Our Basic Homeschool Schedule and How to Create One for Yourself.
So you're thinking about homeschooling your kids, but you don't know where to start? Or maybe you are already homeschooling but feel dragged in too many directions during the day. Whatever prompted you to click on this post, I'm glad you're here!
One of the most important things you'll need to do to save your sanity is create a homeschool schedule. This will help keep you and your kids on track and make sure that all of your bases are covered. This is more important when you are homeschooling more than one child and as they continue to grow up and more studies are taken on.
Creating a schedule can seem daunting, but I am here to help. In this post, I'll give you a basic overview of our homeschool schedule and how you can create one for yourself.
Why Having a Daily Schedule for Your Homeschool Is Important.
First, let's look at why having a homeschool schedule is important.
First, and likely the most obvious point, is that it can help you stay organized and on track. Having a daily schedule can help you to keep track of what needs to be done each day and ensure that you are covering all of the necessary material.
Second, a daily schedule can help to keep your homeschool running smoothly. Which, when you have multiple kids at home, is vital for a more peaceful pace. By having a set schedule, you can avoid last-minute scrambling and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Finally, a daily schedule can help to give your homeschool structure and routine. This can be especially important for younger children and special needs children, who may benefit from having a set routine each day.
What Does Our Basic Homeschool Schedule Look Like?
Here's a look at our basic homeschool schedule that I use daily. I love how it's a visual reminder of what is next and what needs to be covered.
1. Math with Dad! I’m doing chores or working with the little girls while he is doing this with the big girls. Sometimes I go on my walk/run during this time.
2. Recitation Menu: This brings us all together and really feels like the start of school.
3. Handwriting/Poetry/Phonics: During this time, the girls rotate between handwriting, phonics/reading practice, and me reading a poem out loud to them while they write. We use Dash into Cursive right now, and our early reading phonics program for my little one. One day a week, they write a letter instead of the handwriting book.
4. History or Bible read aloud — We rotate between these. If we do history, we also place historical characters and events on our timeline!
5. Latin — We are doing Latin this year! We love Classical Academic Press. They have great videos—both chants and lessons, and little fun games. There isn’t too much "worksheet" type work in their workbook. It’s just enough where they are really learning.
6. Science or Literature read-aloud— We rotate between these two, and my kids love them both. Some of our current reads are "The Jungle Book" for literature, and "Secrets of the Woods" for science.
7. Picture/Composer/Nature Study/Geography— We rotate between these and only do them once a week for about 10 min each.
8. We add music daily in the afternoon, handicrafts whenever they feel like it, and French videos during lunch!
This is just a general overview of what our days look like. Of course, they don't always go according to plan and there are always adjustments that need to be made! But having a basic schedule helps us stay on track and makes homeschooling much more manageable.
How to Use Our Schedule to Make Your Own Basic Daily Outline
If you like the idea of having a visual cue like this one, then we've got you covered. Simply download the free schedule page and write in the classes/subjects that you need to cover for your homeschool day.
Pin it up or put it in your daily planner so you can refer to it when things get hectic. No printer? No problem! Creating a schedule can be done on a simple sheet of paper. Think of the daily subjects that need doing and add them down in no particular order.
From your brainstormed subject list, think of how many you can cover in one day realistically and add those to your planner page. You can even split days up and have a rotating class schedule. Science on day 1 and art on day 2 and so on.
Once you have the general outline made, use it for a week or two to see how well it works for you. If you find it needs to be reworked, take the time to tweak as needed.
The idea here is that there is no right or wrong way to create a schedule; just do what works for you! Making a plan and following it is as important for the kids as it is for you. Let's face it, there are going to be days when unexpected things happen, from silly outbursts that distract the kids to big life events outside of our control. Having a schedule we can refer back to will help keep things orderly. And when you have multiples, that's important!
I'd love to hear from you. Do you have a daily schedule idea that you just love and want to share? Or maybe you found our printable really great? While you're here, be sure to check out all the other great free printables for your homeschool!
