10 Homeschool Scheduling Tips To Help You Plan Your Year

Creating A Homeschool Schedule For Your Family

Before beginning to define the details of your homeschool schedule, it is important to consider what makes your family unique. Your children’s ages, learning styles, subjects, hobbies, extracurriculars, and your family’s routine are all factors to weigh as you begin the scheduling process.

These individualized needs will help you determine the type of schedule most appropriate for your family. We find there are typically six different ways you can schedule your family including:

1. 1. A Standard School Schedule
   2. Scheduling a Long Christmas Break
   3. Six Weeks On, One Week Off
   4. Modified Summer Vacation
   5. Year-Round Schooling
   6. The Un-Schedule

If you would like to learn more about these approaches to calendarizing your school year, you’ll find a more in-depth explanation of each in Six Ways to Schedule Your Homeschool Year to Fit Your Family.

10 Homeschool Scheduling Tips To Plan Your Year

Once you have an idea of what calendar year will work best, you can then begin to consider the practical details of your day-to-day homeschool plan. These 10 tips cover everything from big-picture planning to play breaks in your homeschool, and have everything you need to create the best possible schedule.

1. Set Clear Goals

It is helpful to determine your overall educational goals and what you specifically would like to see your child progress in throughout the year. Beginning here allows you to structure your schedule with these important objectives in mind.

Create a Daily Routine

We all know that children tend to thrive on routine. So do most adults as well! Designing a daily homeschool schedule that includes consistent lessons, meal times, playtimes, and outdoor activities helps your entire family know what to expect. Because of this, you will likely find less resistance to learning from your children. It also allows you to relax into the familiarity of your homeschool routine.

Time Blocking

Dividing the day into separate time blocks for different subjects and activities allows for more flexibility in your homeschool. Rather than scheduling hour by hour, you can instead allocate more time for subjects that require increased focus and concentration, and shorter timeframes for subjects that are easier or more enjoyable.

Morning Time

Many families opt to begin each day with a focused morning time. This intentional time is typically completed together, as a family, in a kind of morning ritual to begin your school day. If you enjoy a morning time routine, it will need to be accounted for in your homeschool schedule.

Vary Subjects By Time and Day

In considering your schedule, it may be helpful to space out certain subjects throughout the day, or even throughout days of the week, to prevent boredom and mental fatigue. For example, you may choose to add a hands-on art activity on a day that also includes a very heavy math lesson.

Don’t Forget Breaks and Physical Activity

Regular breaks should be an essential part of any homeschool schedule. Research has shown time and time again that regular short breaks and physical activity help our children maintain attention. Consider adding outdoor play, stretching exercises, and other downtime to your homeschool schedule.

Hands-on Learning

Hands-on activities, science experiments, and field trips all contribute to a much more engaging and dynamic learning experience. That being said, they do require more upfront planning and preparation on your part as a homeschool parent. Scheduling these activities in advance will ensure you have the needed supplies, the tickets purchased, and the family schedule adjusted for the best possible experience.

Independent Study

If you are homeschooling older learners, you may want to schedule dedicated time for independent study. Not only will this help encourage self-discipline and time management skills, but it will also free you up to spend time with younger children or taking care of other items on your to-do list.

Reading Time And Audiobooks

Reading beautiful books is the cornerstone of many homeschools. If reading aloud is a priority in yours, intentionally schedule time for reading together or listening to audiobooks. Not only will this ensure it gets done on a regular basis, but it will give you and your children something to look forward to in your homeschool day.

Technology

Technology certainly has a place in learning these days, but most parents prefer that it not become our child’s entire focus. Consciously planning for screen time and technology use as a part of your homeschool schedule can help you monitor your child’s access while also providing a technology-rich education.

Creating A Homeschool Schedule That Works For You!

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all homeschool schedule. What works best for one family may not work for another.

It is also important to regularly assess how your homeschool schedule is working for your child, for you, and for your entire family. Based on the progress you are seeing, feedback from your kids, and the changing needs of your family, you will need to adjust from time to time. The important thing is to find a balance that suits your child’s learning needs, your family’s routine, and your educational goals.

Staying flexible and open to change as you discover what works is the very best approach to scheduling and to homeschooling in general!