Complete year · Ages 5–6
Kindergarten
Gentle beginnings — phonics, counting, nature study, and first life skills.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
Complete homeschool curriculum · Grades K–5
Raising kids who are capable — in school and in life.
Everything you need to homeschool your child for a full year — delivered in one beautiful box. Fully scripted lessons in reading, writing, math, science, and life skills as a real fifth subject.
- All 5 subjects, one box
- Zero prep — open & teach
- 36 weeks, 4-day weeks
Try the First Month — 30-day money-back guarantee on every box
36
weeks of instruction
4-day
school weeks
5th
subject: life skills
100%
scripted — zero guesswork
Three ways to learn
Start with the path that fits your family
Choose a complete homeschool year, add life skills to the curriculum you already love, or follow one interest all the way to a finished project.
The fifth subject
What we mean by “life skills”
Not a vague promise — scripted weekly lessons, practiced hands-on, that mature right alongside your child. A sample from each year:
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Personal Hygiene & Self-Care
Hand washing, brushing teeth, getting dressed, zipping coats, tying shoes
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Safety & Emergency Awareness
Calling 9-1-1, knowing your address and phone number, crossing the street, stop/drop/roll
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Kitchen Independence
Setting the table, using a fork and spoon, pouring a drink, making a simple sandwich
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Feelings & Emotions
Identifying and naming feelings, learning healthy ways to express emotions
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Following Directions
Listening carefully, completing multi-step instructions independently
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Kindness & Empathy
Understanding others' feelings, being a good friend, taking turns and sharing
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Emotional Intelligence
Growth mindset, managing big feelings, conflict resolution
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Personal Responsibility & Health
Time management, organization, nutrition, basic first aid
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Consumer & Practical Skills
Budgeting basics, smart shopping, environmental stewardship
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Growing Independence
Taking responsibility, setting personal goals, organizing a workspace, using a planner
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Financial Literacy & Home Life
Smart shopping, comparing prices, kitchen skills, laundry basics, cleaning routines
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Emotional Wellness
Managing stress, positive self-talk, building a stress management toolbox
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Communication & Conflict Resolution
Active listening, tone of voice, constructive criticism, negotiation, teamwork
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Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship
Budgeting, needs vs. wants, banking basics, developing a business idea, marketing
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Home Management & Safety
Kitchen safety, meal planning, laundry, basic tools, first aid, emergency preparedness
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Executive Functioning & Leadership
Prioritizing, delegating, managing long-term projects, giving presentations, learning from failure
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Health & Relationships
Balanced nutrition, exercise, healthy friendships, boundaries, conflict resolution, empathy
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Critical Thinking & Global Citizenship
Media literacy, identifying misinformation, digital citizenship, environmental stewardship, career exploration
Inside the box
One box. A whole year, beautifully prepared.
No shopping lists, no lesson prep, no piecing together resources. Every Capable by Design year arrives complete — so your energy goes to your child, not the planning.
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Instructor Guide
Your fully scripted year — open it and teach.
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Student Workbooks
Beautiful, purposeful pages — never busywork.
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Curated Living Books
A hand-picked library of rich literature.
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Life Skills Program
A full fifth subject — practical independence, taught on purpose.
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Weekly Overviews
Your week at a glance, planned for you.
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Morning Mindset
Ten gentle minutes to begin each day.
See a real day
This is what “fully scripted” looks like.
A page from the Kindergarten Teacher Binder — Week 1, Day 1. Bold text is read aloud, word for word. Italics tell you what to do. Every lesson block is timed, every material listed. You open the binder and begin — no prep, no guesswork.
Every grade, every subject, all 36 weeks follow this same open-and-go format.
See a real day
Week 1, Day 1 — Kindergarten
Sample layout from the actual curriculum. Every box includes the full Teacher Binder, four quarters of scripted lesson plans, and the Student Workbook.
Shop grade levels
Choose your year
Each grade is a complete curriculum — designed to stand alone or flow seamlessly into the next. Every box is backed by our Try the First Month guarantee.
Complete year · Ages 6–7
First Grade
Growing readers — reading fluency, place value, and life skills in community.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
Complete year · Ages 7–8
Second Grade
Confident explorers — chapter books, money and time, and growing independence.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
Complete year · Ages 8–9
Third Grade
Curious thinkers — multiplication, early American history, and real responsibility.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
Complete year · Ages 9–10
Fourth Grade
Independent learners — fractions, U.S. geography, and skills for real life.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
Complete year · Ages 10–11
Fifth Grade
Capable leaders — deep novels, world geography, and readiness for what's next.
$1,200$96020% off
Try the first month — full refund within 30 days if it's not working
From real homeschool families
What families are saying
Everything really is in the box
“I’ve tried other open-and-go programs, but Capable by Design is the first one that has genuinely felt complete. The instructor guides, student workbooks, living books, and hands-on materials were already organized for us. I could open the guide, read the scripted lesson, and begin without spending the night before printing pages or gathering supplies. Having the entire 36-week year arrive in one box took an enormous amount of pressure off me.”
Scripted without feeling stiff
“I was hesitant about using a fully scripted curriculum because I worried it might feel unnatural. Instead, the script has given me confidence and made teaching much easier. It tells me exactly what to say, what to do, which materials we need, and approximately how long each lesson should take. I can follow it closely on busy days and adapt it when I want to. It provides structure without taking away the personal connection between parent and child.”
A thoughtful balance of academics and childhood
“Capable by Design feels like it was created by parents who understand what homeschooling actually looks like. The academics are substantial, but the program doesn’t rely on endless worksheets or unnecessary busywork. Rich books, hands-on activities, nature study, practical skills, and focused lessons keep my child involved in the learning. I appreciate that the goal isn’t merely to complete another grade—it’s to raise a capable, confident child who is being prepared for life.”
More real family experiences appear on every grade-level product page.
How it works
From order to first lesson, the hard part is already done
Made for your family
After you order, we print, assemble, and pack your complete year. Free shipping is included, and tracking arrives by email.
Open and teach
Every lesson is fully scripted with the books and materials it needs. Sit down, open the guide, and begin.
Keep room for childhood
Four focused school days leave a fifth day open for appointments, field trips, nature, play, or rest.
Why it feels different
Built for childhood. Designed for capability.
Substantial academics matter. So do connection, practical independence, rich books, focused lessons, and enough breathing room to still be a child.
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01
Life skills are the fifth subject
Scripted weekly lessons in character, emotional intelligence, safety, and practical independence.
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02
Connection before correction
Learning that gives parent and child structure without sacrificing warmth.
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03
Hands before busywork
Real books, concrete materials, nature, conversation, and active discovery.
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04
Rich literature matters
Curated living books that invite wonder instead of dry textbook passages.
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05
Short lessons are powerful
Focused 15–45 minute blocks that respect attention and protect the family day.
Our story
Four parents. Two kitchen tables. One conviction.
We're Scotty & Lize and Danny & Shannon—two couples homeschooling our kids (ages 4, 7, 8, and 9) side by side. We wanted our children to learn the things school never taught us: how to manage a home, handle money, care for others, speak with confidence, and do hard things.
After a first year buried in curriculum tabs, printer ink, and evenings of preparation, we built the year we wished we could have bought: every subject in one plan, fully scripted, with life skills taught as deliberately as reading and math. Capable by Design is that kitchen-table solution, prepared for your table.
— Scotty, Lize, Danny & Shannon — still homeschooling at our kitchen tables
The fifth subject, available on its own
Life skills for every stage
Already have an academic curriculum you love? Add a complete year of practical independence without replacing it.
Each open-and-go digital course includes 144 guided days, hands-on application, and a clear path from understanding to real-world practice.
Instant download
Elementary · Ages 6–9
Capable Roots: Elementary Life Skills
Routines, responsibility, communication, safety, money basics, and thoughtful problem-solving for the elementary years.
- 144 guided days
- 36 Life Skill Labs
- 618 printable pages
$224$179
Instant download
Middle school · Grades 5–8
Capable Foundations: Middle School Life Skills
Confidence, responsibility, digital judgment, home care, budgeting, communication, and real-world independence.
- 144 guided days
- 36 Life Skill Labs
- Two pacing paths
$224$179
Instant download
High school · Grades 9–12
Capable Launch: High School Life Skills
Work, money, housing, health care, contracts, and the systems students need in the years before independence.
- 144 guided days
- 36 portfolio artifacts
- Launch capstone
$224$179
Use one course as a focused year, or spread the lessons across the full age band. Each course works alongside homeschool, private, public, co-op, or dual-enrollment programs.
Interest-led electives · Printed at home
Capable Projects: small projects, real outcomes
Capable Projects are hands-on, goal-driven learning experiences that give kids something meaningful to work toward.
Think of them as electives or enrichment classes built for home—science, technology, art, design, problem solving, and more. Children choose projects that fit their interests, strengths, and goals.
01
Browse all projects
A new project every month
There is no subscription, recurring charge, or commitment. Choose only the projects that fit your child—or make one meaningful project each month part of your family’s rhythm.
Printable digital download
Laboratory 006 · Ages 8–12
Mad Scientist Lab
Ask better questions. Test one thing at a time. Follow the evidence. Mad Scientist Lab is a complete ten-investigation science project for ages 8–12. Your child does more than follow experiment...
- 10connected investigations
- 30–60 mintypical investigation
- 2 PDFs60 pages total
$39$2926% off
Printable digital download
Design Studio 005 · Ages 8–12
Create Your Own Board Game
Invent it. Build it. Test it. Improve it. Then challenge someone to play. Create Your Own Board Game is a complete ten-session design project for ages 8–12. Your child becomes the...
- 10connected design sessions
- 30–60 mintypical session
- 2 PDFs84-page project + printables
$39$2926% off
Printable digital download
Mission 004 · Ages 8–11
Mission: Mars — Design a Human Mars Expedition
Plan the mission. Engineer the base. Defend every decision. Mission: Mars — Design a Human Mars Expedition is a complete ten-mission STEM project for ages 8–11. Your child becomes the lead...
- 10connected missions
- 30–50 mintypical mission
- 1 PDF77 printable pages
$39$2926% off
Printable digital download
Expedition 003 · Ages 6–8
Dinosaur Dig: Junior Paleontologist Expedition
What if your child could do more than read about dinosaurs? What if they could become the paleontologist? Dinosaur Dig: Junior Paleontologist Expedition is a complete project-based science adventure for ages...
- 10connected expeditions
- 30–60 mintypical guided session
- 1 PDF65 printable pages
$39$2926% off
Why project-based learning? In a randomized elementary-school study, third graders using a project-based science curriculum scored eight percentage points higher on a state science assessment than students receiving traditional instruction. Read the peer-reviewed study.
Questions, answered
Before you choose
Still wondering about something? Write to us—a real person answers every letter.
Which Capable by Design product is right for us?
Choose a Complete Curriculum Box when you want every K–5 subject planned for the year. Choose standalone Life Skills when you already have academics covered. Choose Capable Projects for ten-session, interest-led electives with a finished outcome.
What exactly ships in a Complete Curriculum Box?
Your complete year: the fully scripted Instructor Guide, student workbooks, our curated living-book library, the Life Skills Program, weekly overviews, and Morning Mindset. If a lesson calls for it, it is in the box.
What makes the Life Skills Program different?
Most curricula treat life skills as an occasional extra. We teach them as a fifth subject—fully scripted lessons in character, emotional intelligence, safety, and practical independence, given the same care as reading and math.
How much preparation do I need each day?
Complete Curriculum Boxes and standalone Life Skills courses are fully scripted and open-and-go. Capable Projects include guided session plans, printable student materials, and parent support; individual project pages list the ordinary household supplies used.
How do shipping and digital delivery work?
Every physical curriculum box is made to order, so please allow processing time while we print, assemble, and pack it. Free shipping is included, and tracking is emailed when it ships. Digital Life Skills and Capable Projects are delivered by email after checkout; no physical product is shipped.
What if a product does not work for our family?
Physical Complete Curriculum Boxes are backed by our Try the First Month guarantee: teach through the first month and return the complete box within 30 days of delivery for a refund of the purchase price, subject to the policy terms. The physical-box guarantee does not apply to digital products; download, access, or file problems are always supported.
A free gift for your family
The Backyard Naturalist Scavenger Hunt
A print-and-go afternoon of wonder — two beautifully designed pages, one for little explorers (ages 4–6) and one field-notes edition for older kids (ages 7–11). Enter your email and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
You'll also receive launch news and gentle homeschool encouragement — a few times a season, never more.
