How to Start Homeschooling with Ambleside Online
Homeschooling often begins with a big question: Where do I even start? For many families, the answer is Ambleside Online (often called AO). If you’ve heard about AO but feel unsure about how to take those first steps, this guide will walk you through the process we used. I’ll share what Ambleside Online is, why families love it, and how you can make it work in your own home.
What Is Ambleside Online?
Ambleside Online is a free, Charlotte Mason–based curriculum created by a team of homeschooling moms. The goal is to offer a “feast of ideas” through carefully chosen living books, short lessons, and rich exposure to nature, art, music, and scripture.
It’s not a boxed curriculum you buy in one package. Instead, AO provides year-by-year booklists, detailed weekly schedules, and guidance on how to teach using Charlotte Mason’s methods. Many of the books are free through Project Gutenberg or LibriVox, or available through your local library and Kindle, which makes it accessible even if you’re homeschooling on a budget.
The heart of AO is this: education is not about stuffing children with facts but nurturing them with ideas that help them grow in wisdom and virtue.
Why Choose Ambleside Online?
Families are drawn to AO for many reasons:
It’s affordable. The curriculum itself is completely free, and many of the books are in the public domain.
It’s flexible. You can adjust the pace, adapt to multiple ages, and tailor the booklists to fit your child’s needs.
It’s rich. AO doesn’t just cover math, history, and literature. It also includes poetry, art, music, nature study, scripture, and habit training.
It’s supported. The AO community—through forums, Facebook groups, and blogs—is full of encouragement and wisdom from parents who have walked this road.
If you’ve been looking for a homeschool approach that values both knowledge and character, AO might be exactly what you need.
Step 1: Learn the Philosophy
Before you dive in, it helps to understand the Charlotte Mason philosophy behind AO. Mason was a 19th-century British educator who believed that children are “born persons,” fully capable of engaging with big ideas when presented in the right way.
Some of her core principles include:
Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life. Learning isn’t confined to worksheets—it happens through daily rhythms, habits, and relationships.
Living books over dry textbooks. A living book is written by someone passionate about the subject, with narrative style and depth that invite children into the ideas. Living books draw the reader in, sparking life and curiosity, and encouraging imagination.
Short lessons. Instead of dragging through hours of busywork, AO encourages focused lessons that build attention and leave space for play and discovery.
Narration. Instead of quizzes, children retell what they’ve read, developing comprehension, memory, and expression.
Nature study. The natural world is treated as a primary classroom. Children spend time outdoors observing, drawing, and marveling at creation.
If you’re new to Charlotte Mason, I recommend starting with For the Children’s Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay or reading the AO articles written for beginners. These will give you a clearer sense of why AO looks the way it does.
Step 2: Choose Your Starting Year
One of the most common questions new families have is: Which year should I start with?
AO provides a gentle Year 0 for preschool and kindergarten ages. This is not formal academics—it’s a season of read-alouds, nature walks, play, and habit building. Formal studies begin with Year 1, which usually works well for children ages 6–7.
For older children:
If your child is brand new to homeschooling, you don’t have to “catch up.” It’s better to start in a year that feels doable and fits their maturity.
Many families start older kids in a lower AO year and move at a faster pace, or they spread out a single year over more than twelve months.
Remember, placement isn’t rigid. AO is meant to serve your family, not the other way around.
Step 3: Gather Your Materials
Getting ready doesn’t mean you need to overhaul your home or buy a room full of supplies. Here are the basics:
Books. Each AO year comes with a booklist. Many are free online; others can be purchased new or used. You can also check your library.
Bible. Daily readings are central to AO.
Notebooks. A nature notebook, a narration notebook, and (later) a Book of Centuries or timeline.
Art & Music resources. AO provides schedules for artist and composer studies. You’ll just need prints, music recordings, or digital access.
Basic supplies. Pencils, watercolors, and outdoor gear for nature walks.
Optional, but enriching: a commonplace book for favorite quotes, maps for geography, and simple handicraft supplies.
Step 4: Establish Rhythms and Habits
When you first start, resist the urge to tackle everything at once. Instead, build slowly.
Start with the basics. A Bible reading, a history book, and narration practice.
Add slowly. Layer in poetry, hymn study, music, and nature study as the routine settles.
Use mornings wisely. Many families find AO lessons fit best in the morning, leaving afternoons open for exploration, play, or creative projects.
Focus on habits. Charlotte Mason placed great importance on habit training. Choose one habit at a time—like attention, neatness, or truthfulness—and work on it consistently.
Over time, your daily rhythm will begin to feel natural. AO’s weekly schedules give you a structure, but they are meant to be adapted to your family’s life.
Step 5: Connect with the Community
One of the greatest gifts of Ambleside Online is its community. Homeschooling can feel isolating if you try to do it all alone, but with AO you’ll find thousands of families walking the same path.
AO Forum. A treasure trove of advice, archives, and detailed discussions.
Facebook groups. Helpful for day-to-day encouragement, book swaps, and troubleshooting.
Local groups. Look for Charlotte Mason or AO co-ops in your area. Joining nature study groups or book clubs can bring richness to your week.
Find a Mama Mentor. One of the most helpful things I could encourage you to do is find another Ambleside Online mama who has been AO-ing for a few years. Talking through the ideas, book lists, and schedules with someone who understands them a little more will be invaluable to you in your AO journey. Even just listening to an AO parent share how they do AO will give you a more concrete picture of what an AO homeschool can look like.
Being part of a community means you’ll have support on hard days, fresh ideas when you feel stuck, and friends who understand why narration matters more than tests.
Tips for a Smooth Start
Here are a few things I wish every new AO family knew:
Don’t try to do it all. AO is a feast—you don’t have to finish every dish to be nourished. Pick and choose what works for your life and season. Stress will put a crimp in your AO lifestyle, so try to relax and enjoy the process.
Narration is non-negotiable. It’s tempting to skip it, but narration is where children process and own what they’ve learned.
Nature is vital. Regular outdoor time is as important as math. Don’t feel guilty if a sunny afternoon pulls you away from books.
Expect slow fruit. You may not see results in the first weeks. Over time, though, you’ll see your child grow in attention, expression, and wonder.
Give grace—to your kids and to yourself. Homeschooling is as much about your growth as it is about theirs.
Helpful Resources
If you’re ready to begin, here are some trustworthy places to start:
I’m curious…if you’re considering Ambleside Online, what do you hope it does for your homeschool? If you’re already on the AO bandwagon, what’s your favorite part about it? Share below!
