Song School Latin

Song School Latin is a two-book Latin program from Classical Academic Press, listed for grades 1-3 on its series page. Its student editions for Book 1 and Book 2 list Amy Rehn as Author. The Book 1 Program page calls it a vocabulary-based introduction to the language, the series page says lessons include songs, vocabulary, illustrations, handwriting practice, stories, and games, and the Book 2 page says it prepares students for the publisher's Latin for Children Primer A.

Last updated: 2026-10-08 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Classical, subject-specialist (Every Homeschool classification)
Worldview	Christian · Ecumenical is Every Homeschool's classification, a term the publisher does not use. CAP says it serves both Christian classical schools and homeschools, and that its materials are used in classical charter schools that are not religious. CAP does not name a denomination on the page linked here
Grades	Book 1: grades 1-2; Book 2: grades 2-3. The series page says grades 1-3, the publisher's FAQ lists Song School Latin for 1st-3rd grade, and its Latin page says grades 2-3
Formats	Consumable print workbook (Book 1, Book 2), with the Book 1 and Book 2 songs as streaming audio in My Library (Book 1 songs, Book 2 songs); teacher's edition; optional streaming video or DVD; online practice for Book 1; a flashcard game included in each program (Book 1 Program, Book 2 Program)
Cost tier	Budget (Every Homeschool classification). The Book 1 student edition is $29.95, the teacher's edition is $29.95, and the streaming video is $23.95, which total $83.85; the Book 1 Program, which also includes a flashcard game, is $102.95 as streaming (retrieved October 2026)
Parent intensity	3 (Every Homeschool rating)
ESA-common	Not verified. The CAP pages we read do not name ESA programs or marketplaces; confirm with your program administrator
Accredited	Not applicable: a curriculum, not a school
Established	Classical Academic Press says it was founded in 2001; the program's first publication date is not stated on the pages we reviewed
Website	classicalacademicpress.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	3	The Book 1 Program page calls it a vocabulary-based introduction to the language, and the Book 2 page describes a light introduction to Latin grammar
Ease of teaching	4	A teacher's edition and optional video lessons are available, and CAP publishes a suggested schedule
Content quality	4	Lessons include songs, vocabulary, illustrations, handwriting practice, stories, and games, per the series page
Flexibility	4	Book 2 prepares students for Latin for Children Primer A, per the Book 2 page
Value for money	4	$29.95 to $31.95 per student workbook (Book 1, Book 2); video and teacher's edition are extra, per the collection page (retrieved October 2026)
Worldview scope	4	CAP says it serves Christian classical schools and homeschools and that its materials are used in classical charter schools that are not religious
Visual/design	4	The series page lists illustrations among the lesson elements, and the Book 1 video page describes an animated story
Support resources	4	Video, songs, coloring pages, lapbooks and games with the streaming video, a suggested schedule PDF, and an Ask the Magister page

Who the publisher is

Classical Academic Press says it was founded in 2001 to make classical education accessible, structured, and joyful for modern families, and says that Dr. Christopher Perrin and the CAP team have spent decades helping schools and families recover the richness of classical education. Christopher Perrin's page says he cofounded CAP and serves full-time as its CEO and publisher. Its Latin page describes a three-series Latin path: Song School Latin, Latin for Children, and Latin Alive. Its FAQ lists the placement as Song School Latin for 1st through 3rd grade, Latin for Children for 3rd through 7th grade, and Latin Alive! for 7th grade and up.

The student edition and teacher's edition pages list Amy Rehn as Author. The video pages list Christopher Perrin and Amy Rehn as Authors. The Book 1 Songs page lists Carolyn Baddorf as Author and says she is the Latin magistra (teacher) in the Song School Latin videos and songs and in the Latin for Children audio chants.

On worldview, CAP's What is Classical Education page answers the question of whether classical education is religious by saying that much of the modern classical renewal has happened in Christian schools and homeschools, that CAP serves both Christian classical schools and homeschools, and that its materials are used in classical charter schools that are not religious. The Book 1 video page lists classical and ecclesiastical pronunciations, and the FAQ says CAP provides both in Song School Latin and Latin for Children and recommends classical pronunciation.

The core pedagogy

The Book 1 Program page describes a vocabulary-based program. Book 1 has 31 weekly lessons, including review chapters, and teaches 100+ everyday Latin vocabulary words with 30 songs and chants; lessons include songs, vocabulary, illustrations, handwriting practice, stories, games, and activities. Book 2 has 32 weekly lessons, including 7 review chapters, and 175 everyday vocabulary words, including 75 words and grammar topics from Latin for Children Primer A. Its lessons, per the Book 2 page, add a light introduction to Latin grammar and derivatives, and the page says it prepares students for Latin for Children Primer A.

Signature mechanics: (1) Songs and chants. Each book has 30 songs and chants, and the Book 1 audio is included with the student edition and sold separately for $11.95. (2) Consumable workbook. The student edition is a consumable interactive workbook. (3) Video lessons. The Book 1 video has 24 episodes of about ten minutes each, one for every non-review chapter, available as streaming or a 3-DVD set, with classical and ecclesiastical pronunciations. (4) Games and online practice. The Book 1 Program page says the streaming purchase includes games, coloring pages, and lapbooks, and an online practice product is sold separately.

How a lesson runs

CAP's suggested schedule, linked from the Book 2 page, describes a basic weekly schedule of 2 days a week per chapter, approximately 20 to 25 minutes each day, and says younger students may need a third day. The PDF applies to Book 1 and Book 2. In it, on Day One, students watch the video, read the lesson in the student book, work one or two pages of exercises, and listen to the songs for that lesson; on Day Two, students finish the activities or review the lesson, can watch the video again, sing along or from memory, and can play Latin Monkey Match; and in weeks with a review chapter, Day One is the diagnostic vocabulary test and Day Two is the review activity, a diglot weave story read together, a round or two of Latin Monkey Match, and an oral exam of the Latin words.

The Book 1 video page says its episodes teach vocabulary, simple grammar, and derivatives. The Book 1 Teacher's Edition includes the full student content plus reproducible activity pages for each chapter, answer keys, and additional teacher's notes, and the Book 2 Teacher's Edition includes the full student content, answers, teacher's notes, and extra activity pages for each chapter, including the review chapters.

What they do exceptionally well

Developmental fit. The publisher describes lessons that mix songs, vocabulary, illustrations, handwriting practice, stories, games, and activities, and its FAQ describes Song School Latin as a light introduction to Latin for young learners. Its suggested schedule is two days a week per chapter at about 20 to 25 minutes a day.

Support for parents who do not know Latin. CAP's Latin page says its step-by-step lessons and built-in video instruction are meant to help a child succeed even without a Latin background, and the product pages provide audio and both pronunciations.

A path into the publisher's sequence. Book 2 includes 75 words and grammar topics from Latin for Children Primer A, per the Book 2 page, so the two programs overlap.

What they do poorly

Limited grammar. The program is vocabulary-based, per the Book 1 Program page, and the Book 2 page describes only a light introduction to grammar. The Book 2 page points students to Latin for Children Primer A as the next step. In our assessment, a family that wants grammar instruction from the first lesson would look at a different program.

Two-book ceiling. The program is two books, per the series page. After Book 2, the publisher's Book 2 page points to Latin for Children Primer A.

Consumable workbooks and separate components. The student edition is consumable and, per CAP's FAQ, is to be used by one student per copy; the same FAQ entry allows a homeschool family to copy student edition pages for siblings of the intended student. Video, the teacher's edition, songs, and online practice are separate purchases unless bought in a program bundle, as the collection page lists. The Book 1 student edition page says it is out of stock and can still be ordered, and the Book 2 DVD video and DVD program are shown as unavailable while the streaming versions are orderable.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Song School Latin if: you have a child in grades 1 through 3, per the series page, and want what CAP's Latin page calls a gentle introduction to Latin, with songs; you plan to continue into Latin for Children or a comparable grammar-stage program; you want audio and optional video support.

• Skip Song School Latin if: your child is older and needs to begin Latin grammar immediately; you want a single program that teaches reading and grammar from the first lesson; you do not plan to continue Latin beyond two introductory books.

Cost honest assessment

Prices at Classical Academic Press, retrieved October 2026: the Book 1 student edition is $29.95 and the Book 2 student edition is $31.95. On the collection page, each Teacher's Edition is $29.95, each video is $23.95 as streaming or $34.95 on DVD (the Book 2 DVD is shown as unavailable), and each songs download is $11.95. The Book 1 online practice is $23.95, Latin Monkey Match 1 is $29.95, and Latin Monkey Match 2 is $37.95. The Book 1 Program, which includes the student edition, teacher's edition, streaming video or a 3-DVD set, and the Latin Monkey Match flashcard game, is $102.95 as streaming or $112.95 on DVD. The Book 2 Program includes the same four items for Book 2 and is $111.95 as streaming or $121.95 on DVD (the DVD version is shown as unavailable).

For a family buying both streaming programs, the two program bundles (Book 1 and Book 2) total $214.90. A family that buys only student editions pays $61.90 for the two books (Book 1 and Book 2). CAP's FAQ says that, for homeschoolers, streaming access lasts for the life of the product.

For comparison, Memoria Press lists its Prima Latina Complete Set (grades 1-4, including workbook, teacher manual, streaming videos, pronunciation audio, and digital flashcards) at a current price of $104.68 (retrieved October 2026).

ESA eligibility notes

The CAP pages we read do not state whether Song School Latin is listed on any state ESA or voucher marketplace. Eligibility depends on the state program and its approved-vendor list. Confirm with the program administrator before ordering, and ask whether workbooks, video, and online practice are listed as separate items.

Alternatives

• Memoria Press Prima Latina, a family would choose Prima Latina over Song School Latin for a grades 1-4 program that, per the publisher, teaches Latin and English grammar concepts as well as vocabulary, sayings, prayers, hymns, and constellations.
• Getting Started with Latin, a family would choose Getting Started with Latin over Song School Latin for a book series the site describes as designed for homeschooled and self-taught students of any age, with free audio recordings and fun practice sentences.
• Latina Christiana, a family would choose Latina Christiana for grades 3-6 when the student is ready for a beginning Latin course; the publisher states it was written for a teacher with no background in Latin.