Life of Fred Review – Math and Language Arts Homeschool Curriculum

After years of researching math curricula, I’ve found something special. Life of Fred isn’t just about math; it’s a game-changer, especially for kids not loving math or those needing a bit of extra help. In this Life of Fred review, we’ll uncover the story behind their language arts books and answer the big question: Can Life of Fred make homeschooling math an exciting adventure? Let’s find out together!

We’ll also delve into the pros and cons of the program and families this will suit or not suit.

Let’s go.

Affiliate links are used in this review.

What is Life of Fred Math?

Life of Fred is a cool way to learn math and other subjects at home.

It’s like a storybook series that teaches math from kindergarten to high school.

The main character is Fred, a smart five-year-old who’s a math teacher at Kittens University. The books are fun and teach math as part of Fred’s adventures.

It’s great for kids in 1st-4th grade, starting with the book “Apples.”

Parents like it when teaching math is tricky, and kids find it tough.

Unlike regular math lessons, Life of Fred uses stories instead of boring workbooks.

There are no toys involved, and the lessons are short. The stories make math practical and easy to understand.

You only need to buy it once because the books aren’t meant to be used up. They’re good for all your kids.

It’s not super hard, and there aren’t too many questions or lessons. Some like that, especially if you do school in only four days a week. Others might want more lessons. But overall, Life of Fred makes learning math fun and different.

Pros and Cons

LOF is much loved by many people around the world, but like any homeschool curriculum, you need to weigh its pros and cons.

Let’s take a look.

Pros

Some things people who review Life of Fred LOVE include:

1. Designed for Students to Use Independently: The author wrote the series to be used by children who can read the books independently, reducing the time parents need to be present.
2. Fun Learning with Stories: Fred’s adventures make math fun and easy to understand, creating a positive learning experience.
3. Good for Different Ages: Works for kids from kindergarten to high school, saving money for families with more than one child.
4. Real-Life Math: Shows how math is used in real life through stories, making it practical and interesting.
5. Reuseable Books: You can use the books for all your kids, so you don’t have to buy new ones each time.
6. Short Lessons: Lessons are short, which is good for keeping kids focused and not overwhelmed.
7. No Setup Hassle: It’s an open-and-go curriculum, meaning parents don’t have to spend a lot of time planning.
8. Gifted and Special Needs Suitable: Lessons can be used to help gifted students or slowed down to be used by special needs students.

Cons

1. Not Many Review Questions: Some lessons may lack enough practice questions in the books for a thorough understanding. The books are supposed to be repeated up to three times, but I suspect children might get bored with the continual repetition of the material can only imagine my child would be enormously bored if they had to repeat it more than once. BUT LOF publishes additional practice books for extra work.
2. Lessons Might Be Too Short: While short lessons can be good, some kids may find them too brief, wanting more depth in each session.
3. No Hands-On Stuff: It doesn’t use things like toys to help understand math, which could be a downside for some learners.
4. Not for Every Learning Style: Some kids might not like learning math through stories and prefer a more traditional approach.
5. Concerns About Body Image: Some parents feel there is body shaming in the storyline.
6. Author’s Values Might Clash: The author promotes screen-free ideas and healthy eating, which might not align with everyone’s beliefs and practices. Also, it is considered by some as ‘preachy’.
7. Might Take Longer Than Expected: If you don’t get the right level of books, it may lead to more frustration and for lessons to take longer.

Families This Will/Won’t Suit

This curriculum is a real hit with some families but doesn’t suit others.

Families This Will Suit Best

These include:

• Families seeking an engaging and unconventional approach to homeschooling.
• Children who find traditional math education challenging or less enjoyable.
• Parents appreciating a narrative-driven curriculum with entertaining stories.
• Families with multiple children, as Life of Fred is non-consumable.
• Those who prefer a less structured approach to learning.
• Children who enjoy the integration of various subjects into their education.

The program is a wonderful fit for so many homeschool families.

Families It Won’t Suit:

These include:

• Families looking for a more traditional or structured math curriculum.
• Those desiring a program with a daily lesson structure and extensive review questions.
• Families with children requiring a highly intensive or accelerated math education.
• Those preferring a curriculum with a heavy focus on hands-on manipulatives.
• Parents seeking a comprehensive and in-depth approach to advanced learning in math.

Weigh up whether this is the program for you. It certainly won’t suit everyone.

Life of Fred Book Order

The first book in the Life of Fred series is Apples. It is followed by a number of other books in alphabetical order.

Elementary Life of Fred Book Order- Apples, Butterflies, Cats etc

The first 10 books you can buy in a series of books are:

• Apples (Grades 1-4),
• Butterflies (Grades 1-4),
• Cats (Grades 1-4),
• Dogs (Grades 1-4),
• Edgewood (Grades 2-5),
• Farming (Grades 2-5),
• Goldfish (Grades 2-5),
• Honey (Grades 2-5),
• Ice Cream (Grades 2-5) and,
• Jellybeans (Grades 2-5).

This is the Life of Fred Elementary Series.

Life of Fred Apples

Let’s take a look at what you get in the very first book to help you decide if this is for your family.

Buying Options

You can buy these in 10 book packs, 4 book packs or individually. Each book will last around 3 weeks. But they’re designed to be read and re-read.

If you’re going to use it as an elementary curriculum for math, it makes sense to buy the 10-book series.

Also, you can make the curriculum more complete by purchasing their additional practice books that help kids practice more problems than are in the books alone.

Is Life of Fred Enough for a Homeschool Math Curriculum?

Life of Fred Language Arts Books

Other Books by Life of Fred

LOF also teaches Chemistry and Financial Education.

How Much Does the Life of Fred Math Curriculum Cost?

Cost of Life of Fred is about $200 for the first series of the elementary curriculum which covers 10 books. This will cover you for around grades K to 5.

Is Life of Fred Accredited?

• BJU Press,
• Abeka, or
• Acellus Academy.

Although accreditation isn’t necessary, some parents like to have it. Check out this page for accredited homeschool curriculum options.

Become an Expert at Homeschooling!

Want to become an expert at homeschooling? Well, you could take years to do it, or you could do the Homeschool Parenting Program.

This affordable, online course for new homeschool parents will teach you all the important things you need to know about home education including choosing homeschool curriculum and organizing your homeschool.

If you don’t want to commit to a homeschool course, SUBSCRIBE to my informative Youtube Channel, How to Homeschool here. 

Or you can look at these helpful articles:

• Self-Paced Homeschooling Curricula
• Open-and-Go Packages
• Family-Style Homeschool Programs
• Accredited Homeschool Curriculum

You’re sure to find something you love here.