Mater Amabilis Homeschool Curriculum: FREE, Catholic & Charlotte Mason

Mater Amabilis is a free Catholic Charlotte Mason homeschool curriculum for families who want a literature-rich education with strong Catholic formation.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog post. If you want to do my course on how to homeschool, click here.

It is not a boxed curriculum. It is not video-based. And it is definitely not the kind of program where you open a workbook, press play, and let the day run itself.

Instead, Mater Amabilis gives you online syllabi, booklists, schedules, subject plans, and guidance for teaching in a structured Charlotte Mason style. You’ll find living books, narration, nature study, poetry, picture study, music appreciation, history, geography, science, Shakespeare, religion, and more.

The big appeal is obvious: the curriculum plans are free.

But free does not mean effortless.

You will still need to source books, read aloud in the younger years, adapt the plans to your family, keep your own records, and work out whether the Catholic theology fits your home.

So, is Mater Amabilis worth considering?

For Catholic Charlotte Mason families, yes — absolutely. It is one of the most generous free homeschool resources available.

For Protestant Christian families, I would be more cautious. You may still love the booklists and Charlotte Mason structure, but the religion component is explicitly Catholic, so you would need to adapt it or use it only as a supplement.

Affiliate links used on this website.

What is the Mater Amabilis Homeschool Curriculum?

Mater Amabilis is a free homeschool curriculum written for Catholic homeschoolers.

The program is delivered through an online medium and is available for anyone to use at any time.

This program is also a Charlotte Mason homeschool curriculum.

That means it uses the Charlotte Mason homeschooling method or approach.

Let me explain more about this method below.

What is the Charlotte Mason Method?

The Charlotte Mason homeschooling method is an educational approach that focuses on character development and self-discipline in students.

This approach to learning is based on the philosophy of British educator Charlotte Mason, who believed that children should not just learn facts but also develop critical thinking skills and a love for learning.

Unlike other homeschooling approaches, the Charlotte Mason approach focuses on creating an environment where children can explore their own interests while developing their understanding of the world.

Charlotte Mason homeschooling relies heavily on activities such as reading classic literature, studying nature through outdoor exploration, and completing art projects.

These hands-on approaches help build strong foundations in reading comprehension, writing abilities, creative problem-solving, and fine motor skills.

Additionally, this method promotes independent learning by encouraging students to take responsibility for their own educational development and success.

If you want a quick review of the Charlotte Mason method and its meaning for your homeschool, check out the video below which is from my Youtube Channel.

Is There Support if I Use the Mater Amabilis Homeschool Curriculum?

When you use a free homeschool curriculum, you generally don’t get any support from those who made the curriculum.

Instead, curriculum providers like Mater Amabilis usually form online support groups driven by dedicated homeschool parents and experienced homeschool veterans.

Mater Amabilis has an active homeschooling support group on Facebook.

This is a great place to ask questions about the curriculum and get them answered by people who are familiar with the program.

You can check out the Mater Amabilis™ Catholic Homeschool Curriculum group here.

Homeschool Reviews of the Mater Amabilis Homeschool Curriculum?

When looking into a curriculum, you can generally go to thehomeschoolmom.com and look up curriculum reviews.

However, this website doesn’t seem to have any reviews of the Mater Amabilis homeschool curriculum!

This wasn’t very reassuring, but I have compiled a few sources below which give you a little look at the following:

A Youtube review of Mater Amabilis here
A small blog review of Mater Amabilis here.

A few things that came out of the reviews are:

younger grades will need a parent to teach the material/read it to them
older grades can do self-paced learning
MA is not a complete curriculum and won’t cover everything
the program takes a fair amount of time because of the reading (also a point people made about the Ambleside Online curriculum)
if your children are active and find it difficult to pay attention to readings, it may not be a good fit for you
your children’s reading skills will accelerate using this program as the Mater curriculum books are great living books that are…harder than normal (see below).

Mater Amabilis Books are Hard

Compared to books given to public school children, you need to know that the Mater Amabilis reading list is more complicated than a regular homeschool curriculum.

This is a big plus for families who want more complex material, but it can be difficult for others.

Can I Use This Curriculum As a Supplement?

Absolutely.

When I read the comments on youtube, it seems many people use the Mater Amabilis curriculum to supplement existing curriculum programs AND to give them a better booklist than they might already have.

Subjects (and Unusual Subjects)

I love that the Mater Amabilis homeschool curriculum includes:

mythology
picture study – a Charlotte Mason hallmark and
music appreciation

This means that if you’re using another curriculum that doesn’t have these subjects, you can use it to supplement your other program.

Other subjects also include:

religion
language arts
history
geography and earth study
how to study Shakespeare
science
poetry and
civics.

This Isn’t a Complete Curriculum

Note that Mater Amabilis doesn’t teach all subjects, such as Math.

Many people like to use BJU Press Math for their homeschool curriculum.

Other Curriculum Like Mater Amabilis

A couple of other Catholic-friendly homeschool programs exist. These are

Memoria Press – classical education
Seton Home Study – online, accredited
Mother of Divine Grace – classical with a taste of Charlotte Mason

Or you can look at a complete list of Christian homeschool curriculum programs here.

What Grades Does Mater Amabilis Cover?

Mater Amabilis has levels rather than standard grade packages.

The official levels include:

Prep Level for roughly ages 4–6
Level 1B for roughly ages 6–7
Level 1A for roughly ages 7–9
Level 2 for roughly ages 9–11
Level 3 for roughly ages 11–13
Level 4 for roughly ages 13–14
Level 5 and 6 for high school ages 14–18

This is helpful because it gives you a broad path from the early years through high school.

But it also means you should not expect the same kind of neat “Grade 3 complete kit” experience you would get from a boxed curriculum provider.

Is Mater Amabilis Really Free?

Yes, the online syllabi and lesson plans are free.

But you will still need to think about the cost of books.

Some books may be available free online (check past patent protection websites).

Others will need to be bought, borrowed, substituted, or found second-hand.

So the curriculum itself is free, but the full year may not be completely cost-free once you start gathering resources.

This is one of those programs where the planning is free, but the bookshelf may not be.

What Subjects Does Mater Amabilis Include?

Mater Amabilis includes a broad range of subjects, including religion, language arts, poetry, tales, history, geography, earth studies, science, Shakespeare, picture study, music appreciation, and civics.

That is one of the things I like about it.

It does not reduce education to just math, spelling, and grammar.

It gives children a feast of ideas, which is very Charlotte Mason.

However, I would still check the exact level you are using and make sure you are happy with the math, writing, and skills progression.

Some families may want to add or adjust subjects depending on their child’s needs and local homeschool requirements.

Is Mater Amabilis Open-and-Go?

Not really.

It gives you structure, booklists, schedules, and lesson plans, but it is not open-and-go in the way BJU Press, Abeka, or other boxed/video programs are.

You will need to:

choose the right level
gather books
read instructions
adapt where needed
keep your own records
decide how to handle subjects that need extra attention

For confident Charlotte Mason parents, this may feel flexible and freeing.

For overwhelmed new homeschoolers, it may feel like a lot.

Is Mater Amabilis Accredited?

No. Mater Amabilis is not an accredited program.

This will not matter for many homeschool families, especially in places where parents are responsible for choosing and documenting their own homeschool program.

But if you specifically need an accredited school-style program, Mater Amabilis is not that.

Pros of Mater Amabilis

Mater Amabilis has some big strengths.

It is free, Catholic, structured, literature-rich, and deeply Charlotte Mason.

It includes subjects many modern homeschool programs overlook, such as picture study, music appreciation, nature study, poetry, and Shakespeare.

It also gives parents a serious, thoughtful path through the grades without forcing them into an expensive boxed curriculum.

For Catholic families who want a rich education without spending thousands of dollars, this is a very attractive option.

Cons of Mater Amabilis

The downside is that it takes work.

You will need to gather books, understand the method, read aloud often in the younger years, keep your own records, and adapt the curriculum to your child.

It may also feel too Catholic for Protestant families, too parent-led for busy parents, and too book-heavy for children who strongly resist read-alouds or narration.

And because it is a free, volunteer-created curriculum, not every recommended book has a full lesson plan available.

Who Is Mater Amabilis Best For?

Mater Amabilis is best for:

Catholic homeschool families
Charlotte Mason homeschoolers
parents who love living books
families who want a free curriculum plan
parents who do not mind sourcing books
families who want a broad liberal arts education
parents who are comfortable adapting schedules and resources

Who Should Avoid Mater Amabilis?

Mater Amabilis may not be best for:

families wanting a Protestant curriculum
parents wanting video lessons
parents needing open-and-go workbooks
families wanting accreditation
children who strongly dislike read-alouds
parents who want built-in grading and record keeping
very overwhelmed beginners who need everything laid out with no extra planning

Can I Use Mater Amabilis as a Supplement?

Yes, and this may actually be one of the best ways to use it if you are not Catholic or if you already have a main curriculum.

You could use Mater Amabilis for:

booklists
poetry
picture study
music appreciation
nature study
history reading ideas
Charlotte Mason inspiration

This is where I think many families will find it most helpful. Even if you do not use the whole program, the booklists and subject ideas can still be valuable.

Want to Learn How to Homeschool?

There are two great ways t learn more about homeschooling: one is free, and one is a $67 fundamentals course.

The $67 Course

Looking to take your homeschooling to the next level? Join Rebecca Devitt’s online Homeschool Parenting Program and learn the strategies and techniques needed to make homeschooling a success! Learn more about the HPP here and signup here.

The FREE Youtube Channel

Also, make sure you join the How to Homeschool Youtube channel, which will give you a fun and exciting look into the homeschool world and help homeschool your children. Check out the channel here, and don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE.

If you’re not sure where to start, start with the following playlists:

You’ll love it and find it helpful and entertaining! Discover the channel here.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Mater Amabilis curriculum is a good free Catholic homeschool program if you have the time and resources to make it work. The program is probably not suitable for parents who are short on time. Mater Amabilis also relies heavily on classical literature, which advances children to an advanced reading level compared to public school students. This is wonderful for some families. However, others will find it frustrating, especially when children don’t pay attention. Check out the program here.