The Call of the Wild and Free: Reclaiming the Wonder in Your Child’s Education, A New Way to Homeschool

Written by Ainsley Arment

Narrated by Piper Goodeve

Allow your children to experience the adventure, freedom, and wonder of childhood with this practical guide that provides all the information, inspiration, and advice you need for creating a modern, quality homeschool education.

Inspired by the spirit of Henry David Thoreau—”All good things are wild and free”—mother of five Ainsley Arment founded Wild + Free. This growing online community of mothers and families want their children to receive a quality education at home by challenging their intellectual abilities and nurturing their sense of curiosity, joy and awe—the essence of a positive childhood.

The homeschool approach of past generations is gone—including the stigma of socially awkward kids, conservative clothes, and a classroom setting replicated in the home. The Wild + Free movement is focused on a love of nature, reading great books, pursuing interests and hobbies, making the entire world a classroom, and prolonging the wonder of childhood, an appealing philosophy that is unpacked during this audiobook.

The Call of the Wild and Free offers advice, information, and positive encouragement for parents considering homeschooling, those currently in the trenches looking for inspiration, as well as parents, educators, and caregivers who want supplementary resources to enhance their kids’ traditional educations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062916549

Ainsley Arment

Ainsley Arment is the founder and leader of Wild + Free, cohost of the weekly Wild + Free podcast, and author of The Call of the Wild + Free. As she leads this movement of raising kids and homeschooling in a new way, she thinks deeply about making the most of life and ensuring that her children have a fertile seedbed for their own uniqueness and creativity. She and her husband, Ben, are raising their five kids, Wyatt, Dylan, Cody, Annie, and Millie, in Virginia Beach.

Reviews for The Call of the Wild and Free

[Lyndon Hayhoe · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

So inspired! Instead of dreading and fearing what lies ahead in homeschooling our littles, I’m excited and passionate!

[Jessica Cherrett · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this, good chat about what it means to homeschool.

[Ash Mattson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was inspiring, practical, encouraging, freeing.. highly recommend to any mama who is new to homeschooling or who needs to remember what this is really all about!

[Daniel Miskin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing and inspiring book for any parents especially ones who are interested in homeschooling and nature play

[Bethy Brown · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Feeling stirred, empowered and full of vision to teach my children.

[Cadence · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved it! Encouraging, inspiring and challenging. I will be ordering the hard copy so that I can highlight and make notes.

[jesse · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book about being free and living a different life.

[Melody Queen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely wonderful. Encouraging and impactful. Breathes fresh air back into my homeschool lungs.

[Lotachukwu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It inspired me!
I love it so much: well written and has good content that anyone can start doing. It has encouraged even me, a mom of 3, to begin “maturing back” into childhood, to enjoy the beauty of Wonder!

[Ignatius Balayo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved it. It has great practical ideas. Its simplicity n relatability is encouraging

[Jessica Vereecke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book! Very informative! Very enlightening to a sensitive area for mothers. Learning to let go of social norms. Different outlook on a different typing of schooling. Been wanting to homeschool but worried about if it would be the right fit for my family. This book actually helped me making some decisions and not second guess myself as a mother!

[Brittnie Cooper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written book, that inspires and empowers homeschooling families to be who you are within your techniques and teaches you to embrace nature and children’s natural eagerness to learn.

[Nycole · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author continually mentions the enhancements and the audio book didn’t read that portion or am I missing something? I was really looking forward to hearing her go through those!! Otherwise amazing book!!!! She quotes and refers to some of my favorite homeschool mamas. Nature and books! Love love love!! Must read for all moms homeschooling or considering.

[Taylor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellently written; treasures at every turn - I had to take notes on every chapter! Will revisit as my kids get older and I inevitably forget these precious truths. Calls this new homeschooling mama heart and makes me excited at the prospect of our own Wild and Free homeschool which is forming! Can’t recommend enough. Every homeschooler (new or old) needs to hear this.

[Sara Satterfield · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Highly recommend to all mamas out there! Well written and informative.

[Sarah · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a great introduction for anyone considering homeschooling. I feel confident to begin and a greater sense of my “why” after reading this and am thankful to know of a community of like-minded individuals I can plug into.

[Samantha Johnson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A true testament to a homeschool mama's heart. If you're thinking of homeschooling or already are, read this! You will not regret it!

[Stephanielynn Büda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent read. Inspirational for this new homeschooling momma! Will definitely revisit often!

[eliza · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I looked for the Enhancements in Scribd's documents and couldn't find them, and the link at Harper Collins, (which the author cites as a location to download the Enhancements) doesn't work.

[Taunya DaShiell · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great way to encapsulate multiple homeschooling views and leaving it up to the reader to figure out what may work for them.

[Fatima Bham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first half of this book is great for anyone who has ever felt inclined towards homeschooling. As a parent who has already been homeschooling in this style for a couple of years I found the second half of this book very helpful and reassuring. I would definitely recommend.

[Tiffany · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I could read/listen to this book over and over. It has found me as I am full fledged in my fourth year homeschooling our three children 7, 10, and 12 years of age. The first couple years have been rocky as we tried figuring out our way through what homeschooling means to us and what we want it to look like. Wild + Free has bolstered my confidence to fly forward with passion and grace as I allow our children to embrace, fully, who they are meant to be! Thank you!

[hooligansmama · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Refreshing read

Overall this is a great read. Parts of it went slower then I expected but the themes of allowing kids to be kids, letting creativity and curiosity drive their learning and keeping wonder alive were overarching and clear. I found it to be a refreshing book and encouraging book.