How To Create Your Unschooling Curriculum (5 Easy Steps!)

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Are you confident that your child would benefit from unschooling, following their passions, and learning through life experience, but you’re afraid that would mean a chaotic daily life?

I used to feel that way, too. As a single mom leaning toward unschooling, I worried that our days would turn into a chaotic whirlwind of activities with no structure. But then, I developed a system for creating a flexible unschooling plan that works for my desire for order and my kids’ need for freedom. These plans help us explore every subject area in a natural, unschooling way.

I’m excited to show you how I do it in this post!

Table of Contents

Unschooling Curriculum: A Playful Contradiction

I know what you’re thinking—“unschooling curriculum” sounds like a contradiction, right? And in the traditional sense, it is. The whole point of unschooling is to learn through exploring interests and everyday life, not following a prepared curriculum. So, the idea of having an unschooling curriculum might seem a bit odd.

However, it is possible for an unschooling child, especially an older one, to choose to join a class or follow a curriculum when their interest leads them to it. For the most part, though, unschoolers don’t use a set unschooling curriculum.

Some parents are great at dropping everything to help their child dive into a new passion. They might scratch their dinner plans and order take-out for a last-minute library trip, or let kids stay up late to discuss a newfound hobby. These are wonderful ways to connect and learn if they work for you.

But I could never do unschooling that way. As an introverted, working, single mom, I often felt burnt out by the need to be “on call” for my kids’ interests. The truth is, guiding your child’s education is a big job, and always being available can be overwhelming!

I found that my kids’ questions and new interests often popped up when I was making dinner, needed some time alone, or wanted to go to bed (one of my kids is a huge night owl!). I needed a way to unschool within my boundaries, and one of those boundaries is having a plan for our days.

But I also needed my plans to be flexible enough to go with the flow and follow those intriguing rabbit trails that learning often leads us down. Here’s how I create those plans, but first…

Before You Create Your Unschooling Plan

Before diving into how to create an unschooling plan (or flexible framework), here are a few steps I recommend taking to ensure you don’t undermine the whole point of unschooling:

Deschool

Deschooling is essential to getting into the right mindset for unschooling. It’s about taking time to explore, have fun, and recognize that learning is happening all the time. For parents, it also involves letting go of old beliefs about what learning “should” look like and embracing a more natural learning process that unfolds in everyday life.

Create a Rich Learning Environment

Unschooling thrives on offering a variety of learning options. Even if you’re choosing to create an unschooling plan, don’t neglect the environment. Make areas in your home “yes” spaces where kids can freely explore. Here are some ideas:

Discovery Station: Include tools like a microscope or binoculars for kids to explore with.
Art Station: Provide drawing utensils, paper, glue, stickers, and other materials for creative expression.
Book Nook: Set up a cozy spot with books, magazines, and journals.
Pretend Play Area: Offer costumes, play food, and dolls—great for younger kids but fun for older ones too!
Building Zones: Stock with building blocks, Legos, or K’NEX.
Activity Shelves: Use Montessori-style trays or shelves with board games, activity boxes, etc.

Let Go of Expectations

Deschooling helps to let go of expectations and assumptions from the traditional school mindset — but it’s important to really let them go before creating an unschooling plan. If you start with the expectation of following a plan perfectly, it might not work out well! Remember, unschooling is about offering opportunities for learning, not forcing it.

How to Create an Unschooling Curriculum

Here’s the process I use for creating a flexible unschooling plan for my kids.

Step 1: Get to Know Your Child

We know our kids pretty well as parents, but there is always so much more to learn! I like to spend some time with each child at the beginning of each year (and about once a quarter throughout the year) talking about their interests, so I can get a better idea of the kind of resources they would like to use.

These conversations usually happen naturally as we spend time together, but I’ve found that checking in once a quarter is helpful to make sure I’m aligned with their evolving interests.

During these chats, I also take note of where each child is at with math concepts, language arts skills, and other areas. Knowing what skills they already have helps me offer resources that can support their next steps.

Step 2: Create Goals

Goal-setting is a great skill for kids to learn, and it’s something I incorporate into our unschooling approach. At the beginning of each school year (and again about once a quarter), we discuss our goals.

When my kids were younger, these discussions were brief and straightforward. I remember one year, Q’s goal was to learn to do a cartwheel! Now, her goals revolve around posting animation videos to her YouTube channel regularly.

These conversations aren’t about pushing them toward specific achievements but rather about getting them to think about what they want to learn and accomplish. It also helps me understand what’s important to them so I can better support their goals and interests while naturally incorporating math, reading, writing, and other subjects.

Step 3: Choose Basic Resources

Once I have a sense of my kids’ current interests and goals, I start by gathering some basic resources. I like to choose things that are not a huge investment in case their interest dwindles or their curiosity is satisfied quickly.

This usually means a trip to the library! I’ll pick up a variety of books related to their interests. But we’ll also look for podcasts, websites, videos and other media resources.

While I’m at the library, I also grab a few additional books on math, science, language, and social studies topics to strew around the house. I try to do this every month (though it doesn’t always happen that often.) This way, there’s always something new for them to discover and explore.

Step 4: Create Unschooling Unit Studies

I don’t really call them “unit studies,” but that’s the closest term to what they are. When my kids show a deeper interest in a topic that goes beyond a few books or basic resources, I know it’s time to support them further. This might involve investing more time and money into additional resources, like buying a book or planning a field trip. I get to have a lot of fun here! For example, I might include:

Media: When my kids were interested in dinosaurs, we read lots of books on dinosaurs and watched “Dino Dan” and “Dino Dana”. We also listened to podcasts like “Brains On!” that have episodes about paleontology.
Field Trips: We love taking field trips to places that align with our current interests. I’m currently trying to find a humane society or something similar to visit since my kids both love animals. I like to plan field trips at least once a month (but the more the better!)
Games: I like to find games that match what they’re learning about. For example, when my kids were interested in ecosystems, we played the board game “Photosynthesis,” which teaches about the life cycle of trees.
Pretend Play: If you’re exploring ancient civilizations, you could set up a pretend archaeological dig in the backyard with buried “artifacts” for them to find. Or, if they’re into cooking, you can set up a pretend restaurant.
Hands-On Activities: If your kids are curious about electricity, put together a simple circuit with a light bulb and batteries.
Art Activities: Offer art supplies that align with an interest, such as mask making, when they’re interested in African culture.

Step 5: Real-World Application

I believe the best way to learn is by doing — and research supports this! Real-world experiences are key to learning, so why not make them a bigger part of your child’s education?

. If your kids are interested in something like creating new ice cream flavors, for example, encourage them to start a small business or a project around it. This hands-on approach naturally incorporates all subjects and helps them discover where they might need more knowledge or practice.

My 13 yo is currently building a dog training business and is learning a lot because of it!

For younger kids, you can do these activities together. For example, if you have kids interested in cooking, you can bake together or create new recipes.

Step 6: Reevaluate

Finally, I periodically take time to reassess whether an interest is fully supported or if there’s something missing. I usually have a running list of topics they’re interested in so I can find new resources to support those interests when I have time. I also keep an eye out for new interests that might emerge as we continue to explore and learn together.

Final Thoughts

I’ve found that planning our unschooling this way helps me to feel confident that my girls are getting the opportunities to learn they deserve while still allowing them the freedom they need to explore and learn on their own terms.

This approach has also made our homeschooling days more joyful and less stressful, as we’re all learning and growing together in a way that feels right for our family.