Homeschool Curriculum Kits: What Canadian Families Need to Know Before Buying

A homeschool curriculum kit is appealing for the same reason a meal kit is appealing: everything arrives in one box, someone has already figured out the sequence, and you just have to execute. For a parent starting homeschool for the first time, the promise of opening a box and having a full year laid out is genuinely attractive.

The problem in Canada is that almost every major curriculum kit is made in the United States, and the contents reflect that. The history units are American history. The social studies lessons are about US communities. The math uses cups and inches. The Thanksgiving unit is in November.

Before you spend $300–$600 CAD (landed, after exchange and shipping) on a curriculum kit, here's what to check.

What a "Curriculum Kit" Typically Contains

A full curriculum kit at the elementary level typically includes:

• Student workbooks or textbooks for each subject
• Teacher manuals with lesson plans and answer keys
• Readers or literature selections
• Manipulatives (math blocks, flashcards, hands-on materials)
• Assessment tools (tests, portfolios, checklists)

Kits range from all-subject bundles (everything for a full year) to single-subject kits (just math, or just language arts). All-subject kits are the most popular with new homeschoolers because they reduce the number of decisions.

The Major Curriculum Kits Used in Canada

Timberdoodle A US-based kit company that curates materials from multiple publishers into grade-level bundles. Popular because the curation is genuinely thoughtful — they've already evaluated individual components for quality. Downside for Canadians: the bundles are US-oriented (US history, US-focused science units), and the shipping cost to Canada is high. Landing cost for a full grade-level kit runs $400–$600 CAD.

BookShark Literature-based curriculum kits built around read-alouds and living books. Strong for families who want a Charlotte Mason-adjacent approach with more structure. History cycles through US and world history — the early cycles (A and B) are more globally oriented, which reduces the Canadian adaptation burden. Shipping to Canada is expensive but the digital options reduce cost.

Sonlight Similar to BookShark in format (they're from the same origin). World History options at the early grades are more Canada-friendly than the US History cycles. Strong literature selection. Shipping cost is the primary Canadian challenge.

Abeka Grade-Level Kits Traditional, textbook-heavy kits from a Christian publisher. Comprehensive scope and sequence. Very US-centric in social studies and history. Available from some Canadian distributors. Works well for families who want structured, academically rigorous instruction and are comfortable adapting the history component.

Schoolio Grade Bundles A Canadian option. Digital delivery only, so no shipping cost, no customs duties. Canadian content by default. Aligned with Canadian provincial curricula. Less physically elaborate than a Timberdoodle or BookShark kit (no printed materials, no manipulatives included), but the content is curriculum-ready. The best fit for families who want Canadian content and digital convenience.

Buying Used Christian Curriculum

Many Canadian families choose to buy used curriculum — particularly used Christian curriculum — to offset the high cost of US materials. This is a practical strategy that works well with some caveats.

Where to find used Christian curriculum in Canada: - Facebook groups: "Used Homeschool Curriculum Canada," "Alberta Homeschool Curriculum Sale," "Ontario Homeschool Buy/Sell" - Kijiji (Canada's classified platform) — active market for used homeschool materials in major cities - Local co-op used curriculum sales — AHEA (Alberta Home Education Association) holds annual sales - Homeschool convention sales tables — many conventions include used curriculum sales rooms

What to check when buying used: - Edition year — curriculum publishers update editions regularly. A 2018 edition of a math curriculum may differ significantly from 2024. Verify the edition is compatible with any teacher's manual you're buying separately. - Completeness — student workbooks that have been written in are not reusable. Ask specifically whether student pages have been used. Teacher's manuals are typically clean and reusable. - Missing pieces — manipulatives sets often lose components. Ask what's included. - Digital components — some curricula include digital access codes. Used codes may be expired or non-transferable.

Used Christian curriculum pricing benchmarks: A $200 USD new curriculum box in good used condition typically sells for $60–$100 CAD. Teacher's manuals alone often sell for $20–$40 CAD. Textbooks without consumable pages sell for $15–$30 CAD each.

The Total Cost Calculation for Curriculum Kits

The sticker price on a US curriculum kit website is not the Canadian cost. Here's how the math actually works:

Example: Timberdoodle Grade 1 Elite Kit - List price: approximately $450 USD - CAD at 1.38 exchange: ~$621 CAD - Shipping to Canada: ~$80–$120 USD - Customs duties: variable (0–18% depending on contents and declared value) - Realistic landed cost: $750–$900 CAD

For the same investment, a Canadian family could buy: - Schoolio Grade 1 digital bundle: ~$200 CAD (no shipping) - Singapore Math workbooks (metric edition): ~$60 CAD - All About Reading Level 1 (from Canadian distributor): ~$100 CAD - Local library for supplemental books: free - Total: ~$360 CAD with full Canadian content

The kit is convenient. It's also expensive. And for Canadian families, it's expensive and requires adaptation.

Making an Informed Decision

The right curriculum kit depends on your priorities: convenience, budget, Canadian content, worldview, and how much time you have for adaptation. A family with strong preferences and time to modify US materials might find a Timberdoodle or Sonlight kit worth the cost. A family who wants to minimize modification and shipping hassle will be better served by Canadian-first options.

The Canada Curriculum Matching Matrix at homeschoolstartguide.com/ca/curriculum/ includes a full comparison of major curriculum kits and grade-level bundles — including the true Canadian landed cost, Canadian content rating, and provincial funding eligibility. It's the fastest way to understand the real cost difference between options before you commit to several hundred dollars in a box from the US.

The first homeschool curriculum kit decision is the one most likely to be regretted. Take the time to compare before ordering.

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