It’s already September and we’ve been working and playing our way through Kindergarten for nearly a month now!
It’s been a while since I’ve updated on our family, so I thought this would be the perfect time to share what life is like for us this fall.
Homeschooling through preschool was certainly a journey in patience and learning for me, and Kindergarten is no different! While some of our routine has stayed mostly the same, we’re also enjoying the flexibility that comes with educating at home. Here’s what a normal day in our lives looks like:
8 a.m. –> Breakfast with a quick, kid-friendly Bible lesson and some classical story reading, & morning chores — Right now, we’re using Hide the Word & Seek the Lord Devotional, and reading aloud from the Complete Tales of Beatrix Potter. I’ll often play jazz in the background, and if a lesson is just too much for sleepy-eyed babes, we listen to a Jungle Jam radio show online!
9 a.m. –> Morning Time & Music — We make our way to our school area in the basement and work on calendar skills, sing silly songs to get all our wiggles out, and recite our prayers, verses and poems.
10 a.m. –> Art & Science Focus — My Kinder works on art or science during this time (we’re currently doing an apple unit), while little sibling has the run of the play area. Right now little brother’s faves are car & truck books, and a big bucket of seashells and driftwood. At the end, we always play outside; my kids can’t get enough backyard play!
11:30 a.m. –> Free Play while Mom preps lunch.
12:00 p.m. –> Lunch, cleanup, and read aloud. Hubby usually has the privilege of joining us for the lunch hour, so lunch is a great break for all of us. Big sis helps clean up by putting away dishes and occasionally wiping down the table. Afterwards, I’ll read aloud from library books of the kids’ choosing.
1:00 p.m. –> Quiet Time. This is pretty much a non-negotiable in our house! No matter what age or stage, everyone in our family benefits (dare I say greatly NEEDS?) quiet time by the time lunch and read aloud are over. My five-year-old uses this time to detox and unwind from the morning, usually choosing to color, do Legos, or play educational games on her tablet. Mama usually works, plans or blogs, and little brother naps. 🙂
1:45 p.m. –> Reading & Language Arts — This looks a bit different every day, but right now we are loving the McGuffey Primer through Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool. We’ll use this time to practice sight words together, work through an easy reader or two, and complete online lessons. Sometimes I’ll throw in handwriting in the sneaky form of whatever art/science theme we’re doing!
2:15 –> Math — We love math workbooks! Currently, my Kindergartener is working with a SchoolZone workbook purchased from Mardel. We do a lot of chalkboard work and enjoy hands-on manipulatives, too.
3:00 p.m. –> Snacktime and play time! By this time, the toddler is usually up from his nap. We eat together and if the kids ask, I’ll read some more while they snack.
Our afternoon time right now is a myriad of activities: dance class, library story time, gardening, family outings to the lake, and church events. Every weekday afternoon is different, and I love that. ❤
Of course, some days look wildly different from this! Last week we took an extended Labor Day weekend trip to Missouri to visit family! In a few days, I have a trip to the local apple orchard planned. We’re also looking forward to some activities and field trips our local homeschool co-op has on the calendar.
So far, we’re having a blast with our easy-going homeschool lifestyle, and I can’t wait to see what the fall brings next!
Does your daily schedule vary lots, or do you & your kids love routine? Tell me what your day-to-day looks like right now!
❤
a fresh brewed faith 