Homeschooling: The Plan

We have talked about why we homeschool, where we homeschool, and the books we use.  Now it is time for our homeschool plan.  I have already said that I was very worried about the year and worked hard on my plan.  A huge part of that was how to keep a 3 ½ year old boy busy (constructively!) and keeping my priorities in place in the midst of an ever growing “to-do” list. 

  The first thing I did was sit the kids down for a heart to heart.  (Actually first I fed their little faces, and then we talked.  I have a better chance of getting their attention and less of a chance of getting interrupted if their mouths are full!) I told them that mommy is excited about starting school with them.  I also told them all the things that we are going to learn together, but that mommy is going to be very busy this year being a 2^nd grade teacher, Kindergarten teacher, preschool teacher and mommy all at the same time.  I enlisted their help.  I explained to the older two that they would be preschool teachers too since they had completed preschool and knew everything about it already.  They were excited to help, but my daughter really wishes that I was an octopus with 8 arms and could do everything myself.  J  The older two have a designated time to play or “teach preschool” while I work with the other student.

The nex t thing I did was create 4 boxes for preschool, a box for each day of school.  Each box has different activities, puzzles and a simple activity or sticker book.  I didn’t buy new toys for him, but simply divided up what we already had so that each day looks a little different (and hopefully interesting).   I have not done a formal preschool with the older two.  All of the activities are playful.  Some have learning attached, and some are just for the imagination. A list of some of the activities we use are at the bottom of the post! 

Lastly I put together a schedule of sorts.  We have too many variables (little people) to have a rigid time schedule, but we love routine at our house.  My husband says that this is all my fault that they are such lovers of routine.  I say it is 65/35.  I will take more of the blame, just not all of it!  Our schedule does not always unfold as planned, but that is ok.  We are all pretty good at rolling with it.  There were a few things that I considered when I put together the order of our days. 

·         What subjects can be tackled independently?

·         What subjects can we do all together?

·         Who needs their cup filled with my attention first?

·         When will the older two welcome a break from school work and be happy to play preschool?

I will include a copy of our schedule for the curious!

Daily Routine
Breakfast
Devos and Prayer
Morning Chores
School
	2nd Grade	Kindergarten	Preschool
	Bible, Hymn and Verse
	Math and Spelling	Handwriting and Game	Workbook and Game
	20 minutes with Little Bro	Phonics, Reading and Math	20 minutes with Big Brother
	Language and History	20 minutes with Little Bro	20 minutes with Big Sis
	Science or Hands-on project
Play
Lunch
Read Aloud
	2nd Grade	Kindergarten	Preschool
	Reading	Quiet time	Nap
	Art and Music	Reading and Puzzles	Nap

 

You will notice an absence of a plan for my littlest one.  I noticed that on the first day too.  I am still working on that!

 

 

Activities for Preschoolers! (Some of these activities are special because we only get them out during school time.  Others are special to my 3 year old just because big brother is willing to sit and play with him!)

·         Farm

·         Playmobile

 

·         Play-doh

·         Markers

·         Magnetos

 

·         Legos

·         Duplos

·         Rice Box (On a day that I plan to vacuum!)

·         Paints

·         Beads and yarn or pipe cleaners

·         Busy Bugs

·         Cuisenaire Rods with Alphabet book from MFW


This post is linked to We Are That Family, Raising Arrows, True Aim, Raising Homemakers