Finding Summer Homeschooling Routine

One of the things I love about homeschooling our crew is that we can school year round and make sure we're not only learning reading, writing and arithmetic but leaning house work and life skills as well. But even in homeschooling we feel the different seasons and are consistently having to evaluate what a routine during that season looks like.

This summer has been no different. It got hot early this year, driving us indoors earlier in the day than normal. By June it was at least 80 degrees most days before lunch which made post lunch outdoor time short and miserable for most of our major sweaters. We were also struggling to get book work done as kids need they energy outlet. So early June brought evaluation. While everyday is different in specifics, it is nice to finally have a general routine to get us through each day.

Currently our routine goes something like this:

Breakfast and Bible with Daddy before he goes to work
Morning chores and get ready for the day
Outside time
Morning snack and a short story or poem
Book work for middles, puzzles, books or coloring for littles, olders help youngers and do book work as able
Lunch and reading
Quiet time: babies nap, middles do quiet activity and olders do book work
Dinner prep and free play
Dinner
Evening chores
Family reading
Bed
Parents time

I've been amazed at how much this rhythm has helped all of us succeed and is beginning to help the older ones learn how to prioritize their time. We aren't strict or rigid. There is a lot of flexibility.

The kids get to bake and cook and build and create. In fact the longer we do this the more creativity I see coming out of them!

This has also kept us away from the screen! This has been a huge bonus I was not expecting. But right now we have not had an afternoon movie in a couple of weeks and they mostly don't ask for it. I do love hearing the kids sing "Tradition" or "Doe a Deer" when the mood strikes them, but I don't miss hours glued to a movie followed by explosive energy. I find this has also increased creativity in the kids.

It also allows for perusing other things they want to learn and allows me some writing and creative time. I know this is just a season and soon another season will be upon us with new evaluation and new rhythms, but right now I'm so thankful for the rhythm God has given us in this season that is helping us live for Him right now.

What do your rhythms look like right now?