I always feel on top of things when I use the weekend wisely to get ready for the new week.

Here are 10 ways to start your homeschool week off strong

1. Tidy Up

Cleaning up your spaces will breathe fresh life into your home and make ideas flow better.  I think better when the clutter and mess isn’t calling to me. I sometimes worry if I clean up their projects or creations I’m going to affect their ability to be creative but it’s usually the opposite. When something hasn’t been touched in a day or two they’re ready to move onto other things.

The kids will be more creative with clearer spaces too!

2. Gather some board games or activities for downtime

When you’re finding the kids get restless at certain times of the day or you need something to transition them out of screen time it’s good to have something to entice them into changing gears. It won’t always work but I find more often than not, my children will be excited to play a game together or problem-solve with a morning invitation activity I’ve set out.

Some of our favorite Board games are:

• Candyland
• Outfoxed
• Memory
• Making Change
• Monopoly
• Operation
• Charades
• Go Fish
• Blah Blah Blah
• Sight Word Bingo

3. Find a novel to read together

Read alouds are big in homeschool and for good reason. The kids never tire of hearing a good story! I always feel like we’ve accomplished something even if all we did together that day was read from our current novel. Most of the time I choose our books from a living books list but sometimes they find ones they are curious about and we dive into it. We love to read during a meal or after dinner when they want to wind down before bed.

Some book/series we’ve loved and I recommend for ages 5-8:

• The Cricket in Times Square
• The Wild Robot
• Aesops Fables
• Charlotte’s Web
• Children’s Classics
• The Boxcar Children

It’s great to find books that are relevant to topics your children are interested in. Which brings me to my next recommended task…

4. Discuss Interests

Discover what your children are interested in learning about so you can plan some activities or videos to check out during the week. They will be glad you took the interest and time to plan something they’ve been curious to know about.

I also suggest using holidays or seasons to do this as well. Focusing on the season, such as fall, allows you to find fun projects or crafts for kids to explore. I like to pair it with a book to reinforce whatever concept goes with it. For example, collecting leaves, making a collage, and reading about photosynthesis.

5. Meal Plan

Have meals planned so you can focus on connection rather than trying to figure out meals on the fly. I like to plan dinners a week in advance and do cold lunches to take on outings. Every family works differently, but I also suggest meal planning and even prepping for yourself. You can feel good about what you’re eating as well as stay nourished so you can be your best for your family.

6. Book your play dates/outings

If you don’t already have a weekly park meet-up, connect with friends so you can look forward to meeting up during the week. Planning field trips will also give you and the kids something to look forward to doing together and also an excuse to study that topic before you go.

7. Get adequate rest

Sleep is essential to our health and it’s crucial to a sane homeschool parent. Prioritize it.

8. Set out your self-care essentials

If you’re trying to develop new habits such as regular exercise or maintaining a skincare routine. Set out what you need the night before to allow your mind to not have to do so much thinking the next day. I started doing this and it makes getting up and exercising so automatic to me.

9. Rotate toys

If you want to keep your kids quiet Monday morning, rotate toys in your play spaces or set out toys that have been in the closet for a while. This is always a great way to inspire play and can keep the kids occupied for a long time.

I’ve also started rotating art materials based on seasons or holidays and that’s inspired my kids to get really creative.

10. Have Curriculum Handy

If you use it, great! If you don’t, then disregard this one. I use it when my children show interest in a skill or topic. Mostly, I use Teachers Pay Teachers to grab activities on the fly. 

Homeschooling is what you put into it. If you want a week that goes fairly smoothly then these tips could be a benefit to you. I find our weeks go better when I feel on top of things and can be available for my children as a resource and guide. Learning happens throughout the week regardless of what I do or don’t do. 

I hope these tips help. Happy homeschooling!

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