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Two homeschool science programs, compared on what actually decides the fit: creation and faith content, teaching style, and how much you'll teach.
Updated September 2026 · based on parent reviews and publisher information
These two are close: the differences are small, so price, grade range and what parents say below may decide it.
Still torn? Answer a few questions and see how both rank for your child, side by side.
Compare for my child| Apologia Exploring Creation Science | Berean Builders Science | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | K–12th | K–12th |
| Creation/faith | Christian, young-earth creation | Christian content |
| Approach | Single-topic textbooks with notebooking journals and experiments | History-of-science textbook where every lesson starts with an experiment |
| Who teaches | The parent teaches | The parent teaches |
| Parent prep | Moderate (read aloud in elementary; gather household lab supplies) | Moderate (gather household supplies for an activity every lesson) |
| Screen time | Mostly offline (books and paper) | Mostly offline (books and paper) |
| Video lessons | Available: video and self-paced online options sold for upper-level courses | Available: optional online classes and course-site videos |
| Cost | $84.60: Elementary course set (textbook + notebooking journal), e.g. Zoology 1, sale price | $49: Science in the Beginning set (textbook + Helps & Hints), K–6 multilevel |
| Parents love |
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| Common complaints |
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Parents like the warm, conversational writing, the depth of each single-topic year, and the plentiful kitchen-table experiments, and many credit the upper-level courses with good college prep. The common complaints are that the books are text-heavy with long reading sections that can drag for wiggly or reluctant readers, and that the creation viewpoint is woven through everything, so it cannot be used as a secular course.
Families enjoy that nearly every lesson begins with a real experiment and that one elementary book serves younger and older kids with tiered review questions; the history-of-science framing and low price also win fans. The main drawbacks are the steady supply gathering and setup (some experiments need items bought ahead), and some reviewers find the faith integration lighter than expected.
Neither is better for every child. Apologia Exploring Creation Science is the stronger fit for christian, young-earth creation; video-led; hands-on unit studies. Berean Builders Science is the stronger fit for christian, open to an old earth; classical.
Apologia Exploring Creation Science: christian, young-earth creation. Berean Builders Science: christian content.
Apologia Exploring Creation Science: $84.60: Elementary course set (textbook + notebooking journal), e.g. Zoology 1, sale price. Berean Builders Science: $49: Science in the Beginning set (textbook + Helps & Hints), K–6 multilevel.
Summaries are in our own words.