Kids Staying Home? This is a GREAT Schedule

Here in Ontario, like in many places, we have our kids at home. Now, as a homeschooler, this is not new to me of course. However, I recognize this is brand new, and quite likely very unfamiliar territory for many.

Perhaps you now need to work from home AND have your kids home with you?

Perhaps you really had no interest in homeschooling, and now find your head swimming with that possibility?

Perhaps you are crazy excited with the prospect of having time together like this? Perhaps not?

Wherever you are right now, I want to help. In times of uncertainty we still have many choices that lay out ahead of us. How we decide to play the cards we are dealt, the head space we keep, the way we treat others, and our home environment are all things we do have control over. 

I want to help you LOVE your home environment. Whether you need to work while your kids are with you at home or not, I have a wonderful schedule that will help you and your children ease into this new way of being together.

Please keep in mind it takes time to settle into a strong rhythm. But stick to it, Mama. Your kids NEED THIS.

I like to think of my schedule as an elastic band, which is why I did not include times on my schedules. One activity flows into the next, regardless of if an activity lasts 30 minutes one day and 2 hours the next. This way my children know what will come next and this flow creates a lovely feeling of stability to kids of all ages.

The only exception to this is Quiet Time. Since I work from home, Quiet Time always lasts at least an hour and a half in my home. We have worked long and hard to solidify our daily quiet time, but now it is simply a lovely way of life for us. I can see this being more important now than ever now that we will all be home together for quite a stretch of time.

I want to go through two schedules with you:

1. Our typically, daily schedule for having children at home
2. Our schedule when I need to work 5 hours a day from home and also have my children at home

Both of these schedules are offered to you as a FREE PRINTABLE! Scroll to the bottom of this post to get your copy. 

Today I will share with you our current schedule, and tomorrow I will share my “work from home” schedule. 

Our current schedule has changed quite dramatically since all of our activities have been cancelled. This means we are now at home all. day. long. Here is our current schedule.

Home All Day Schedule:

Print this schedule Here

Quiet Play/Breakfast: We start our day nice and easy. The children wake up and begin their day however they like.  Often this is playing LEGO or with Playmobile. My older son loves to begin his day with reading. We sort of have a rolling wake up over about an hour period. My older children will get their own breakfast during this time, and once I am up and have had my (ever important) cup of coffee I will get breakfast for my little ones and myself.

Morning Chores: Once everyone has had breakfast we wrap up our play time and everyone comes together to sort out morning chores. The children get a chore they need to do each morning. It could be anything from unload the dishwasher, let the barn animals out, put away laundry, tidy a room, etc. These chores change each morning based on what needs to get done around the house. Many hands make light work! Once a chore has been assigned everyone does their morning routine (get dressed, make bed, brush teeth and hair) and does their chore.

Organized Activities: After this, we all meet at the kitchen table. Typically this is when we begin some organized school work. It is also the time when we might do a puzzle, some games, perhaps a craft or activity. During this time we are together and my little ones have my full attention. I find it very, very important to have this special time with my kids each day. 

Outdoor Play: We then bundle up and head outside for some much needed play! We like to be outside and I have a couple little ones who reeeaaaallly need this time to run and explore, so our outside time can last quite awhile.

Lunch

Quiet Time: Once lunch time is done, it is time for some independent play. At this point, my little ones know how to do this like the back of their hands. I put my youngest down for a nap and my other children all move into their own creative spaces. Sometimes they read, create amazing buildings, or use one of our Quiet Bins. This time lasts for an hour and a half. One trick I have found for quiet time to be successful is to ensure I have spent good, quality time with my little ones before this.

Play: Once rest time is done, it is “anything goes” time. The kids might play downstairs, head back outside, play together, play apart, play with me, watch a show – anything goes. 

Dinner: 

Evening Routine: After dinner my little ones do their ‘evening routine’ (baths/showers, pyjamas, teeth) and settle into reading time. We read aloud in the family room, or reading can be independent in bedrooms until bed times. 

There you have it! That is our current “School Closure Daily Schedule”. I hope it is helpful to you. 

I know it can be very trying to settle into a new routine – especially when you did not necessarily want a new routine – but stick with it. It takes a little bit of time for everyone to get into the swing of things, but once they do things will be smooth sailing. 

Children thrive on consistency – and I have found that I do as well, in fact!

Tomorrow I will share my daily schedule I use when I need to work (fairly) full-time hours. So if you are needing to work at home while still having your kids home with you, that schedule is for you! This schedule is LIVE now, you can see it right here: Work From Home with KIDS Schedule

See you tomorrow friends. And remember I am only an email away,

xo

Sarah

Grab your FREE printable School Closure Daily Schedule right here!

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