We have hit our groove this summer with a very simple homeschool schedule.

I know this schedule definitely won’t be involved enough for some people but it has been working really well for our family!

I’m totally planning on pulling this rhythm/routine/checklist into the fall.

 

 

 

My free Unschooling with Intention Workshop.

My kids’ YouTube Lego Show: The Adventure Kids

 

 

OUR SIMPLE HOMESCHOOL SCHEDULE

 

So, what I have done is create a very easy three-part checklist for my kids for each day.

I have intentionally kept this simple so there will be space in their days to explore interests and just have time to be bored (thus hopefully spurring on more creativity).

When thinking about which three things I wanted them to do each day (well, I really only have the checklist for weekdays), I thought about the things I wanted them to work on and I also looked at the goals they set for the year (I’ll be sharing those soon, probably later this week or next!).

 

 

#1 READ FOR 15 MINUTES

Making my kids read each day is important to me because you can learn so much when you are reading.

Books are very much the spine of our homeschool and learning so it’s important for me to give them time each day to spend time reading on their own.

Now, I may be trying to be a bit sneaky here. I know my kids and they both enjoy books, but sometimes the hardest part of reading is just getting started.

So, I want them to read for a minimum of 15 minutes each day, in hopes that they will want to read longer.

And, let me say, it’s been working. So often I will tell them the time is up if they want to be done and they’ll ask to just finish that page or chapter – winning!

My kids have each chosen a list of books they want to read this year and I am picking books for them as well. I plan on having those book lists up in the next couple of weeks (the first one should actually be coming later this week)!

 

#2 READ & WRITE THE BIBLE

Okay, this second thing is actually different for each of my kids.

My daughter (going into grade five) is reading through the Bible this year. She is using the Read Scripture Bible reading plan and has been doing really well. She is on track and we’re nearly done 7/12 months!

So for her, the second thing on her list is to make sure she has done her Bible reading for the day. Some days she does two portions one day and then skips a day, I’m fine with that. The fact that she is nine and is reading through the Bible in a year when I only did it for the first time last year (at the age of thirty-three!) I’m really proud of her.

She also reads/follows the plan on the weekend but I didn’t include the weekends on the checklist, I just make sure to verbally check in with her and make sure she’s done it.

For my son (going into grade two), he needed a bit more practice with his writing so his second task is to write.

I printed out some Bible verses for him to copy out (in a fairly large font so it would be easier to follow along) and then I highlighted different sections. Each color represents a day.

 

mushroom spore print from a mushroom from our backyard

 

#3 WORK ON A PROJECT

This one is the most open out of all the items on their daily list, I just want them working on something different.

I told them this could not be just building Lego because they do that every day all day anyway, I wanted it to be something else.

They have been doing really good with this and so far they have:

* used some Draw So Cute videos to draw a family:

 

 

* planted a bean in a cup and watched it grow:

 

 

* made a spore print

* writing stories

* making Lego videos. They have actually created a YouTube channel and are creating YouTube Lego shows, it’s been so great to see them decide what each episode is going to be about, film it all on their own, edit the videos on their own and learn to upload them to their channel.

You can check out their channel here.

This is my favorite episode so far (they have plans to try to have a new episode up each Saturday morning):

 

 

This project section is my favorite, I am always working on a number of different projects myself and I like giving my kids time and space in their day for these kinds of things while still pushing them a bit when it may be easier just to do nothing.

 

I know this little homeschool rhythm will seem to simple for a lot of people but this has been working really well for us!

I will share our goals for the year as well as the kids’ book lists for the year soon.

In case you missed it last week you can check out our list of family read alouds for the year here.