Waldorf Essentials vs Lavender's Blue: Honest 2026 Comparison
Waldorf Essentials runs from early childhood to Class 8, in digital or print, with free Zoom Office Hours and a paid Live Support package for mentoring. Lavender's Blue covers K-3, is secular, costs $327-397 per grade and includes a private online community. Choose Waldorf Essentials for grade range, print and coaching; choose Lavender's Blue for detailed daily plans and secular content.
If your child is in K-3 and you want a clear, secular plan, Lavender's Blue is the simpler choice. If your child is older than grade 3, or you want print books, live coaching and mentoring, Waldorf Essentials fits better. Both publish their prices, and both are widely recommended in homeschool forums.
Below we compare pricing, grade coverage, parent support, secular vs religious content, daily plans and community. We're Starpath Learning, a Waldorf-inspired homeschool platform. We stay out of this comparison until the list of alternatives near the end.
What they share
Both Waldorf Essentials and Lavender's Blue are:
- The work of mothers: Waldorf Essentials was founded by Melisa Nielsen, a mother of five, and Lavender's Blue is written by Kelly, a homeschooling mother who is also a former kindergarten teacher with a background in developmental neuropsychology.
- Waldorf-aligned in how they teach.
- Available digitally (Waldorf Essentials also sells print copies).
- Widely recommended in Waldorf homeschool communities.
- Useful if you want a structured Waldorf curriculum you can start using right away.
So they're fair to compare. The differences are real, and they shape your days.
Where they differ: pricing
Both list their prices on their websites, and both say all sales are final (prices checked September 2026).
| Grade | Lavender's Blue | Waldorf Essentials: digital | Print (US) | With a year of Live Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | $327 (or $117 a season) | $150 (Kindergarten 1 or 2) | $225 | $525 |
| Grade 1 | $367 | $200 | $275 | $575 |
| Grade 2 | $397 | $225 | $300 | $575 |
| Grade 3 | $397 | $225 | $300 | $575 |
Waldorf Essentials' digital and print editions cost less than Lavender's Blue. The Live Support package costs more, and it pays for mentoring, twice-monthly coaching calls and a year of planning help. Waldorf Essentials also offers payment plans through AfterPay and sells two- and three-grade bundles.
So the price question comes down to what you want with the lessons. If you want the curriculum and a community of families, compare Lavender's Blue with Waldorf Essentials' digital or print edition. If you want a year of coaching too, compare it with the Live Support package.
Where they differ: grade coverage
| Curriculum | Grades | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Waldorf Essentials | Early childhood to Class 8 | Foundations, Kindergarten 1 and 2, Classes 1 to 8. Classes 7 and 8 need separate math and stories. Free high school outlines. |
| Lavender's Blue | K-3 | Grade 4 in development; firm cap at grade 3 currently. |
Stopping at grade 3 is Lavender's Blue's biggest limitation. Children in grade 4 or older need a different provider, and families who start young with Lavender's Blue will want to plan a move before grade 4.
Waldorf Essentials covers more years. You can use it through middle school without switching. For high school, families from both programs plan separately.
Where they differ: support model
Waldorf Essentials offers:
- Free Office Hours: group coaching calls on Zoom twice a month.
- Four free Planning for Peace calls a year.
- A free Facebook group for curriculum buyers.
- The paid Live Support package: mentoring, twice-monthly coaching and live planning help for a year, plus an online community.
- Private 1:1 coaching with Melisa, paid separately.
- 18 months' access to a training course with audio and video, included with each grade package.
Lavender's Blue includes:
- Digital curriculum (PDF lesson plans, MP3 audio tracks, video tutorials), with lifetime access.
- A private online Lavender's Blue community, included with every purchase.
The two approaches differ at the root. Waldorf Essentials offers coaching and mentoring alongside the curriculum. Lavender's Blue gives you a carefully designed curriculum and a community of families using it.
If you want live help when you're stuck: Waldorf Essentials.
If you work best on your own and want every step laid out from the start: Lavender's Blue.
Where they differ: secular vs religious content
Lavender's Blue: secular, and it welcomes families of all faith backgrounds. Grades 2 and 3 use stories from many traditions, including Jewish and ancient Hebrew stories, without religious instruction. It suits families who want a Waldorf approach without religious or anthroposophical teaching in their child's lessons.
Waldorf Essentials: says its curriculum covers festivals and spiritual content but is "NOT religious in content". In the Waldorf tradition, grade 3 usually includes Old Testament stories, so read the Class 3 page closely if that matters to you.
For a curriculum that calls itself secular: Lavender's Blue, or Oak Meadow, which says its curriculum is secular.
For the Waldorf tradition with its festivals and spiritual content: Waldorf Essentials, Christopherus or Live Education!
Where they differ: daily plan specificity
Lavender's Blue: built around detailed plans. Kindergarten runs 36 weeks, each with a story, circle time with audio, a watercolor painting, a beeswax modeling idea and a seasonal craft. Grades 1 to 3 have daily main lesson plans, with MP3 audio tracks and video tutorials.
Waldorf Essentials: lays out its main lessons, form drawings, math lessons and handwork instructions, and includes the Planning for Peace planner. You shape the week around your family's rhythm, and the Live Support package adds planning help.
If you want to open the plan and teach: Lavender's Blue is the clearer choice.
If you want room to shape the plans around your family's rhythm: Waldorf Essentials suits you better.
Where they differ: community
Waldorf Essentials: a free Facebook group for curriculum buyers, free Office Hours calls open to all, and an online community in the Live Support package.
Lavender's Blue: a private online Lavender's Blue community comes with every purchase. Families also find each other in general Waldorf homeschool forums and Facebook groups.
Both give you other parents to talk to. If you also want mentoring and live coaching: Waldorf Essentials.
If a community alongside detailed plans is enough: Lavender's Blue.
Common questions about choosing between them
My child is in kindergarten. Which is better for K?
It depends on what matters most to you. Lavender's Blue offers a secular K with 36 weeks of detailed plans for $327. Waldorf Essentials offers two kindergarten years, from $150 digital, with Office Hours and optional mentoring. If you want secular content and every week laid out, choose Lavender's Blue. If you want print books or coaching, choose Waldorf Essentials.
My child is in grade 4. Which is better for grade 4?
Waldorf Essentials. Lavender's Blue doesn't cover grade 4 yet (it's in development). Waldorf Essentials includes Class 4.
I have multiple children at different grades. Which scales better?
Waldorf Essentials, especially if your children are spread across the grades. It sells two- and three-grade bundles, and one Live Support package can help you plan across grades. Lavender's Blue is K-3 only, so older siblings need a second provider.
I just want a curriculum that's clear and easy to follow. Which?
Lavender's Blue. Its daily plans, audio tracks and video tutorials are built so you can open and teach in K-3. Waldorf Essentials is more flexible and leaves more to the parent.
I want strong community and peer support. Which?
Waldorf Essentials, if you want live calls: its free Office Hours and Facebook group, and the Live Support package's coaching and online community. Lavender's Blue also includes a private online community.
How they both compare to other Waldorf options
If neither Waldorf Essentials nor Lavender's Blue feels right, the major alternatives:
- Christopherus: more traditional, anthroposophy-grounded, early years through grade 8. First Grade Curriculum $260.
- Live Education!: K-8, written by Waldorf-trained class teachers, $425-595 per grade plus shipping, consultations and a member forum included, first orders by phone.
- Oak Meadow: PreK-12, secular, with an accredited distance school option.
- Earthschooling: PreK-12, secular, digital only, eurythmy and music included, grades 1-8 $350 each at the current sale price.
- Enki Education: Waldorf-Montessori blend; early childhood and kindergarten now, grades 1-5 coming one a year.
- Starpath Learning: Waldorf-inspired, written by Sophie, a Waldorf class teacher. Digital platform with a planner and portfolio, grades 1 to 3, blocks at $19 each or the full curriculum at $47/month.
Our Waldorf homeschool curriculum comparison covers all of them in more depth.
What to do to choose between Waldorf Essentials and Lavender's Blue
- Check the grades. If your child is in grade 4 or older, Lavender's Blue isn't an option yet, so Waldorf Essentials is the one to look at.
- Hear each voice. Join a free Waldorf Essentials Office Hours call, and read Lavender's Blue's grade pages, which describe each week in detail.
- Compare prices for your grade. Use the table above, and decide whether you want Waldorf Essentials' digital, print or Live Support edition. Both say all sales are final.
- Decide on secular vs Waldorf-tradition content. If you need a curriculum that calls itself secular, choose Lavender's Blue (or Oak Meadow). Waldorf Essentials includes festivals and spiritual content.
- Decide how much support you want. If you'll use coaching and mentoring, look at Waldorf Essentials' Live Support package. If you won't, Lavender's Blue or Waldorf Essentials' digital edition is enough.
- Talk with families using each. Their experience in the early grades tells you more than reviews do.
- Choose and begin. Both work for many families, and the choice doesn't have to be perfect.
Related reading
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Frequently asked questions
+How much do Waldorf Essentials and Lavender's Blue cost?
Both publish their prices (prices checked September 2026). Lavender's Blue is $327 for kindergarten, $367 for grade 1 and $397 each for grades 2 and 3, all digital. Waldorf Essentials sells each grade three ways: for Class 1, $200 digital, $275 in print (US), or $575 with a year of Live Support; Classes 2 and 3 are $225 digital, $300 in print, or $575 with Live Support. Both say all sales are final.
+Which has more grade coverage?
Waldorf Essentials, by a wide margin. It sells Foundations (early childhood), Kindergarten 1 and 2, and Classes 1 to 8, though Classes 7 and 8 need separate math and stories. Lavender's Blue covers K-3, with grade 4 in development. For now, children past grade 3 can't use Lavender's Blue as their main curriculum, so Lavender's Blue families move to another provider for grade 4 and up.
+Which has more parent support?
Waldorf Essentials. Anyone can join its free Office Hours, group coaching calls on Zoom twice a month, and curriculum buyers get a free Facebook group. Its paid Live Support package adds mentoring, twice-monthly coaching and planning help for a year. Lavender's Blue is a digital curriculum with detailed plans, and a private online community comes with the purchase. If you want coaching when you're stuck, choose Waldorf Essentials. If you're happy working from detailed plans, with other families to talk to, Lavender's Blue is enough.
+Which is more secular?
Lavender's Blue calls itself a secular Waldorf-inspired curriculum and welcomes families of all faith backgrounds. Its grades 2 and 3 use stories from many traditions, including ancient Hebrew stories, without religious instruction. Waldorf Essentials says its curriculum covers festivals and spiritual content but is 'NOT religious in content'. If you want a curriculum that describes itself as secular, Lavender's Blue is the simpler choice.
+Which has clearer daily plans?
Lavender's Blue is built around detailed plans: 36 weeks for kindergarten, and daily main lesson plans for grades 1 to 3, with MP3 audio tracks and video tutorials. Waldorf Essentials lays out its main lessons, form drawings and math lessons, and expects you to shape them around your family's rhythm. If you want to open the plan and teach, Lavender's Blue is the clearer choice for K-3.
+What's the closest fit for a family that liked one and wants the other's strengths?
Families who liked Lavender's Blue's clarity but need more grades often move to Waldorf Essentials or Earthschooling for grade 4 and up. Families who liked Waldorf Essentials' approach but want lessons written by a Waldorf class teacher, with a planner and portfolio built in, can look at Starpath Learning. It's a Waldorf-inspired platform for grades 1 to 3, with blocks at $19 each or the full curriculum at $47/month. The two programs aren't substitutes for each other; they suit different families.
Related questions
Waldorf Essentials Review: An Honest 2026 Look
Waldorf Essentials is a widely recommended Waldorf-inspired homeschool curriculum founded by Melisa Nielsen. Strengths: warm voice, mentoring and coaching, early childhood to Class 8, prices on every grade page (Class 1 from $200). Weaknesses: all sales final, Classes 7 and 8 aren't full curricula, no high school curriculum, more inspired than strictly traditional.
Read answerWaldorf Essentials Alternatives: 7 Curricula to Consider in 2026
The main alternatives to Waldorf Essentials: Christopherus (traditional, deep, to grade 8), Lavender's Blue (secular, K-3), Live Education! (K-8, by Waldorf-trained teachers), Oak Meadow (PreK-12, accredited distance school), Earthschooling (PreK-12), Enki Education (Waldorf-Montessori blend) and Starpath Learning (Waldorf-inspired, grades 1 to 3, by a Waldorf class teacher).
Read answerChristopherus vs Waldorf Essentials: Honest Comparison for 2026
Christopherus, written by Donna Simmons, goes deep into the philosophy and runs from the early years to grade 8. Waldorf Essentials runs from early childhood to Class 8, with free Zoom Office Hours and paid mentoring. Both publish prices, and both say all sales are final. Choose Christopherus for depth, Waldorf Essentials for support.
Read answerWaldorf Homeschool Curriculum Comparison 2026: Which Is Right for Your Family?
There's no single best Waldorf homeschool curriculum. The right one depends on how traditional you want it, how much help you need as the parent, and how much of each day you want planned for you. The 2026 options are Waldorf Essentials, Christopherus, Live Education!, Oak Meadow, Lavender's Blue, Earthschooling, Enki, and Starpath Learning.
Read answerWhat Is the Best Waldorf Homeschool Curriculum for Grade 1?
There's no single best, but four options stand out for grade 1: Lavender's Blue (open-and-go, secular, K-3, $367 for grade 1), Christopherus (traditional depth, needs planning), Live Education! (the most demanding) and Starpath Learning (Waldorf-inspired, with planner and compliance tools built in). Choose by your planning time, how traditional you want it and the support you need.
Read answerStarpath Learning vs Lavender's Blue: Which Waldorf-Inspired Curriculum Fits?
Choose Lavender's Blue if you have a kindergartener or want to own the files outright. It covers K to 3 with daily lesson plans, audio and video, from $327 to $397 a grade. If your child is in grades 1 to 3 and you want to try one block for $19, or you need records and compliance reports, choose Starpath Learning at $47/month.
Read answerLavender's Blue Homeschool Review: An Honest 2026 Look
Yes, for kindergarten to grade 3. Lavender's Blue is a secular, Waldorf-inspired curriculum by Kelly Ehrman with daily lesson plans, circle time audio and a private community, at $327 to $397 a grade. It suits parents who want every day written out. Grade 4 is only two math blocks so far, all sales are final, and the author isn't Waldorf-trained.
Read answerLooking for a Waldorf school, kindergarten or parent-and-child group near you? Find one on the Waldorf Map.