It's that time of year when we look forward to the next school year! This year is exciting because it's officially the first year Ashtyn would be required to go to school, because of her birthday. It will also probably be more of a relaxed year, since we're having a baby in September :D
Our Focus - Reading
The number one thing we focus on in our homeschool is reading. We make room in our budget for books (both hardcopy books and audiobooks) and make sure books are easily accessible to our kids. I try really hard to never say no when one of the kids asks me to read to them. And the first thing we do in our homeschool day is read aloud.
For our read aloud, we always start with a couple of fun picture books, especially ones that I know Rylee will like. We then read in other things, like The Friend magazine or a nursery rhyme/poetry book. We finish off our reading time with a chapter or two of whatever chapter book we're reading together (currently we're in the middle of The Witches by Roald Dahl).
If we get our reading in, then the homeschool day feels like a success to me. I am to start our homeschool day by around 9:30 each morning.
Homeschool Activities
One of the things I love about homeschooling is the time I get to spend with the kids. I work to make it intentional and focused on them for those few hours each morning and I know our relationship is better for it.
Because of that, I like to do an activity with them each day. These activities range over all the different school subjects, though I do try to prioritize art and science experiments, since those tend to be the kids' favorites. I also try to keep most of them simple, so that I am more consistent in doing them. We do things like science experiments, playdoh, playing board games, getting out art supplies, doing activities outside, movement activities or kid yoga, etc.
I obviously try to choose activities that the kids will like and try not to expect things to go a certain way (especially with the art projects). However, these are activities that I'm picking and planning. Sometimes the kids will hear something they want to do, but most often, I'm the one picking them. I also love to theme these activities around holidays.
Fridays
We focus on school Mondays through Thursdays. We still read on Fridays, but then we spend the rest of the morning doing the girls' chores rather than an activity and their other school stuff. We take Saturday and Sunday off (we do end up reading to the girls each day, even when I don't for homeschool, because it's part of their bedtime routine).
The Kids' Goals
Besides reading and the activities, which I'm in charge of, the kids each get to pick some things they want to learn about and focus on in the coming year. Ben and I really want to support out kids in their interests and passions, and we feel homeschooling really allows us to do that. It is so fun to watch their passions and see them pursuing those interests.
Ashtyn: One thing that Ashtyn has been working on this year is learning to make video games with a free online coding program. She wants to learn how to make longer games with that. She also wants to learn to type.
She knows how to read and write fairly well, but she wants to work on her handwriting, so she can learn how to write the letters and numbers in a way that will help her write faster. With math, she wants to continue doing addition and subtraction, but she also wants to start memorizing her multiplication table. She will continue doing art and piano.
Parker: Parker spent a lot of time the last year learning her letters. She still has some she struggles with, but she's learned so much (including how to spell her name and how to write each letter). This year she wants to start to learn to read. We're going to start both on phonics and sight words. I think a combination of the two will work really well for her personality.
She also has started understanding addition, so she wants to do more with that. Ashtyn loves math worksheets and Parker sometimes does them, but I think she will do better with a focus on math activities and games.
The last thing she wants to focus on is pixel art and drawing. She loves doing pixel art on Ben's laptop and she loves to draw (especially people). One thing she wants to do is design outfits on paper for people.
Rylee: Rylee is still pretty young (she'll be three this month!), so we are focusing on simple things. I make sure to read to her often and give her time to work on both fine and gross motor skills each day. We will also continue exposing her to the alphabet, Signing Time, and counting.
My Main Job
My job as a homeschool mom is to create an environment that supports literacy, math, and reading. It is also to help my kids find, identify, and pursue their passions and interests so that they can learn how to learn and love the learning process.
Daily Routine
The kids wake up around 7:30 and get lunch. I will turn on some sort of educational show for them while I do some of my own things (recently we've been watching Cyberchase). Around 9:30, I do the girls' hair and we do our reading. We're usually done with this around 10:30.
When we're done reading, we then do our activity. This sometimes is really fast, other times it takes the rest of the morning. Now that Covid is easing up, we'll probably also spend a morning at the library for their story time sometimes. We then spend the rest of the morning at the table working on the kids' goals (things like math worksheets, art lessons, and phonics).
Then we're done with school and the rest of the day is spent in free play until dinner! Free play is one of the best ways for kids to learn, especially when they can have free play outside.
The Baby
Because we're having a baby at the beginning of September, I am planning on having a very relaxed few months. I want to make time for the kids' each day and help them pursue their goals, as well as continue reading to them (even if it's not for as much time). I do have some simple activities planned and ready for the months after the baby and some of our holiday stuff ready. I will focus on Christmas in December and try to get back to my normal school routine with the kids in January. I do plan on giving myself plenty of grace during the baby's first year and I know it will be a time of learning for us all, even if we're focused on adjusting to and serving a baby.
August Activity Ideas
Because school where we live doesn't start until the end of August, and the kids will still be spending a lot of time outside and with friends, I am not planning an activity for each day. Rather, I have a list of activities that we can do together if we want throughout the week for the month. Most of these are activities that I thought we might do in July that we ended up not doing.
Nature Bookmarks
This is something I've been wanting to do with the girls since it warmed up, but haven't gotten to. We'll see if I actually end up doing them with the girls this month!
Rock Balancing
This is a really simple activity and one that is perfect in our unfinished backyard. I've done this with the kids before and they like it.
Shadow Drawing
This is such a fun and simple activity! It is also something that all three kids will like (Rylee loves shadows right now).
Make a Ladybug
I already have these printed off and the girls will love doing them!
Sun Print Experiment
You leave a paper out in the sun with pennies on it and see how the sun affects it. Ashtyn will especially like this activity, I think, since she loves science experiments.
So there is the breakdown of what we're planning on doing for our homeschool this next year and how we're going to balance school with having a baby! I am really looking forward to it all!
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