How We Used Our Swiss Family Robinson Novel Study in Our Homeschool

Classic literature uniquely pulls readers into another world, and The Swiss Family Robinson is no exception. In our homeschool, we recently used a Charlotte Mason-inspired novel study guide I created. It turned out to be one of our most memorable learning experiences! The Swiss Family Robinson Novel Study comes to life with copywork, narration, and hands-on learning. In this post, I’ll walk you through why we chose it, how we used it, the hands-on projects that brought the story to life that we loved, and what my child took away from it most.

Why We Chose The Swiss Family Robinson

As fans of classic adventure stories, The Swiss Family Robinson was a natural pick for our spring term. It’s rich with themes like resourcefulness, family unity, survival, and appreciation for nature. It also paired beautifully with our Charlotte Mason-style learning, offering room for copywork, narration, nature study, and life skills. We are lovers of survival-style books, such as My Side of the Mountain, so this felt like a great fit! 

How We Used The Swiss Family Robinson Novel Study

We followed a relaxed, literature-rich pace, reading 2–3 chapters per week. For each chapter, we used:

• Discussion Questions to spark meaningful conversations

• Copywork passages for handwriting practice and language appreciation

• Creative Writing to drive creative thoughts and additional discussions 

• Narration to build comprehension and storytelling skills

• Hands-on activities to explore survival skills, natural science, and crafts 

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Favorite Projects and Lessons

Here are a few highlights from our experience:

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• Raft-Building Challenge (Chapter 1): We used recycled items such as empty drink containers, sticks, and string to create floating rafts to test buoyancy and structure. It was so fun to test what worked and didn’t!
• Salt Crystal Experiment (Chapter 11): This science activity helped us visualize how salt caves could form and made for a magical multi-day experiment. We added food coloring to our water to make the growth visually fun, too.
• Oil Lantern DIY (Chapter 13): We made simple oil lamps to understand how the Robinsons lit their homes during long winters. We used tallow and talked about how different oils are better or worse for keeping the wicks lit! 

We really enjoyed the survival aspects of this story and how the family lived off the land. To bring it to life, we watched YouTube videos on topics like building shelters, water purification, and more. It helped us visualize what true survival might require.

What My Kids Took Away

Beyond academics, this study nurtured independence, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation for the resources we often take for granted.
My son especially loved learning about survival skills. He was fascinated by how the family used the supplies from the shipwreck to build a sustainable life on land. He already understood what it means to hunt for food and the importance of using every part of an animal, but this study really drove that subject in. We talked about how they preserved meat, used fur for warmth and clothing, and made tools from bones. We also discussed the value of simple meals—and how a few basic ingredients can nourish us when we’re resourceful.

Want to Try It in Your Homeschool?

You can find the full Swiss Family Robinson Novel Study Guide. 

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