Like many of you, we have been home for the past month. Although we did school at home pre-coronavirus, this last month has still been an adjustment. We aren’t doing our weekly homeschool classes. We aren’t going to church. We aren’t seeing friends and taking advantage of the zoo in the spring.
Despite all the things we aren’t doing, we are doing some pretty great things right where we are. We are eating dinner together every night. We are taking long walks. We The kids are outside for hours upon hours each day creating worlds and making up stories and exploring plants and birds and the ‘dinosaurs’ they are tracking. We are reading lots of books and learning how to be together all day every day.
Today I wanted to share what our Homeschool Day looks like during quarantine. It’s simple and pretty much stays the same day to day, except for Fancy Friday when we gather for tea time and a looser rhythm. Here is a peek inside our day to day…
7:15-7:30: Kids wake
Kevin wakes the kids each day around 7:30, while I finish up whatever I’m working on. He gathers breakfast for everyone: yogurt and Cheerios, frozen waffles, peanut butter puffs, eggs and bacon for him and I.
After breakfast is finished, the kids get dressed and do one chore from their chore chart. There have been plenty of days Lily has declared a pajama day, which I am completely fine with because #lesslaundry
8:00: Luke begins independent work
When Luke finishes his chore, he begins his independent work. I have the work he needs to do stacked on our dining room table. On the top of his books is a sticky note with a list of items for him to complete. He works through the list, checking things off as he goes.
While Luke is completing his independent work, I am usually feeding Jack breakfast and cleaning up the kitchen. Lily and Jude are playing and finishing up their chores.
8:30: Seat Work
Around 8:30, when Luke finishes up his independent work, I will sit with him and do some teaching. We work on language arts, math, and sometimes art appreciation.
After I finish working with Luke, I will work with Lily for 10-15 minutes on letters, numbers, handwriting, and some simple math skills (shapes, addition, etc.) It is light and quick and we move on as soon as she’s done.
9:30: Schoolroom Circle Time
Around 9:30 I put Jack down for a nap. While I’m doing that, the kids will gather their show-and-tell for our schoolroom circle time.
Luke, Lily, and Jude meet me in the schoolroom. We recite the verse we are memorizing, share things we are grateful for, read the Jesus Calling devotional, and pray. We then talk about the calendar, the weather, and read a few poems.
At the end of circle time, I read a few books aloud. Sometimes I use them to teach a language arts skill like retelling. Other times I will use them for a science lesson like what plants need or a social studies lesson about our country. I try to get the most bang for my buck during our read aloud time by incorporating science or social studies when I can.
When we are done reading, the kids share their show and tell for the day. This is probably their favorite part of circle time.
10:00: Independent Reading Time
At 10:00 each kid gathers 3-5 books and reads for 10-20 minutes. I usually forget to set a timer, so it ends up being around 20 minutes. They spread out around the living room and read quietly to themselves. Jude is still working on this. Somedays he will do great and read the whole time and somedays he will end up in his room playing cars. At this point, I’m fine with both. After reading independently, they mark it off on their reading chart.
10:15-10:30: Sometimes Art then Outside
On days when I’m super motivated, we will create something together with paints, construction paper, glue, toilet paper rolls, whatever we have lying around. If I’m super motivated AND on top of it, we will create something related to our read aloud. Sometimes I will turn on an Art for Kids Hub. In reality, art happens once or twice a week.
However, almost everyday, the kids head outside. They will bundle up if need be and head to the backyard to explore, swing, do sidewalk chalk, or just run around and play. This gives me about 30 minutes of quiet time while Jack is sleeping and the three big kids are outside.
11:00: Lunch
I start prepping lunch around 11:00. Since we don’t do snacks, they are usually hungry at this point. If it’s nice, the kids eat outside and I am off the hook for one meal clean up. If it is chilly, they come in and eat.
11:30: Jack up, Finish lunch, Playtime
Jack gets up from his morning nap around 11:30. The kids finish lunch, and then play for about an hour either inside or outside.
12:30: Reading Lessons
At 12:30, I sit down with Luke and Lily individually and do their reading lessons with them. Luke reads a chapter in a chapter book and Lily goes through a lesson from the book Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons. Jude and Jack are playing. Many times I’m holding Jack or feeding him puffs in his high chair while we work through lessons.
1:00: Screen Time
Around 1:00, the kids sit down for their screen time. If Luke and Lily earned their reward for their schoolwork in the morning, they get 10 minutes of time on their tablets. After 10 minutes, they are able to watch a show together. They take turns choosing what to watch; usually it’s Dino Dana or The Magic School Bus.
1:30: Books
Each child chooses a book to read at 1:30 and we read together on the couch. More on The most important thing.
1:45: Jude to bed and Novel
Jude goes down for nap at 1:45 and then I read a novel to Luke and Lily. Currently we are reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
2:00: Quiet Time
Our school day ends here.
Luke and Lily head to their rooms for Quiet Time and I put Jack down for his afternoon nap.
During Quiet Time, I write, tidy our main living area, do chores around the house, catch up with friends if I can.
Our homeschool day has changed greatly since quarantine, but has also given us space to be together, learn together, and do life slowly together. I know someday I will look back on this time with a longing for us all home and together.
We were together. I forget the rest. -Walt Whitman
What does your quarantine day look like?
Great post! Thanks for sharing.
Could you please give me an example of chores you give to Luke on a daily basis?
Also you mentioned that you read to the kids novels. Please share with me few titles of novels. Thank you!
Hey Happy! Hope you and your family are doing well! Luke chooses from these chores: wipe down the counters and bathtub in the bathroom, wipe down chairs in the kitchen, take his clothes from the laundry room and put them away, and feed Abel our dog.
We recently read Charlotte’s Web and all enjoyed it. We are listening to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on audio book and it’s a favorite. Other favorites are Boxcar Children and Little House on the Prairie. I’m sure your girls would love Little House on the Prairie. I am going to be sharing our summer book list in the coming weeks on Facebook Live. I will keep you posted!