Home › Science › Comparisons
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| God's Design for Science (Master Books) | Christian Kids Explore (Bright Ideas Press) | |
|---|---|---|
| Grades | K–8th | 3rd–8th |
| Creation/faith | Christian, young-earth creation | Christian, young-earth creation |
| Approach | Textbook lessons with experiments, layered for several ages | Conversational text lessons with hands-on activities, twice a week |
| Who teaches | The parent teaches | The parent teaches |
| Parent prep | Low (open and go; gather household supplies or buy the kit) | Low to moderate (print pages, gather household supplies) |
| Screen time | Mostly offline (books and paper) | Mostly offline (books and paper) |
| Video lessons | Available: master Books Academy sells a separate video version of the course | None: book-based; no videos |
| Cost | $100.98: God's Design for Life Set, MB Edition (student book + teacher guide), list price; on sale for $80.78 when checked. Optional supply kit about $125 extra | $29.65: Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space book (one year, grades 3–6), sale price; list $39.95 |
| Parents love |
|
|
| Common complaints |
|
|
Families like that one set covers several children at once, that prep is light, and that Scripture and a creation view run through every lesson. The complaints are that some books read as dense or information-heavy for younger kids, that worksheets and tests feel dull, and that a few experiment supplies are hard to track down.
Parents like how easy it is to teach several ages at once, the friendly text, and hands-on activities that use things already in the house. The main complaint is that the books alone are thin, so many families add library books and videos, and the black-and-white pages look plain. The Creation Science volume is seen as light for older students.
Neither is better for every child. God's Design for Science (Master Books) is the stronger fit for textbook + labs; video lessons a big plus; video lessons nice to have. Christian Kids Explore (Bright Ideas Press) is the stronger fit for living books (charlotte mason); plenty; charlotte mason.
God's Design for Science (Master Books): christian, young-earth creation. Christian Kids Explore (Bright Ideas Press): christian, young-earth creation.
God's Design for Science (Master Books): $100.98: God's Design for Life Set, MB Edition (student book + teacher guide), list price; on sale for $80.78 when checked. Optional supply kit about $125 extra. Christian Kids Explore (Bright Ideas Press): $29.65: Christian Kids Explore Earth & Space book (one year, grades 3–6), sale price; list $39.95.
Summaries are in our own words.