What is a “homeschool rhythm” and why do I need one?
If you have spent any time homeschooling you are probably running into phrases like “morning baskets,” “homeschool methods,” “looping systems,” “rhythms,” etc.. Today I am going to talk to you about the one that I think is the most important to know first - rhythms.
When I first started homeschooling I did the thing that most people probably do and that is replicating traditional school. I wasn't intentionally trying to do this it just sort of happened. I think it’s very normal and almost expected for their to be a pretty big learning curve at the beginning, especially if you aren’t familiar with homeschooling and if you haven’t been homeschooled yourself. I made a list and an agenda, put times for certain subjects down, (not that having a plan is bad because I still have a plan) and basically made myself a schedule that a traditional school would most likely use. Well, what I didn’t realize at the time was that the rigid schedule that I made was not only going to seriously stress me out, but also keep me from the beauty of the freedom we get to have as homeschoolers. I would feel like we were SO behind because we weren’t getting things done on time, or I would stop what we were doing even though the kids were really into it and having blast because it was time to get to the next thing. Ya’ll. Having daily rhythm freed me!
So what’s a homeschool rhythm? A homeschool rhythm is simply creating a rhythmic flow to your day. Doesn’t that sound so much prettier than schedule? haha! It is not a rigid schedule with times and durations but more of a guide. A rhythm is there to help everyone in the house know what to expect out of their day. It also gives freedom on when to start, how long to stay there, and where you decide to be that specific day. Kids need structure and boundaries and having a sweet rhythm to your days is a great way to help everyone thrive. In the summer we take some time off of our regular rhythm and I love how at the end of our break we all miss it so much and can’t wait to get back. Our daily rhythm for this fall goes like this:
Kids Wake up, brush their teeth, grab a blanket, get their morning basket, and find a cozy spot to do their morning routine: read bible, journal entry for the day, writing practice, read or draw (all while I make breakfast) I love to use this time to spoil them in the fall/winter with hot chocolate or apple cider so they will have all the sweetest memories :)
Eat breakfast together - often I read to them a book from our theme of the month or we listen to a book on audible together
Everyone gets dressed, makes their bed, and does their chores for the day
Upstairs for core work :) We generally do a fun workout or two to get all wiggles out and then start on English, Math, and whatever our loop is for that day (more on this later).
Kids play outside while I make lunch
Eat lunch together
More free play because kids need so much of it (this is when I workout)
Quick clean up and dinner prep (kids help tidy but for this time there are endless options from more outside play time, reading, crafts, to a movie and popcorn - all days are different)
Evening activities if any - baseball, dance, soccer, etc… if no activities they’re playing :)
Dinner together and family time
Bathtime and bedtime
This is our general flow of the day but I hold it very lightly. I have tried to do our core work earlier and our chores later but this is what works for us. I don’t have a set time when any of this has to happen or even where it has to happen. Some days my kids all wake up before 7am and somedays they wake up at 8:30. Regardless of wake up times etc we just get right to our rhythms. If it’s a beautiful day I will take the kids outside to do our morning baskets and bible readings etc and if they start to play then I let them.. I just know the next thing is we need to eat breakfast, get dressed, and get our chores done. There are so many moments that just happen in homeschool that you don’t want to stifle. One fall morning I let the kids go outside to do their morning routine of reading their bibles, journal entries, writing etc… when I came outside they were all sitting together singing and talking about how beautiful what God created was.. I didn’t say “ok kids we gotta get moving to our next class.” I let them sit there for as long as they wanted and sing and marvel at creation. They weren’t just reading about Jesus they were experiencing being with Him. It was incredible to see that happen and to give them the room they needed to fully experience it.
If things feel off and we just are having a rough day sometimes I’ll tell the kids “get your backpacks” and we will go have school at the park or the library or we will take our nature journals and go explore somewhere and write it all down. The possibilities are endless! I seriously love the freedom to be spontaneous and surprise my kids with adventure days. We do our regular rhythm Monday through Thursday and then Fridays we still do our morning routine, but we use this day to have field trips, friend meetups, or work days with Dad. There are just so many fun ways to make your homeschool full of joy and rich with learning. My overall goal is help my children develop a healthy, lifelong love of learning. I want them to think back on this time when they’re all grown up and remember the wonder of learning, the joy of adventure, the thrill of experimenting, and freedom to explore.
If you are homeschooling this year or even on the fence I want you to get a moment for yourself, make a cup of coffee or tea and allow yourself to dream of what a perfect day would be like in your house? Of course no days are perfect, but what would a day look like where you wouldn’t be stressed and things would flow in such a way where everyone was enjoying their day? Are you someone who thrives on working out first thing in the morning and having time to yourself? Are you someone who prefers school after lunch so your kids can play all morning and you can get work done? Write down what comes first, what flows well right after, and then try it! I love that as homeschoolers we get to create a thriving environment for our family’s specific needs. Your rhythm doesn’t need to look like mine or anyone else’s it just needs to look like your family!
I hope this little window into our days helps your family achieve your own sweet rhythm!
Happy creating mama’s!
I am cheering you on today!
