When I first started homeschooling, I had no idea what our typical homeschool day should look like, or even if there was such a thing. Eventually, I figured out a rough schedule for our day.
Our typical homeschool day has evolved over the years as my children are growing and changing, and as my own needs and wants change from year to year (or even month to month). Ultimately, we try to remain flexible and this is really a key point to remember.
If what you’re doing works: great! If not, don’t be afraid to make a change.
I find it interesting to see how other homeschoolers schedule their days, so I thought you might enjoy a fly-on-the-wall glimpse into what an average day looks like for us.
Our Typical Homeschool Day-Mornings
Mornings start with my three youngest children ages 12, 10 and 4 waking up anywhere between 6:30 and 7:00. My two oldest daughters who attend public school are up and out the door by 6:45. If I’m not awakened, I will luxuriously sleep in until 7:30, if my body lets me. No matter how late I go to bed, my body’s alarm clock is pretty precise. The boys make their own breakfast, and I’ll put together something for my youngest daughter, and cook a healthy breakfast for myself.
At night, I lay out the daily assignment notebooks so the boys can start working on anything that doesn’t require the computer or my assistance. Because they both typically like to get a head start, the expectation is that they can work on as much school as they want on their own. However, they need to be dressed, have their teeth brushed and their bedroom tidied by 8:30, which is the official start of our school day.
After breakfast and dressing my preschooler, I try to squeeze in some exercise and stretching. This is a regular routine I’ve been pretty rigid about for myself since summer 2019.
Around 10:00, we start our Morning Time, which lasts until about 11:00. Honestly, if things are running behind schedule, which is often the case, Morning Time starts late, and we’re not done until 11:30. The kids have recess, outdoors as much as possible, and then we eat lunch.
Our Typical Homeschool Day-Afternoons
After lunch, we continue school until about 1:30/2:00. At this time, the boys may be finished with their assignments that don’t require my help. They may play outside again, practice instruments, or play their 35 minutes of daily game time on the ipad, while I’m reading books to my preschooler in preparation for her quiet time. She no longer naps, so she has quiet time in her room from about 2:00-3:00.
To keep her occupied, she can choose a special quiet time bin, which contains various toys, puzzles, books, etc. I really appreciate the time she and I have together at this point in the day. It’s so easy to breeze through the day, while she tags along with whatever we happen to be doing, so I’m grateful for this focused time with her.
During quiet time, the boys have my special attention for specific subjects I directly teach: writing, Latin, science, and sometimes a special literature reading. They usually have a snack while I’m reading aloud. We aim to have the school day complete by 3:30 at the latest. My older girls are coming home from school, and I have a small window of time before I start preparing dinner around 4:30.
I am learning to give myself a window of time here to relax as much as possible. Maybe I’ll lay down for a few minutes, read a book, check emails, or write. This me time has been a difficult task, and I often struggle to safeguard intentional time for self-care.
What Is Your Typical Homeschool Day Like?
So there you have it: a typical homeschool day at our house. Library trips are usually on Mondays when we go to story time, and sometimes there will be a trip to the grocery tucked in there.
Lest you think all things are perfect and regimented, not everyday do we have Morning Time, but it’s the goal. And sometimes we’re all grumpy and it’s barely 9:00 and we’ve had discipline issues and bad attitudes (mine included). Those are usually the mornings I know we most need our Morning Time or a walk outside or an extra recess.
Conclusion
Remember, there really is no set ideal for a homeschool day!
You can read about how others structure their day, but you’ll need to tweak those ideas and suggestions to suit your needs and the needs of your children. All homeschools look different and that’s the beauty of homeschooling.
