The Short Version
If you’re a soon-to-be homeschool parent comparing Meadowlark Learning and Playing Preschool by Busy Toddler, the two programs share a lot on the surface: both are secular, play-based, and built for parents with no teaching background. Playing Preschool organizes its 19 thematic units into an affordable, flexible digital PDF, which makes it a strong fit for families who want a lighter daily lift and a lower price point. Meadowlark takes a different approach: an explicit, Science of Reading-aligned phonics sequence built into a fully scripted, physically printed curriculum. For families who want a deliberate phonics progression from day one, rather than letters and sounds folded into themed play, Meadowlark is generally the better fit.
How the Two Programs Compare
| Category | Meadowlark Learning | Playing Preschool |
|---|---|---|
| Literacy approach | Explicit SATPIN phonics sequence with Orton-Gillingham, multisensory instruction built into every lesson | Letters and numbers introduced through themed units, without a prescribed phonics sequence |
| Format | High-quality printed book, digital PDF, or both — printed in the USA | Digital PDF only, printed at home (or via a third-party print shop) by the family |
| Structure | 90 open-and-go, fully scripted lessons; 3 gentle 15–25 minute sessions a week for 30 weeks | 19 thematic units spanning 10 days each; 38 weeks of lessons, roughly 45–60 minutes per session |
| Age range | Designed for ages 3–5 | Designed for ages 2.5–5 |
| Hands-on materials | Coordinated weekly activity pages, an integrated sticker sheet, and optional add-ons (Little Lark Stories, Playful Prewriting) | Household-item-based activities outlined in the PDF, plus a full book list and supply list per unit |
Pricing
Playing Preschool’s PDF-only model keeps its price low, while Meadowlark’s printed, full-color materials carry a higher production cost.
| Program | Starting Price | What’s Included |
|---|---|---|
| Meadowlark Preschool Bundle | Approximately $100 for the full printed bundle (bundle pricing saves 10% with free US shipping); a digital PDF add-on is available for $10 | Preschool Lesson Book + Play Pack, Little Lark Stories (3-book set), and Playful Prewriting |
| Meadowlark Preschool Curriculum (Lesson Book + Play Pack only) | Not publicly listed as a standalone figure at the time of writing — priced individually on-site | 90-lesson Lesson Book and coordinated Play Pack |
| Playing Preschool Year 1 | $29.90 (list price $39.90; pricing reflects a promotion active at the time of writing) | 314-page PDF, 19 units, Start-Up Guide, book lists, supply lists |
| Playing Preschool Years 1 & 2 Bundle | $54.80 (list price $69.80) | Both years of thematic units as PDFs |
How to read this: On price alone, Playing Preschool is the more affordable option, and that gap is real, not marketing spin — a PDF costs less to produce than a printed, spiral-bound book with a sticker sheet and companion titles. Families choosing Playing Preschool do take on printing and binding costs themselves, which can add $20–$40 or more depending on how they print it, narrowing the gap somewhat. Meadowlark’s higher price reflects a physical, ready-to-open product with no printing required, plus a broader bundle of connected materials — worth it for families who value that, less so for a family strictly optimizing for the lowest possible cost.
Weekly Commitment and Support
Playing Preschool runs on a 5-day-a-week structure, with roughly 45–60 minutes per lesson. Meadowlark is designed for 3 to 5 days a week, with 15–25 minute open-and-go lessons and built-in Simplify and Expand options that let a parent adjust a lesson to a child’s attention span in the moment. Both programs are self-guided — no teaching background is required for either. One note on claims: Playing Preschool’s creator, Susie Allison, has a large following (reported at over 3 million across social platforms) and more than a decade of visibility in the homeschool space; Meadowlark is a newer program, so it doesn’t yet have a comparable public track record to point to. That following is a real, if self-reported, differentiator worth naming rather than glossing over.
Which Program Fits Which Family
| Family Profile | Better Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wants explicit, Science of Reading-aligned phonics from day one | Meadowlark | SATPIN sequence and Orton-Gillingham instruction are built into every lesson, not layered on top of themes |
| Wants a physical, ready-to-open curriculum with no printing | Meadowlark | Ships as a complete spiral-bound book; Playing Preschool requires the family to print and bind |
| Child is under 3 | Playing Preschool | Its 2.5+ entry point and lighter, theme-driven sessions suit children not yet ready for focused 15–25 minute lessons |
| Wants the lowest-cost option and doesn’t mind printing at home | Playing Preschool | PDF pricing starts well below Meadowlark’s printed bundle, even accounting for printing costs |
| Teaching children of different ages at once | Either, Playing Preschool slightly favored | Its themed units are built to flex across a wider developmental range within a single session |
| Wants scripted lessons that specify exactly what to say and ask | Meadowlark | Every Meadowlark lesson is fully scripted; Playing Preschool provides guidance but is less prescriptive session to session |
Where Meadowlark Pulls Ahead
A phonics sequence built for early reading momentum
The SATPIN sequence isn’t an arbitrary letter order — it’s designed so children can begin blending and reading real words within the first few lessons, before the full alphabet is even introduced. Paired with Orton-Gillingham multisensory instruction (sight, voice, touch, and movement together), it gives a child an early “I can actually read” moment that themed-unit programs generally aren’t structured to produce as quickly.
Physical materials with nothing left for the parent to assemble
The Preschool Lesson Book ships as a complete, full-color, spiral-bound book with 90 open-and-go lessons and an integrated sticker sheet — no printing, no binding, no prep. For a parent who doesn’t want printing and cutting to be part of their weekly routine, that’s a genuine time-and-effort difference, not just a nicer unboxing.
Fully scripted lessons with built-in flexibility
Every Meadowlark lesson tells a parent exactly what to say, what to ask, and how to respond if a child needs to slow down or is ready to go further, through its Simplify and Expand options. That combination of a script plus adjustability is aimed at parents who want the confidence of a plan without losing the ability to meet their child where they are that day.
To Be Fair to Playing Preschool
Playing Preschool is a genuinely strong option for a specific priority: an affordable, flexible, digital program that doesn’t require a rigid daily schedule. Its creator, Susie Allison, is a former elementary teacher with a Master’s in Early Childhood Education and a well-established presence in the homeschool space, and the themed-unit structure works well for families teaching children of different ages together or for a child who isn’t yet ready for a more structured, timed lesson. For a family whose main priority is price and flexibility rather than a deliberate phonics sequence, Playing Preschool is a reasonable, well-regarded choice.
Where the Two Are Actually Similar
It’s worth being clear that on several fundamentals, these programs aren’t far apart. Both are fully secular, with no ideology woven into the day. Both are play-based, built on the premise that young children learn best through play, movement, and hands-on activity rather than worksheets and drills. And both are designed so that no prior teaching background is required — a parent following either program is given enough structure to teach with confidence. The real differences are in phonics depth, format, and price, not in the basic philosophy of how young children should learn.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Playing Preschool and Meadowlark together?
They can complement each other, though each is designed as a complete standalone program. Using both simultaneously may create overlap and add to a parent’s prep work.
What is the Science of Reading, and why does it matter for preschool?
It’s a body of research showing that explicit, systematic phonics instruction tends to produce strong early reading outcomes. Meadowlark builds this research into every literacy lesson; Playing Preschool does not follow a prescribed phonics sequence.
Do both programs require daily lessons?
Playing Preschool is built on a 5-day week. Meadowlark is designed for 3 to 5 days a week, with Simplify and Expand options for more flexibility.
Which program is more affordable?
Playing Preschool is the lower-cost, PDF-only option. Meadowlark’s printed curriculum reflects higher production costs but removes printing from the parent’s to-do list.
Does Meadowlark work for a child who’s already had some phonics instruction?
Yes — the program begins at the foundation and builds systematically, so it works whether a child is starting fresh or has had earlier exposure to letters and sounds.
What if I start with Playing Preschool and want to switch to Meadowlark later?
Both programs are designed to start at the beginning, so switching mid-year is possible but may mean revisiting earlier lessons to fill gaps in sequence or skill.
Bottom Line
For families where early literacy outcomes are the priority — a deliberate phonics sequence, physical materials with nothing to print, and fully scripted lessons grounded in the Science of Reading — Meadowlark is built for exactly that, and it’s the stronger fit for most homeschool preschool families weighing these two programs.
Where Playing Preschool still wins outright: a child under 3 not yet ready for a more structured session, a family prioritizing the lowest possible price and comfortable printing at home, or a household teaching multiple ages at once who wants themed units that flex across developmental stages. Outside of those specific cases, Meadowlark’s phonics-first, ready-to-open approach covers more of what most families are looking for in a preschool year.
See Meadowlark’s Preschool Collection
Explore the full Preschool Bundle, including the Lesson Book, Play Pack, Little Lark Stories, and Playful Prewriting.
Shop Meadowlark PreschoolSources: meadowlarklearning.com, shop.busytoddler.com, busytoddler.com, and independent reviews including blueandhazel.com and suchalittlewhile.com, current as of the time of writing. Pricing reflects promotions active at the time of writing and is subject to change; check each provider’s site for current pricing. Claims about audience size and social following are self-reported by Busy Toddler and have not been independently verified. This article is for informational purposes only and isn’t professional educational advice; consult an early childhood education specialist if you have questions about which curriculum best fits your child’s developmental needs.