Are you looking for some amazing back to homeschool tips so you can get the year off to a good start? Then you’ve come to the right place! Here are some incredible tips that will help you get organized and focused for the new school year.
Back to Homeschool Tips
Getting back into the rhythm of balancing homeschool life with your normal routine can be challenging. Kids need to wake up and do their schoolwork. Then there are all the activities going on throughout the day. Ballet, soccer, play dates, and trips to the library!
The secret is to organize yourself for success right from the beginning of the school year.
1. Set Up a Portfolio
Each year I like to set up what I call a portfolio for my kids. It’s a three-ring binder with dividers for each subject.
While it isn’t required by the state, it gives me a handy spot to put tests, artwork, essays, and completed assignments.
My kids loathe me tossing their completed assignments in the trash after they’ve spent hours completing them. Plus, the assignments give us a visual record of the work the kids have completed over the school year. We can sit down and read about history, review science, and enjoy artwork.
In high school, the portfolios give me a backup method for keeping track of what my teenagers have accomplished during their high school years.
And best of all, kids love showing off their completed work to grandparents.
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2. Shop for School Supplies
At the beginning of the school year, go shopping for school supplies with your children. Kids get very definite ideas about the type of pencils they want to use or if they prefer markers or colored pencils. Or what type of watercolors they like.
Picking out school supplies together also gives kids the chance to find a cute notebook, pencils they love, or a goofy eraser for school.
3. Back to Homeschool Tips: Make a Schedule
If you have a bunch of kids, it’s a good idea to make a schedule for your homeschool day.
Now, I’m not talking about setting up a strict schedule that varies every fifteen minutes but rather a loose guideline for how you’d like the day to run. A routine if you’d prefer.
Having a schedule helps everyone know what’s expected and what they need to be doing at any given time. Your kids will know when you’re available and when you’re working with another child.
A schedule also gives you the opportunity to make sure that you’re able to balance doing the chores and feeding the family to keep the household running smoothly.
4. Assign Chores
Along with creating a schedule, make sure that you assign chores for your children to complete. There’s no reason why you should be stressing out trying to complete every task by yourself.
Instead, divide up the chores and give everyone a job. After all, many hands make for light work. The housework will be done faster allowing you and your children to head out for playdates and fun activities faster.
There are two ways you can divide the chores.
The first is to give each child a task for the entire school year. I prefer this method as it makes it easy for me to keep track of who is responsible for what task. I know that my son is responsible for sweeping while my daughter makes sure the vacuuming is done.
The second method is one the kids prefer. You create a chore chart and rotate the chores. And no child gets stuck doing the same job for an entire year.
5. Create Evening Routine
Your evening routine is the secret to a smooth-flowing morning. If everyone gets to bed on time, then you have happy kids in the morning who’ve had a good night’s sleep. Breakfast is prepped, the house is tidy, and clothes are laid out.
The morning gets off to a good start.
The secret is to figure out what are your three critical tasks for the evening and make sure they get done. And make sure the kids and yourself get to bed on time.
Then your morning will be off to a good start. Which makes homeschooling so much easier!
6. Create Morning Routine
At the same time, you should be creating a morning routine for your family. Sit down and decide what type of breakfast you’d like the children to eat.
Do you want to get up and make a hot breakfast each morning? Or would cereal be a better fit for your family?
The situation changes from household to household. Some families need specialized hot meals each morning while other families are crazy busy and prefer a meal that’s quick and easy.
You’ll also need to determine if you want the kids to be doing morning chores, sit down to complete independent work, or start with a family morning time.
This does go with creating a schedule, but I find that concentrating on a well-planned morning routine for the first hour after we wake up in the morning helps the day go smoother.
7. Back to Homeschool Tips: Discuss Expectations
Once you have schedules, routines, chores, and homeschool expectations set, sit down and chat with your children about what you expect from them.
No one, not even a small child, likes to have their plans interrupted. After six kids, I’ve learned to tell kids repeatedly what I expect and what the plan is. The kids learn to plan their Lego and playdough time around my schedule.
But if you don’t inform the kids about your plans, you’re in for a bit of rough sailing!
So sit down and have a quick conversation with the kids about what’s expected. It will make life easier in the morning.
Bonus Tip: Plan a Fun Field Trip
Plan a fun field trip as part of your back to homeschool activities. Field trips are always fun no matter how old you are. Start a Friday Field Trip group with some friends and check out some local sites.
Head to a museum. Go to a local amusement park. Check out a trampoline gym. Try your hand at a climbing wall. Take the kids through a bakery to see how bread is made. Find a local grocery store to give you a tour. Or go on a virtual tour of space.
Field trips are a great way to expand your children’s education and provide some fun hands-on experience.
Get Back to Homeschool Tips
As you get back to homeschool, it is a great time to gear up for the new school year. You can look at schedules, routines, and chores. You can also take the kids shopping and set up a portfolio for the school year.
It’s also a great time to head out and do something fun with your kids. And don’t forget to make adding fun to your homeschool a part of your normal routine!
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