Not sure what level to start at? Take a free reading or math check first. It is about ten minutes and shows you where your child actually is, so you buy the right level instead of guessing. Free reading check. Free math check.
You are probably here because you already have a literature-based curriculum and you just need the skills to pair with it. Fair enough. But if you are open to seeing something else that is built to teach thinking and real science, history, art, and applied math, consider trying the first free unit study part of The Living Year (this is what I'm building for my own family).
Get a full free unitWhy you pair, not replace
Reading and math are skill subjects. A child needs them taught in order, at their own level, a little every day.
Content subjects like history and science are different: they can come from one good book shared across ages.
So a literature-based program carries the content, and you bring a dedicated phonics and math program for the skills.
Trying to get phonics out of a storybook alone usually leaves gaps.
The best phonics programs to add
All About Reading is the most popular option and honestly one of the best. It's Orton-Gillingham based, scripted, and open-and-go, so even a parent who has never taught reading can run it. It comes with lots of games and is inexpensive. You can use it from PreK until phonics skills are built in.
Logic of English Foundations is the second most popular option. It's a bit more expensive than All About Reading, but it's thorough and multisensory, a good fit if you want structure, although it's less open and go. Where it stands out is that it's exceptional for struggling readers, and it provides more instruction than just reading.
Explode the Code is a good budget pick: inexpensive consumable workbooks that march through phonics in order.
Hooked on Phonics is the gamified app-and-workbook option, familiar and gentle, good for a child who likes a screen-based reward loop.
Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons is a single inexpensive book that takes many families all the way to reading. This is what I plan on starting with for my boys. It's open-and-go and very easy to use, but it does tend to be a love it or hate it problem. You can easily see sample pages on Amazon.
The best math programs to add
Math with Confidence (Kate Snow) is usually one of the most popular options. It's gentle, scripted, and open-and-go, built around short lessons with games, movement, and real-life math, written by a Harvard math graduate.
All About Math (All About Learning Press) is the newest pick, and a natural fit if you already use All About Reading. It is scripted and open-and-go, with short, multisensory, mastery-based lessons for kindergarten through about grade five, in the same teaching style as their reading program. Levels are mastery-paced, so they do not line up exactly with grade. It is new, so check current level availability on their site.
Singapore / Dimensions Math is the pick for deep conceptual understanding: concrete to pictorial to abstract, with bar modeling. It's based on the math curriculum used in Singapore, which has excellent results on standardized testing.
RightStart Math is an extremely hands-on option, built around an abacus and games rather than worksheets, good for a child who needs to see and touch the math. It's not recommended so often because it's expensive, but this is my pick for my sons in the early years.
Khan Academy is free and solid as a supplement, or as a full spine if budget is the priority.
How to choose
Pick one phonics and one math; you do not need more. For the gentlest match to a book-based year, Math with Confidence plus All About Reading is hard to beat, and if you already use All About Reading, its new companion All About Math keeps the same open-and-go style. For hands-on kids, RightStart. For an affordable, thorough worksheet program, Math Mammoth. For the tightest budget, Explode the Code plus Khan Academy. Preview a sample lesson before you buy a full level.
Where The Living Year fits
The Living Year is the content side of your homeschool: one beautiful book a season turned into real science, history, art, and thinking, for ages 4 to 9, secular and faith-friendly. Pair it with one phonics and one math from above and you have the whole early-years picture handled. See The Living Year. Owl Moon is coming soon.
The fastest way to feel the book-based half is the free unit.
Get the free unitAffiliate disclosure: some links above are affiliate links. Shopping through them supports The Living Year at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
FAQ
Does a literature-based curriculum include phonics and math?
Usually not. It covers content like science, history, and art, and you add a dedicated phonics and math program for the skills.
What's the best math to pair with a book-based curriculum?
For a gentle match, Math with Confidence or Simply Charlotte Mason's arithmetic. For hands-on kids, RightStart. For a low-cost, thorough option, Math Mammoth. Khan Academy if you want free.
How do I know what level to start my child at?
Do a quick readiness check before you buy. The free reading assessment and free math assessment take about ten minutes and show you where to start.
What's the best phonics to pair?
All About Reading is the most-recommended, open-and-go pick. Explode the Code is the budget option.
Do I need both phonics and math right away?
Reading and early math, yes, a little daily. Writing can come later.