It’s fun to be a fly-on-the-wall in someone else’s homeschool. Even as a seasoned homeschool mom, I always enjoy learning how other families manage their homeschool days, what curriculum and resources they utilize, and just the different dynamics unique to every family. It’s also one of the best ways to gather ideas you can use in your own homeschool.

That being said, Jamie C. Martin of Simple Homeschool has hosted a Homeschool Day in the Life Series for years. I’ve long appreciated reading those posts, and that’s what inspired me to write this article: my first Homeschool Day in the Life post!

I hope you enjoy the glimpse into a typical homeschool day, and more importantly, that you might take away inspiration, whether big or small, for your own homeschool.

Morning

Today we are all a little slow getting up for the day. I wake around 7:30, but manage to lay in bed until close to 8 a.m. 

My 6-year-old daughter is awake as well, and I head down to the kitchen and greet my 11 year old who’s hunting for something to eat. While he makes a peanut butter and jelly, I grab a bottle of water, which is part of my self-care routine; one bottle of water before breakfast, everyday. 

My 14-year-old is awake before us all (as usual) and has already made his current favorite breakfast: a protein shake/fruit smoothie. He eats while completing his 30 minutes of free reading and his daily Bible reading.

(Of course, this is just his first breakfast. He’s currently in a crazy growing stage where he has not only breakfast, but a second breakfast, too, with a possible snack thrown in later for good measure.)

My 6-year-old asks for a smoothie as well, and requests to watch the next movie in the Ralph S. Mouse series. We watched The Mouse and the Motorcycle last night, and today it’s Runaway Ralph.

While they watch the movie, I read my devotional, The Year of Living Happy, and another chapter of Ecclesisastes in my Women’s Study Bible. Then I grab my current favorite breakfast: quinoa porridge.

Mid-Morning

After the movie ends, I work with my kindergartener while the older two work independently: my 8th grader on physical science and Kahn Academy math, and my 6th grader reading The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain Series) for his 30 minutes of free reading and daily Bible reading.

For kindergarten, I’ve really enjoyed using Five in a Row. Today, we’re working on her lapbook for Night of the Moonjellies. We read a picture book about jellyfish, draw and label a jellyfish, and discuss what type of business she would like to have.

These are all part of the activities from the Night of the Moonjellies lapbook (find at Homeschool Share). She decides her business will be a French fry stand! She also creates a watercolor jellyfish painting.

Everyone ends up getting a little sidetracked as I work on the moonjellies lapbook, because the boys remember they also have books they made in kindergarten. They head to their memorabilia bins in the basement to pull theirs out. It’s fun to laugh together and share what businesses they chose to have when they read Night of the Moonjellies years ago. 

Morning Time Routine

I finally wrap-up the crafting and reminiscing with a break for snack, then we head into our Morning Time together. This is a favorite time of day for all of us.

I’m still finishing my scrambled eggs on toast, so I have my oldest son record what everyone is grateful for today, as part of the gratitude journal we keep. I’m thankful for the farm-fresh eggs I’m eating, a gift from friends at church; my kindergartener is thankful for her lapbook collection she’s created this school year; my 11-year-old is thankful for his memorabilia, and my oldest son is thankful for a gift card he received.

(Interested in learning more about gratitude practices for your family? Check out these posts: How to Cultivate Gratitude in Homeschool and Family Life and Gratitude Isn’t Just for November.)

We read a chapter from the book of James in the Bible and discuss. Then, an entry from our Voice of the Martyrs Global Prayer Guide. The guide’s purpose is to help Christians pray for those around the world that face persecution for their faith. Today’s country is Cuba. We then pray together for Christians in Cuba, peace in Ukraine, and needs for loved ones.

After prayer, we read a lesson from our Etiquette Intermediate book from The Etiquette Factory. This has been a fun book so far! We’re currently learning about all things related to eating and dining etiquette, from how to properly set the table, to specific dinner table manners. 

I try to read a picture book a day during our morning time, because I truly believe picture books are for everyone, and I agree with Sarah Mackenzie from Read Aloud Revival: we don’t have to stop reading picture books just because our kids are growing older.

Today’s picture book was Miep and the Most Famous Diary: The Woman Who Rescued Anne Frank’s Diary. My 8th grader has been reading The Diary of Anne Frank this term. When I saw this picture book, I realized it would correspond nicely in our Morning Time. In the author’s note, we realize you can do a virtual tour of the actual Anne Frank house in the Netherlands, so I make a mental note to do that later.

We then start our history read-aloud from Stories of America Vol. 2, which is about the plan for America to put a man on the moon. We also read a portion of Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon. After that, it’s our current family read-aloud, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

I didn’t always combine my students for history, but it started to feel very fragmented having everyone in different historical periods. I find it’s more fun and less stressful combining grades for history.

I’ve used Simply Charlotte Mason Modern Times & Epistles, Revelation the past two years. Yes, we’ve spent almost two years on modern history, really taking time to delve into WWI and WWII at the request of my sons.

As we spend a great deal of time reading, my kindergartener typically finds things to do on her own. Today, she looks through her old lapbooks, plays with toys, and then plays a game on the ipad. It’s amazing, however, how much she hears and absorbs as she plays during this time!

We end Morning Time by watching CNN10 together. We’ve been doing this the last couple months, and have found that it’s a great way to engage with current events in a way that’s appropriate for my older students. 

We quickly straighten up the family room, which has somehow become a disaster in the process, and I throw laundry into the dryer. 

Lunch/Mid-Day

My 14-year-old’s Amazon package is delivered, which contains a turning signal kit for the zero-turn lawnmower he uses for his mowing business. He heads to the garage to get that mounted and my 6th grader has recess time.

We have plans to run to the library today, so I grab a shower, make the bed, and make lunch for my youngest. Most of the time, everyone finds leftovers to eat, makes a sandwich, or opens a can of soup for lunch.

Afternoon

After lunch, I remember we are absolutely going to do an art project today “no matter what!” I’ve let regular art projects slip by the wayside, and we’ve been long overdue. I prefer to keep our approach to art simple and easy. Today, it’s a simple underwater sea drawing, from the book 365 Things to Draw and Paint. 

While the kids work on that, I play a few of the Vox picture books I want to take back to the library, because the kids didn’t want me to return them without listening. These Vox books are convenient because my kindergartener can grab them off the shelf, and “read” a book anytime she wants. Most of them are narrated very well.

We hang up the artwork on the door to the garage (our art display door) and go on the virtual tour of the Anne Frank House. There are points of interest in each room that you can click on for more information. We all agree this is a good investment of time.

Next, I give a dictation to my 8th grader (part of his Spelling Wisdom and Using Language Well curriculum), then work on some math corrections with my 6th grader. I forgot he needs some extra practice problems for multiplying and dividing fractions with mixed numbers so I make a mental note for that. 

Late-Afternoon

We head to the library to pick up our reserved items, and because my daughter’s American Girl doll reserve is ready. Our local library’s new program allows patrons to check out an American Girl doll for one week. So fun.

When we return, I rush to get dinner made as the kids are heading out at 6pm for a hockey game with Dad (using free tickets he won, which is funny, because we never win anything).

Dinner

Dinner is smoked sausage, potatoes and green beans, with a side of diced cinnamon and sugar coated apples. Gourmet, eh?!?

While they race off to the game, I embrace being home in the quiet stillness. I finish the dishes, switch laundry from washer to dryer, fold some laundry, and work on this blog post. 

Today, there isn’t really any outdoor time, which is unusual for us. It was cold and gray and no one wanted to be out. Despite being inside all day, the day went pretty well. Other days, I can sense we just need a breath of fresh air, especially when we start getting grumpy and grouchy. Most days, however, the kids enjoy getting outside for a bit.

Typically, we stick to our daily schedule, but some days, like this one, we give ourselves permission to follow a few of the rabbit trails that come our way, like revisiting memorabilia from younger school days, or taking an impromptu virtual tour.

Ultimately, the best school days for us balance structured learning time with plenty of time (and permission) to deviate from the schedule.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into a typical homeschool day at our house!