This is the time of year when many homeschoolers have just had a long break–probably two weeks or more–and enjoyed a ton of fun with some serious family time. We have to get back into the swing of things. Dads are likely to return to work, Moms are prepping for homeschool portfolio reviews, and maybe the kids are dragging their feet a little bit regarding school work. (Ok. Maybe, mamas are dragging their feet just a little bit, too!)
Well, I propose an easing into the school routine. Rather than pick up all the things at once, utilize your flexibility as a homeschooler to gear back up. There are several ways this can be achieved, some of which I will mention below. The main thing is to re-establish a regular routine and stick with it.
Read Alouds
No pressure, right? Pick up where you left off or begin a new one. Create a time each day after the break that is set aside specifically for a family read aloud. I love read alouds because they include everyone at once and provide great threads of discussion and ways for siblings to connect. To quiet and settle everyone while you read, yet keep them occupied while listening, let your littles do puzzles, play-doh or coloring as you read aloud; the older ones can sketch, paint, or even craft (crochet, knit, etc). Or, you can read during lunch time or snack. This is a relaxing way to ease into school.
Math and Reading
Pretty straight-forward: do some math and do some reading. That’s it! What we did was set a timer for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on our goals for the day, and we did math until time was up. Then, we switched and did the same for our individual reading lessons and quiet reading. The timer is a motivator to get work our done, but it also reminds us that work doesn’t last forever. Math and reading are core subjects and are a great way to do meaningful academic work, but at the same time, you’re not overwhelmed but doing too much too soon.
Science and History
Alternatively, maybe you just aren’t feeling like Math and concentrated Reading lessons. Do Science and History instead. Perhaps, for the first week back, you could plan a Science experiment or a history project for each day. Sometimes, regular homeschool days may not allow you to do all the cool things like baking Viking bread and making a volcano. Ease back into your learning by doing some of those fun projects.
Electives
One idea is to begin again by rotating your electives. These are the more enjoyable, yet necessary fare in my homeschool, those things that enrich our learning: music, art, foreign language, health, logic, computer skills, home economics, etc. Let your children choose what they would like to do each day, or plan it out.
After a week to two weeks of a routine like these (or a combination of these ideas), your children (and mom) are warmed up to learning and are ready to return to the regular homeschool routine. There isn’t a right or wrong way to do it. Just remember that one of the great blessings of homeschooling is flexibility. Use it!
How do you return to your homeschooling routine after a holiday/winter break? Happy new year to you!
