Summer Routines for Homeschoolers: Planning

Summer routines for homeschoolers will provide a simple daily structure while still taking a break from the regular routine. Summer routines for me means getting all of the other stuff that I usually do, getting that done,  during the part of the day where we hold school, then including the cleaning, project organizing, fun activities for kids, and yard work that never gets done.

I need to have my summer routines in place before summer starts, but that just never…never happens. In the summer I like to be a little more free with our time, let the kids sleep later or watch a movie in the morning. Piano practice and chores still continue on daily, along with breakfast, lunch and dinner. A summer routine helps to ensure those necessary events happen in our day.

Four boys means lots of sports, pool time, and library days so I need to be on my game and have the days planned. We also include summer funschooling into our summer plans. Consistency helps to keep our home normal and functioning. For them, meals are consistent….and not something to take off the list. I do push mealtimes back an hour in the summer, but that is where my routines fall in place and I do the same meal prep., just at a different time.It is also important that I add into my summer routine my homeschool planning time.  If I don’t then I am setting myself up for failure in August. I use a basic homeschool planner for my homeschool year. Nothing special. 

 Help to Plan The Summer Days.

 Planning your days will help you to accomplish more in a short amount of time. That means more fun, more projects, more work  or whatever your summer goals are at the point you take your summer break as a homeschool mom. Moms need to have control over the day to keep the home running and know when they will have to have a meal packed because VBS is starting all week, or throw together a crockpot meal early in the day because everyone is eating together. When planning the summer routines as a mom you will know that everyday at 4:00 pm meal prep may have to begin.

If it is a free night with nothing to do, meal prep can begin at 4:00 pm, then just put in the refrigerator until time for dinner…then reheat. When planning out the summer routines if you want chore time to happen in the morning, have it happen every morning at the exact time. Consistency and planning go hand in hand. Make your bed everyday at the same time. Wash the dishes at the same time. Doing the activities at the same time each day will allow you and your family to create good habits.

Another big aspect of my summer planning involves looking ahead to the next year. I start planning my homeschool in the summer.

How to Plan The Summer Days

Morning chores:

This part of my summer routine does not need to be as complicated as the yearly routine when school in daily. Start with a notebook and write down what you want to happen consistently before any activities. For me that is chores. Everyday we make our beds…… nothing happens until the beds are made. They do not need to be perfect but they have to be made.

Breakfast:

We still eat breakfast at 8:00 am. Then after that we get dressed and do chores. So If I have errands, projects, or am working on my AVON business that will happen at 9:00 am. The next part of the structure is too see what else you want to keep in place.

Night Routines:

Bedtime routines go out the window for us in the summer. That is my time that I keep open to our family for movies, picnics, late night smores’, or just hanging out on the porch. Even if it is hot….we stay outside. Why? Because I grew up in a home without air conditioning and now I am accustomed to having just fans. So that means my kids will survive without the air.

After dinner we may go to the pool to swim, play soccer or kickball in the backyard, or play a game at the table. We can’t do this in the school year because during school they have a bedtime of 8:30 pm. But not in the summer. Another important part of summer routines for homeschool is setting time to plan. Plan for the next year. The last thing that a homeschool mom wants is to not be ready on the first day of school.

Put the Summer Routines on Paper

Create a checklist that tells the kids what they need to do each day. Give them a time frame such as after breakfast or before dinner. Don’t make anything to complicated. Give them a time on the checklist and tell them it needs to be done each day at this time. If it happens for five days in a row, give them a reward.

. Help the kids to see how the home stays clean while still having fun.

Creating a simple structure will help them as they grow older to create structure in their lives.

When you put something on paper others’ will take it more seriously. Then post the paper at the command center in your home. If you have given out individual routines then just post the time that you want those to happen.

Another part of homeschooling with joy is homeschool planning. With summer around the corner, make sure to schedule in some daily time for a look on next year.

As I stated before it will help to have an idea of what you want to happen in the summer before it happens, so planning may need to take place maybe a month before the summer routines will start. Have a discussion with the kids and involve them in the planning process. Finally, put the planning date on the calendar so that it will happen each year at the same time. This will also help with teaching consistency in behavior training  for the kids, and you!