Five in a Row builds a love of learning through literature-based unit studies where families read the same classic children's book five days consecutively, exploring different subjects like social studies, science, art, math, and language arts through discussions and hands-on activities centered around each story. This gentle approach appeals to families seeking Charlotte Mason and unit study methods without rigid textbook structures, making it perfect for teaching multiple ages together since siblings can engage with the same story at their own developmental levels.
The curriculum spans ages 2-12 across eight volumes, with Before Five in a Row and More Before Five in a Row for preschoolers including Bible devotionals, while Volumes 1-8 for kindergarten through sixth grade focus on neutral content teaching positive character qualities without explicit religious references, though a separate Bible supplement is available. Each volume contains around 14-20 picture books or chapter books that families purchase or borrow from the library, and the teacher manual provides suggested activities you can pick and choose based on your child's interests rather than completing everything. The curriculum requires adding separate phonics, math, grammar, and spelling programs since it focuses primarily on integrated learning through literature, social studies, science, and art.
Parents love the flexibility to customize lessons, the beautiful literature selections, and how children retain concepts better through story-based learning, though some find the lack of pre-scheduled planning overwhelming initially and prefer more structure. The same-book-for-five-days approach can feel repetitive to children who prefer variety, though parents report most kids enjoy discovering new layers in stories with each reading. Acquiring multiple books per volume requires library visits or upfront book purchasing, and some classic titles can be challenging to locate. Browse the Five in a Row website for complete book lists and sample lessons to assess whether this literature-rich, discussion-based approach matches your teaching style and your child's learning preferences.
