlocks access to historical documents, personal letters, and other writings from the past  — a rare skill that connects the students of today to our nation's heritage in a meaningful way.

We generally recommend introducing cursive between grades 2 and 3, as your child shows interest and mastery over manuscript writing. However, it can be earlier or later.

Check out our options for beginning cursive practice:

• Scripture Scribes: In The Beginning (An Introduction to Cursive, Volume I)

• Scripture Scribes: Two Are Better than One (An Introduction to Cursive, Volume II)

• Patriotic Penmanship: Transition Manuscript to Cursive

Our Say It By Sight series is popular with students learning to read. While phonics is wonderful, there are many words in English which break the rules and can cause confusion to beginner readers. This series will aid your child in learning these pesky rule breakers, memorizing them, and gaining confidence to read independently.

We do! We offer several Latin resources tailored to different age groups. For our youngest students, Latin for Littles introduces Latin at a very gentle pace. Phonetic pronunciation is given for all the Latin words so even those who don't know Latin use this material. 

A step up from that is our Olim, Once Upon a Time in Latin series. Familiar stories are presented in English and translated into Latin. (Ex. Three little pigs, David and Goliath, The Prodigal Son). We have ten readers with workbooks and optional audio files. No prior Latin needed.

Want more? We also have a series for older children (junior high and high school age): two volumes of Derivatives and three volumes on Verbs. These titles teach more difficult words and how our language comes from them.

With the exception of readers and audio files, most of our products are designed as consumables, intended for individual student use to provide a comprehensive experience. This approach allows each student to engage fully with the material, completing exercises and activities tailored to their learning journey.

We understand that every child is unique, and our curriculum is crafted to be flexible and adaptable. While our materials are designed to be age-appropriate and presented in manageable segments, we encourage parents to assess their child's specific needs. Our resources can often be tailored to accommodate various learning styles and challenges, allowing students to progress at a comfortable pace.

For example, our Spelling Strategies series has been set up to help all! Writing words in specifically sized "boxes" helps children remember which letter goes where. Also a little asterisk shows children where to begin. Our See it, Say it, Write it, Spell it prompts also help with memory. 

We encourage you to browse our shop and see what materials could be a good fit for your child.

Absolutely! Our materials are designed to be flexible. Use them by themselves or as a complement to other programs and curriculums.