A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm

You are registered to homeschool. You have decided on curriculum. Your year is mapped out and you feel good about your plan for the next 9 months or first quarter. Now it’s time to think through what the day to day will look like. A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm will allow you the peace of mind to go through your day to day with intentionality and purpose.

A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm isn’t just for homeschooling moms, it’s for all moms who find themselves in need of direction with their days.

Unlike a big picture plan, which lays out the high level themes for each month, this thought out daily rhythm will get you from breakfast to math to quiet time in an intentional way. Every day is different, but having a rhythm in place gives us and our kids something to rely on and expect when it comes to school at home. Kids thrive in predictability and repetition, so let’s use that to our advantage to make our days run smoother.

Routine vs Rhythm

Rhythm just sounds better than routine, doesn’t it? The difference between a rhythm and a routine is flexibility and fluidity. A rhythm allows for movement, while a routine can seem rigid or inflexible. The way I like to think about these two terms is a routine works from a timetable, while a rhythm works from a sequence.

A homeschool routine could look something like this:

8:00 Language Arts

8:30 Math

9:00 Read Alouds

A homeschool rhythm simply takes out the timetable:

Language Arts

Math

Read Alouds

A rhythm allows us to move through our days without rushing and without a sense of unnerving urgency. It still gives us and our kids predictability and repetition all the while allowing the day to unfold around us as we learn beside our kids. I am type A by nature and although I sometimes struggle with the flexibility of a rhythm, I have found it to be more beneficial for my kids.

*Note: There are some families who need a timetable because of work schedules, baby schedules, personalities, or lots of other life things. If this is you, simply add it on Step 4.

Step 1: Think through A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm

Grab a notebook and your Plan for A Simpler Homeschool Year. Close your eyes and think through what you want your days to look like. Picture yourself and your kids moving throughout the day learning together. Think through these questions:

1)When are my kids at their best?

When are your kids motivated, ready to learn, happy and well rested? When will they learn best? These questions will help you navigate when to have your school block.

2)What do my kids like to do in the morning, afternoon, evening?

Things go a lot smoother for us and our kids when we go with what is already working. If your kids like to have a long breakfast and play for a bit, build that into the daily rhythm and begin the school block after they have ample time to do what they love.

3)When am I at the top of my game?

It’s also important to think about when we are well rested and ready to teach. When are you ready to tackle the day and engage with your kids?

Step 2: Choose your school block

Now that you have thought through some variables that go into planning A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm, choose a two to three hour school block. Homeschool looks different than public school when it comes to how much time is spent on instruction and school work. It’s concentrated work time and most schooling at home can be done in three hours or less. This two to three hour school block can be in one big chunk or sprinkled throughout the day. Although we are looking for a rhythm instead of a routine, I think it’s smart to have a (flexible) start and end time for the school block. Determine the school block time now.

Step 3: Make a List

And all the list makers said Amen. It’s time to make a list of all the subjects and activities you want to fit in a day. Get specific: Language Arts, Read Alouds, Science, Poetry, Scripture memorization. Whatever it is, get specific on the items you want to cover each day. Include lunch, snacks, playtime/recess, quiet time, and all the other extras. If you have multiple kids, be specific with what you want to do with each child.

Step 4: Think Order

Order is important. Transitions are important. They can either make the day run smoothly or make it seem like a train wreck. (For the record, I have had lots of both kinds of days.) Looking at the list of subjects and activities you want to cover in a day, think through what would be the best order to move through those activities. Remember back to the questions I asked at the beginning. When are your kids their best? Try to cover the core subjects then. Language Arts, Math, Science, History.

List the order of activities. I do this on the same Excel spreadsheet I use for planning the year. You can use Excel or simply list it in a planner or notebook. Intentionally think about what you want the day to look like, when is ideal for you and your kids to be at your best, and make a plan.

*Note: If you need a timetable, add it in now.

Believe it or not, it can take 23 minutes to get back on track following a significant interruption. That’s why it’s important to have as many smooth transitions from subjects and activities as possible so time isn’t wasted throughout the day.

Our Detailed Homeschool Daily Rhythm

Be okay with edits.

It’s one thing to sit down and think through a daily rhythm, it’s another to implement it. Give yourself grace and understand there could be big or small edits to the daily rhythm you’ve created as you begin the school year. Although your daily rhythm might get altered, it’s still a good idea to create one at the beginning so you have a framework to work from. You can adjust as needed as you and your kids learn what works best for your family.

A Simpler Homeschool Daily Rhythm is attainable and will help you and your family navigate the day to day with intention and purpose. It is one small way you can make your homeschool year a bit simpler. Tell me: What will your daily homeschool rhythm look like this year?