A Gentle Feast is a Charlotte Mason-based homeschool curriculum for grades 1-12 that emphasizes living books, nature study, and family-style learning across four-year rotating cycles.
What is A Gentle Feast?
Created by homeschool veteran Julie Ross, A Gentle Feast offers a comprehensive Charlotte Mason curriculum spanning elementary through high school. The program organizes learning into four-year cycles, allowing families to teach multiple children together using rich literature, nature study, and the arts. Rather than textbook-driven instruction, A Gentle Feast relies on living books—engaging narratives written by passionate authors—to bring subjects alive. The curriculum covers everything except math, giving families flexibility to choose their preferred math program.
Key Takeaways
- Covers grades 1-12 through four Forms (grade groupings) on a rotating four-year cycle
- Emphasizes living books, narration, nature study, and habit training over textbooks
- Includes morning time routines with Bible, poetry, hymns, art study, and read-alouds
- Available in print or digital formats, with a new monthly membership option
- Does not include math—families choose their own math curriculum
Curriculum Structure
A Gentle Feast organizes students into Forms based on developmental stages. Form I covers grades 1-3, Form II handles grades 4-6, Form III targets grades 7-9, and Form IV serves high schoolers in grades 10-12. This grouping allows siblings of different ages to study the same historical period, science topics, and literature selections—just at different depths. The four-year cycle means you'll rotate through all content before repeating, keeping things fresh if you homeschool for the long haul.
What Sets It Apart
The morning time component stands out. Each day begins with family gathering for Bible reading, hymn singing, poetry recitation, picture study, composer study, and read-alouds. This shared ritual builds family culture and exposes children to beauty before diving into individual subjects. The curriculum also includes substantial parent guidance—a 90-page ebook covering Charlotte Mason philosophy, scheduling tips, narration techniques, and scope and sequence. For parents new to Charlotte Mason methods, this hand-holding proves invaluable.
Honest Limitations
Implementation costs can add up. While the curriculum itself is reasonably priced, purchasing all the living books gets expensive. Savvy families use libraries and Scribd subscriptions to offset this. The high school program, while faithful to Charlotte Mason ideals, lacks formal literary analysis—students read classics but don't engage in the structured study that college-prep programs emphasize. Science coverage leans lighter than families wanting rigorous STEM preparation might prefer. For some families, these aren't limitations; they're features of the Charlotte Mason approach.
Who This Works For
Families drawn to literature-rich, gentle-paced education will find A Gentle Feast a natural fit. It shines for households with multiple children spanning different grades—the family-style approach makes teaching siblings together practical rather than chaotic. Parents valuing beauty, nature, and character formation alongside academics appreciate the integrated approach. If you want an open-and-go Charlotte Mason curriculum without designing everything yourself, this delivers. If you need rigorous STEM or structured literary analysis for college prep, look elsewhere or plan to supplement.
The Bottom Line
A Gentle Feast represents one of the most accessible entry points into Charlotte Mason homeschooling. Julie Ross has done the heavy lifting of book selection, scheduling, and method explanation. The curriculum works particularly well for families wanting to learn together across age groups while immersing children in quality literature and the arts. Book costs require budget planning, and families with college-bound high schoolers may need to supplement certain subjects. For the right family, it transforms homeschool days into something genuinely enriching.
