This post is a review of Idlewild and Company’s Bible and nature study curriculum.
I’m excited to share a review of Idlewild & Company’s Bible and nature study curriculum. I had been curious about Idlewild & Company for a while after seeing glimpses on Instagram. However, I had not seen many people sharing about it in my quest for more information.
The Organic Studies is the nature study, and The Word Studies is the Bible curriculum. I’ll refer to them as their proper titles here. I didn’t realize what a brilliant idea blending these two subjects was until teaching these lessons. They go together hand-in-hand so seamlessly!
I’m hoping after reading this post, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect with this curriculum and how it may fit within your homeschool or not. I will share everything I wish I knew before using it.
This post is our full review of the Idlewild & Company Word and Organic Studies.
Idlewild & Company: Curriculum Review
I first noticed Idlewild & Company on Instagram, and it looked like an encouraging and engaging curriculum. Jenese, the creator of the curriculum, reached out to ask if I wanted to try one of her studies for review. In looking at the samples, and in thinking of the ages of my children (then 7, 10, and 13 years old) I was drawn to The Word Studies.
The Word Studies is designed for elementary aged students, but I easily and joyfully use it with all of my children even outside of this age bracket. The look of the study was different from others because there were no colorful illustrations, nothing to cut out or color.
In fact, there was no color at all. Just black and white pages, without pictures, just words. Not just any words though. It was the Word of God, and also provided a great script for parents to read aloud to break down each passage to make it meaningful and relatable to a child.
As we went through these lessons, I soon realized how it had become the most important work in our homeschool. The heart of Idlewild & Co and the intentionality behind each word, and the simplistic design, is solid and genuine.
The Word Studies
The Word Studies is a 34-week long Bible study that does an amazing job of linking nature to God’s word. Each week, there are typically 4 lessons that can take about 10-15 minutes each. The fact that each lesson is rooted in Scripture, ties it to nature, and has meaning and depth in the discussion and application is so beautiful.
Each day is designed with parent-led discussions in mind. One of my favorite parts is how there is a “Bearing Testimony” section on particular lessons where you are encouraged to share something from your own walk with Jesus that relates to the lesson. This sparked a few great discussions, and prompted my children to realize that mom is a person who has lived some life too.
I cannot fully express how impressed I am with this curriculum. It brings the Bible to life for us as a family by making connections to nature and our personal experiences. There are no bells or whistles, but does the Bible need anything more than reading and reflection?
The Organic Studies
Okay, so The Word Studies impressed me SO much, that I had to see how The Organic Studies paired along with it. The Organic Studies is 34-week nature study curriculum that is designed as secular, and matches lesson for lesson alongside The Word Studies.
Areas of study:
- Science (including Botany, Zoology, Oceanography, Geology, and Astronomy – see topic list below!)
- Art
- Language Arts
- Letter Work (for younger children)
- Creative Movement
- Naturalist History/Field Specific Historical Highlights
- Nature Exploration
- Play
While the Word Studies are fitting for all ages in my opinion, the Organic Studies are better suited for the elementary years. My middle schooler listened in at times, but we agreed it was more exciting for the younger children. It has the same minimalist design with no illustrations or color, however, it does include a suggested booklist for each unit.
If you have preschool through 5-6th grade aged students, this would be a great addition! The two studies work incredibly well together, and I would highly recommend both for nature and Bible appreciation. It can easily integrate with your morning time rhythm.
Do You Need The Word and The Organic Studies
If you can only afford the time or money to use one of these, I would highly recommend the Word Studies because it works for all ages and has been so impactful in our morning time. However, if you can, and you have elementary aged children, I would completely recommend using these together as designed!
It is structured in tandem so you would do your Organic Studies first, and then follow it up with the supplemental Word Studies lesson. Together, they can take about 30 minutes for 4 days a week. Fitting for a morning time lesson or night time lesson as a family. They pair together effortlessly, and help both nature and Bible come alive so well.
Additional Books Suggested
The Word Studies is easy, and you don’t need any supplemental books. You can use your Bible, but any referenced Scripture is printed within the daily lesson pages.
The Organic Studies includes a robust picture book list. A handful are required in that they are referenced often, while many are suggested and referenced, but not totally necessary. Our approach was to borrow everything we could from the library, and forgo the books our library did not have. I would just need to remember to renew my borrowed books if we needed them longer than the allowable time. It can get pricey if you decide to purchase each book recommended.
This summer, we’ll be giving their art curriculum, The Art Studies a whirl. If you have any other questions about Idlewild & Co curriculum, let me know in the comments! You can use my code “juiceboxhomeschool” for 10% off anything in their shop!
This post was all about our experience and review of Idlewild & Co nature and Bible studies.
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