A prepackaged curriculum has been designed by professional educators to meet certain standards. A clear, visible structure is organized by year, month, week or even by the day. Many curricula include a list of necessary materials for each lesson, along with instructions for preparing for any experiments or activities. This premade structure is helpful for homeschooling multiple children as it eliminates a lot of the planning.
A prepackaged curriculum uses a chronological methodology, meaning that it follows a step-by-step pattern for learning. This chronological pattern helps teach learning through mastery of particular milestones. Linear learning allows the child to master a lesson completely before moving onto more difficult lessons.
Some students require differentiation in their learning due to a learning difference, such as giftedness or ADHD. Children who are gifted sometimes learn extremely fast in one subject, but not in another. Prepackaged curricula are usually organized by specific grade levels, and do not have packages that contain different levels in different subjects. For children with ADHD, supplementation may be required to allow the children to spend more time on a subject or to explore subjects in a more kinesthetic, or hands-on, way.
It is extremely difficult to find a curriculum that teaches every single event or topic as deeply as you would like. Most of the time, prepackaged curriculum designers decide on specific topics to cover, and leave out topics that are not considered standard. For children who are interested in a broader variety of topics, this type of curriculum can feel stifling.