Printed or PDF curriculum · Updated September 4, 2026

Kindy vs Blossom and Root

Blossom and Root Early Years is a secular, Charlotte Mason inspired PDF curriculum by former kindergarten teacher Kristina Garner: Volume 1 for ages 2 to 4 at $22 and Volume 2 for ages 4 to 5 at $45, each 36 weeks of nature study, art, music, kitchen work, read-alouds and early math and literacy, about 30 to 60 minutes a day, four or five days a week, with required books sourced from the library. Kindy is a $9.99 a month parent-led preschool curriculum that places the child by a free readiness check and gives the parent one 10 to 15 minute activity a day, adjusting from how each one went. Both are secular, screen-free and parent-led. Choose Blossom and Root for a gentle, nature-rich rhythm you shape yourself. Choose Kindy for a short daily plan that starts from your child and tracks readiness.

Choose Kindy if

You want a plan that starts from what your child can do and adjusts daily
You have 10 to 15 minutes a day rather than 30 to 60
Kindergarten readiness, including letters, counting, listening and self-help, is the goal
You want progress tracked rather than kept in your head

Choose Blossom and Root Early Years if

You want a nature-rich, art-rich, literature-based rhythm and you enjoy shaping it
You are comfortable sourcing books from the library each week
You want a one-time purchase for a small price
Your child is 2 or 3 and you want to start gently before any academics

At a glance

Kindy and Blossom and Root Early Years at a glance. Facts checked September 4, 2026; sources at the end of the page.
	Kindy	Blossom and Root Early Years
Price	$9.99 per month, $4.99 per month for each additional child, cancel anytime in the app	$22 (Volume 1) or $45 (Volume 2) as PDFs, one-time; $59 for both
Free option or trial	Free readiness assessment with full results kept in the account; no card needed; subscribe only if you want the daily curriculum	Free sample chapter downloadable from each product page before purchase
Ages	3-5 (the two to three years before kindergarten); placement is by ability, not age	Vol. 1: 2-4; Vol. 2: 4-5 ("this decision should be based on your child's individual needs" per their own FAQ)
Who is on the screen	The parent only	Nobody
Format	web app for the parent (installable on a phone); activities are done hands-on, off screen	PDF
Time per day	One 10 to 15 minute activity a day; the app offers more on energetic days	"All activities can be done in about half an hour to an hour each day, four to five days a week" (Gumroad FAQ, both volumes); official product page: "less than half an hour to prepare" per week
How it adapts to the child	Every activity ends with one tap on how it went (Nailed it, Almost, Not yet). Three Nailed it ratings mark a skill mastered and it leaves the rotation; mastered letters and skills circle back for quick reviews so they stick. The next day's activity is chosen from the child's current level across all areas.	No adaptive engine; described as flexible/adaptable to "your family's rhythms and your child's unique needs." Parents are told to choose between Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 based on the child's individual readiness (e.g. letter/number interest) rather than strict age.
How the child is placed	By a readiness assessment	No placement, fixed sequence
Skills covered	literacy (letters, sounds, print awareness), early math (counting, number sense, shapes), language (vocabulary, storytelling, listening), thinking (problem solving, memory), social-emotional (sharing, manners, separation, feelings), fine motor (pencil grip, scissors, self-help), focus and self-control	nature study, picture study (art appreciation), composer/music study, art projects, kitchen classroom (fine motor, life skills), early math and science foundations, kindness and connectivity (Vol. 1), literature / read-alouds with enrichment activities, early literacy: letter recognition and letter sounds (Vol. 2), S.T.E.M. projects (Vol. 2)
Secular or faith-based	secular	secular
What the parent does	The parent reads today's activity on their phone and does it with the child using things at home; the app tells them what to do and what to say. The child never uses the app.	Parent-led and required throughout; parent reads aloud, leads nature walks and hands-on activities, and does the weekly prep ("typically require less than half an hour to prepare" per week, per Vol. 1 product page)

What each one actually is

Blossom and Root is created by Kristina Garner, a former kindergarten teacher with an early childhood certification. Early Years Volume 1 for ages 2 to 4 costs $22 and Volume 2 for ages 4 to 5 costs $45, or $59 together, as PDFs with a free sample chapter and no refunds. Each volume is 36 weeks of nature study, picture and composer study, art, kitchen classroom, early math and science, and read-alouds with enrichment activities; Volume 2 adds letter recognition and sounds and STEM projects. The company says activities take half an hour to an hour a day, four or five days a week, with under half an hour of weekly prep, and calls itself 100% secular. Required literature is not included and most titles can be found at a library.

Kindy is $9.99 a month and asks for 10 to 15 minutes a day. A free readiness check places the child by ability across literacy, early math, language, thinking, social-emotional and fine motor skills. Each day the parent gets one hands-on activity with what to do and say, taps how it went, and tomorrow adjusts.

A rhythm you shape versus a plan that shapes itself

Blossom and Root is deliberately flexible: the company tells parents to choose the volume by their child's readiness and to adapt the weeks to family rhythms. That freedom is the appeal, and it also means the parent is the one deciding what the child needs, week after week. Kindy makes that decision from the readiness check and from every rating, so the parent's job is the fifteen minutes, not the planning.

The two also aim at slightly different things. Blossom and Root is about a rich early childhood: nature, beauty, stories, the kitchen. Kindy is about arriving at kindergarten ready, across all the skills a teacher will look for, including the social and self-help ones. Many families want both, and they do not conflict.

Where Blossom and Root Early Years is the better choice

Beauty and breadth of experience. Nature walks, composer study, art, cooking, read-alouds chosen with care, for $22 to $45 once. For a family that wants the early years to feel like this, Blossom and Root delivers it and Kindy does not try to.

Younger start. Volume 1 begins at age 2. Kindy is built for the two or three years before kindergarten.

Where Kindy is the better choice

Readiness, placed and tracked. Kindy starts from an assessment of your child, serves the skills kindergarten looks for, and updates a progress picture from what your child actually did with you. Blossom and Root has no placement or tracking by design.

Time and decision-free days. Ten to fifteen minutes, one activity, no prep, no library trip required. $9.99 a month, cancel in one tap.

Questions parents ask

How much does Blossom and Root Early Years cost?

Volume 1 (ages 2 to 4) is $22 and Volume 2 (ages 4 to 5) is $45 as PDFs, or $59 for both, with a free sample chapter and no refunds. Required books are not included. Checked September 4, 2026.

Is Blossom and Root secular?

Yes. The company states it is 100% secular, with religion appearing only as historical or cultural context. Kindy is also secular.

How much time does Blossom and Root take?

The company says about half an hour to an hour a day, four or five days a week, with under half an hour of weekly prep.

Does Kindy include nature study or art?

Kindy's activities include outdoor, craft and sensory play as part of the readiness plan, but it is not an art or nature curriculum. It focuses on the skills kindergarten looks for.

Can I use both?

Yes, and it is a natural pairing: Blossom and Root for the rhythm, Kindy for the readiness plan and tracking. Kindy lets you log outside activities so they count.

Sources

Facts about Blossom and Root Early Years:

Early Years Vol. 1 product page (accessed 2026-09-04, used for ages, weeks, subjects, approach, parent role, book sourcing)
Early Years Vol. 2 product page (accessed 2026-09-04, used for ages, weeks, subjects, approach)
Frequently Asked Questions, Blossom and Root (accessed 2026-09-04, used for book list not included, sequence flexibility, sold individually)
Blossom and Root Early Years Volume 1 (Gumroad storefront listing) (accessed 2026-09-04, used for one-time price ($22), ages 2-4, secular statement, weekly time commitment, no refunds, no workbooks, ratings)
Blossom and Root Early Years Volume 2 (Gumroad storefront listing) (accessed 2026-09-04, used for one-time price ($45), ages 4-5, secular statement, weekly time commitment, ratings)
My Honest Blossom and Root Early Years Curriculum Review - Such a Little While (accessed 2026-09-04, used for founder background (Kristina Garner, former kindergarten teacher), bundle pricing cross-check, third-party review dated Jan 2023 with 2026 update noted)
Blossom and Root, Cathy Duffy Reviews (accessed 2026-09-04, used for cross-check on program description and secular/Charlotte-Mason framing)
Blossom and Root Early Years Volume 1 (joinmodulo.com reseller listing) (accessed 2026-09-04, used for cross-check price ($28 listed by this reseller, differs from official $22))

Facts about Kindy:

Kindy landing page (accessed 2026-09-04)

Note: Sequence fixed/flexible: the company presents each volume as 36 weeks of lesson plans but repeatedly describes the schedule as 'flexible' and 'adaptable' to family rhythms; no statement found that weeks must be done in a strict fixed order, and pieces/volumes can be purchased and used individually per the official FAQ ('You can pick and choose pieces from multiple levels'). A third-party reseller (joinmodulo.com) lists Vol. 1 at $28, higher than the $22 confirmed directly on the official Gumroad storefront (blossomandroot.gumroad.com) on 2026-09-04; the official Gumroad price was used as authoritative. No monthly/yearly price exists since this is a one-time PDF purchase. Kindergarten-age product (Level 0) exists but is out of scope for this Early Years (preschool) entry.