Welcome to our biggest and most exciting project yet. A Little House on the Prairie Homeschool Unit Study! Over the next ten weeks, our homeschool is stepping into the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder for a fully immersive Little House on the Prairie summer. It’s hands-on, affordable, skill-building, and packed with joy. I can’t wait to share it all. But first, let’s have a look at our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box!
This post will include all our summer learning plans. We’ve hopefully built an experience that the children can dive into heart and soul. One that will strengthen practical skills, spark imagination, and bring us all together for some truly joyful learning.
The Idea Behind Our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box
I wanted something low-cost, creative, and packed with opportunities for learning. A topic that would carry us through the whole summer without relying heavily on formal academics. While digging through years of educational resources, I found a stack of Little House on the Prairie books and materials… and the idea was born.
Our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box includes everything needed for a summer-long journey into pioneer life. Last year we “visited” the Incas and Mayans; this year, the children will become the Ingalls family for ten wonderful weeks.
We’re calling it:
A Summer of Little House Living
The Concept: A Hands-On Homeschool History Unit Study
We’ll read through the Little House series and draw learning experiences from each book. For example: sewing, cooking, crafting, woodworking, survival skills, nature study, simple science, home economics, and more. This homeschool unit study isn’t about academics on paper; it’s about developing real-life skills and living history together.
With five children, one boy and four girls, the roles line up perfectly with the Ingalls family! The younger girls love dress-up and imaginative play, while the older ones still enjoy it and haven’t outgrown the fun. Thomas, at 11, is slightly older but still very willing to join in the hands-on projects.
The children will dress up, act out scenes from the books, recreate historical crafts, cook pioneer recipes, and work on a major building project together.
Meet Our Very Own Little House on the Prairie
The centrepiece of our Little House on the Prairie Homeschool Unit Study is our very own wooden playhouse. Take a good look because this is the last time you’ll see it in its current state!
The little house was given to us second-hand and was in lovely condition until one particularly enthusiastic playdate resulted in broken windows, cracked wood, and (thanks to Thomas) a thriving worm-growing business inside. It’s now dirty, battered, and very much in need of love.
This summer, it will be restored from top to bottom. We’ll be:
- Cleaning and emptying it
- Repairing the cracked wood
- Replacing the windows
- Whitewashing the inside & brown-washing the outside
- Adding a small kitchen-garden vegetable patch
- Making it cosy, practical, and authentic
But wait, there’s more!
Gary and Thomas will build shelves, hooks, a stove, and simple furniture using leftover pallet wood. Meanwhile, the girls and I will sew curtains, quilts, cushions, and other items to give the house that warm Ingalls-family charm.
This project is the perfect framework for exploring the skills the children want to learn during our homeschool unit study.
Plans for Our Mr. Ingalls
Our resident Mr. Ingalls, Thomas, will focus on woodworking and outdoor skills. While he’ll enjoy the books and the construction projects, we felt he needed something extra to sink his teeth into. And what better addition to a pioneer-themed summer than a homemade survival course?
Buying a course wasn’t in the budget, so we’re using books we already own to build our own version. The survival handbook will be the main reference, and Thomas has already chosen several activities he wants to learn. Some he’ll do exactly as written; others we’ll adapt.
His chosen early projects include:
- Making leather twine & twisting it into rope
- Building a wooden ladder using his handmade rope
- Learning to start a fire without matches
- Cooking a simple meal over his fire
As an animal lover, he probably won’t be gutting anything… though our butcher has offered to teach him!
This project will develop real, transferable skills—all while honouring the spirit of the Ingalls family.
Plans for Our Mrs. Ingalls and Her Girls
The girls (Lillie and Charlotte, aged 10 and Abigail, age 4, and Becca, aged 2) will embrace the homemaking side of our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box, focusing on sewing, crafting, and cooking, just like Ma Ingalls and her daughters.
We have many project ideas inspired by Laura’s books and by our own little house restoration. Together, they form a meaningful, hands-on Little House on the Prairie Homeschool Unit Study for the girls.
This summer they will:
- Learn hand-sewing as a core skill
- Work toward earning their own sewing machines in the autumn
- Practise embroidery
- Make curtains, quilts, bedding, dishcloths & simple pioneer clothing
- Make rag dolls
- Try pioneer cooking and baking
- Help craft a family rag rug
The youngest girls, Abigail and Becca, will enjoy:
- Little House paper dolls
- Dress-up play
- Simple pioneer cooking with me
- Beginner crafts
- Younger versions of the Little House books
All four girls will also have lessons with Ray’s Arithmetic and McGuffey’s Readers, using slate and chalk, pioneer-style. And when there’s time, we’ll watch an episode or two from the Little House on the Prairie DVD series.
To guide their homemaking rhythm, the girls will follow Ma’s famous saying:
“Wash on Monday…
Iron on Tuesday…
Mend on Wednesday…
Churn on Thursday…
Clean on Friday…
Bake on Saturday…
Rest on Sunday.”
Learning the Hows of Cleaning with Spar-Klean Science
Our science curriculum for the summer—Spar-Klean Science—is a perfect complement to our homeschool unit study. It’s a hands-on programme I created to teach the children the chemistry behind cleaning.
We’ll explore:
- Natural cleaning materials available in Laura’s day
- The chemistry of soap and cleaning agents
- Hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic molecules
- Thermal energy & mechanical energy
- The scientific method
- How laundry and housekeeping were done in pioneer times
The goal?
To create our own homemade cleaning and laundry powder! We already have a good recipe, but we want the children to experiment, test, and design a version tailored to our family’s needs.
This won’t be intense academic study—it will be joyful, messy, experimental science at its best.
Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box: Preserving Our Memories
One important part of our Little House on the Prairie Homeschool Unit Study is encouraging writing—but without making it feel like work.
So the children are creating their own blog:
A Summer of Little House Living
It’s the perfect way for them to:
- Practise writing without realising it
- Type instead of handwrite
- See their words beautifully displayed
- Record and preserve their summer memories
- “Own” their learning
They’ve wanted a nature blog for ages, so this project couldn’t be more perfect.
If you visit and have a moment, the children would love a little message. Knowing others are reading it will add excitement and motivation to their summer adventure.
A Homeschool Summer to Remember…It All Starts with Our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box!
Our Little House on the Prairie Adventure Box is the beginning of a rich, immersive, joyful homeschool unit study. And it’s one that will hit every area of learning while strengthening family bonds and sparking creativity.
We’re ready for:
- Pioneer crafts
- Pioneer cooking
- Hands-on science
- Woodworking & survival skills
- Sewing & homemaking
- Outdoor learning
- Family memories
- And a whole summer of Little House living
Next week, I’ll share the detailed weekly plans, resource lists, and project breakdowns. It’s going to be an unforgettable journey!
Enjoy this? Check out my other book units!
Discover more from ANGELICSCALLIWAGS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.