Do you long for the perfect school day at home?
Do you wonder if there is such a thing as a perfect homeschool day?
If you are looking to figure out how to have the perfect homeschooling day, look no further. These hints will help you work toward your BEST HOMESCHOOLING DAY YET!
How to Have the Perfect Homeschool Day.
#1: Ensure the kids go to bed on time the night before. (Have them read quietly if they need to unwind before bed.) Also ensure that the morning is planned out and kids work space is ready for use before going to bed.
One of the best ways I have found to plan for my next day is by utilizing white boards throughout the house. We have them in the homeschool room noting things we are studying, schedules, and facts we are memorizing. We also have one in the kitchen with our meal plan noting snack and meals, that way there is no thinking time to remember what was planned for lunch, dinner or a snack, we look and that is what we eat. We know it’s in the house so there isn’t wandering around. It has saved time and headaches.
#3: DO NOT TURN ON THE TV. Starting the day with electronics will derail your day quickly.
#4: Have the children get dressed and ready for the day BEFORE breakfast. Coming to the table in PJs will slow down the start to your homeschooling day.
#5: Start with a good breakfast, vitamins, power food. Think PROTEIN!
#6: Begin the day reading to the children. Read while they eat breakfast. Read after breakfast and the dishes are cleared. Whichever you prefer. Consider beginning the day by reading from the Bible or a devotion you can work through together.
#7: DO NOT DISPERSE TO OTHER AREAS OF THE HOUSE. If you don’t homeschool at the kitchen table where you are having breakfast, walk as a group to the homeschooling room and begin your day. You will be amazed at how quickly you can lose a child between the table and the desk.
#8: Spend quality time with the younger children in the morning while the others do some independent work. If you have younger ones, reading or doing a puzzle together can give them the quality time they need so you can then spend some quality time with the older children. Work younger to oldest with one-on-one time.
#9: Have a system in place for questions. If you are working with a child individually, explain to the other children EXACTLY what you want them to do if you they don’t understand an assignment you have waiting for them, or with which they need some help. That way, they don’t just stop working and sit and wait for you, getting bored and leaving their work area. Have a SYSTEM of marking the question and moving on so the day does not stall out because you get a phone call or the baby needs a diaper change.
#10: Check in with the children that are doing independent study regularly. They need to know you are engaged with their schoolwork even when you aren’t working directly with them.
Having a plan in place and checking in on the older children doing independent study has been easier since we started using a Student Planner. This has helped her check off what she has done and note questions if she has them.
#11: Plan breaks for snacks and stretching, chores and extras like practicing musical instruments. Planning these into the schedule will ensure they are done as well as not at times that will distract other lessons or nap times.
#12: DON’T FORGET LUNCH AND SNACKS. Many recognize that a healthy diet includes eating 5 times a day in small, protein-packed, healthy quantities. That means planning snacks and meals into your homeschooling day for you and the children. Ensuring you are ready with healthy snack and lunch options will help you stay on track and not lose the kids from lack of concentration due to hunger.
And lastly – and probably THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP I CAN GIVE —
#13: Be prepared (and ok with) your whole day derailing and taking a field trip. If you wake up and realize that this would be a good day for the museum, do it. Don’t sweat it and get back on track tomorrow. Sometimes, the best thing for a perfect homeschool day is a fun day on the day before on a fieldtrip.
Don’t forget, naptimes or quiet times are a great way to give the little ones the rest the need, your older ones some time for quiet Lego building or reading and drawing time, and YOU some much needed time to read, eat in quiet, exercise, or get some other work done. QUIET TIME IS YOUR FRIEND. EMBRACE IT!
In the end, no two homeschooling days look alike, so be sure to figure out what works for you. If starting at 7am works for your family, do it. But if starting at 1030 works best, that’s great too. If schooling on Saturday is better for your family than schooling on Wednesday, by all means embrace your family schedule, that is why homeschooling is so great, you can adjust it to your families needs.
Obviously, there is NO step by step process for the perfect homeschooling day. But homeschooling while embracing some of the tips above can help you find a rhythm that will help your homeschool day go more smoothly for your and kids.
There are other great planners and calendars that help us organize our day but we do love our white boards and planners. If you are looking to try out one new thing in your homeschool to better organize it, give some of these suggestions or supplies a try and see how that help you smooth out your day!
What are some of your best ways to ensure your homeschool day runs smoothly? I would love to hear them!
Leave a Reply