We homeschool year round and take breaks as needed currently. It’s been what works best for our family. There are certainly times where we take it slower like around the holidays and summer season. Today, I’m sharing with you our summer homeschool plans and routine for 2021.
OVERVIEW OF OUR HOMESCHOOL
Our homeschool makeup compromises of four children ages ten to two. Three boys and a toddler girl, for reference.
Spine curriculum: We use Ambleside Online and supplement or replace things here and there, such as for religion. Ambleside has pretty much laid out the path for how we go about homeschooling and helped me let go of a lot of decision faitgue, which I am grateful for!
SUMMER HOMESCHOOL ROUTINE
We gather together for breakfast and start either during breakfast, or right after then. We do morning time activities together, a subject, and then break off into independent work. The ideal start time is around 8 and to be finished by ideally 10. Lunch time we gather again and listen to podcasts usually, sometimes read aloud. After lunch, we have our year round quiet time routine, which I describe below.
- Related: How to Have Quiet Time with Kids
A note about routines in general: Our routine and plans tend to change often because I periodically assess what needs to be tweaked (are we doing too much? Too little? Do we need a break? Does something need to be prioritized more?). But, taking the time to plan in advance is so, so helpful in allowing our days to be simpler and smoother. Having a foundation to work from and then tweak a little bit here and needed.
My rule of thumb is: If the routine doesn’t feel good, it likely needs some tweaking!
SUMMER GROUP WORK
Morning time:
- Prayer loop: rosary, finish devotional, and then start Imitation of Christ for Children
- Poetry readings: we’re currently working through year 2 and 3 of Ambleside Online’s poetry rotation
- Religion loop: finish Religion 1, Dangerous Journey, Life of our Lord for Children/Old Testament
- Math:
- Family Time Math. My friend Leah gifted me with this math program and I’m so excited to use it with the children. You can find it here. It looks so enjoyable and will be so bonding for us!
- Addition Facts that Stick
- Readaloud: The Water Babies/Canadian History (Year 1)
Loop subjects:
- Nature Study and nature journals (group):
- Foraging unit: You can find the Foraging Unit we are using here. I’m an affiliate of Crystin’s beautiful curriculum and if you decide to buy, you can use the code FEASTINGSIMPLEHOME for a 10% off discount.
- Garden flower study
- Solfa
- Art/Handicrafts loop
- Geography
- Composer/Art study loop
Related: See this blog on loop planning if you’re wondering what that’s all about: The Ultimate Stress Free Planning Method Anyone Can Use
Lunch:
- Podcast: saints, classics for kids, french, science, catholic sprouts
- Readalouds when time allows
INDEPENDENT WORK
Daily:
- Language Arts:
- Theo’s loop – free writing/motor control/written narration
- Felix’s loop – printing/copywork
- Arthur’s loop – letters/printing
- Math:
- Theo: Beast Academy
- Felix: MEP
- Daily readings
- French: duolingo
- Piano
QUIET TIME
Our quiet time routine is after lunch, at around 1-3. Sometimes more, sometimes less.
The kids go through this routine:
- Brush their teeth
- Read an assigned book
- Read a bit from the Bible
- Tidy up their bedroom
- Watch a show or two
RESOURCES AND SUPPLIES
- Amazon shop for supplies and books you can find here under “Kids’ School”: Canadian Shop, US Shop
- Our devotional books
- Addition Facts that Stick book
- Readaloud: The Water Babies, Spirit of Canada book
- Nature study books: garden flowers and foraging
- Math program for my oldest
- Piano program books we use
- General homeschooling resources and supplies
- More homeschooling blogs of mine:
- Simplify Your Homeschool Life online workshop: This 30ish minute session will help simplify your homeschool life by showing you how to examine and adjust your day to day from decluttering to planning and more. We will explore what matters most to your family as the basis for simplifying your homeschool life. You can find the session in the Online Canadian Homeschooling conference here.
- Podcast interview: How to Simplify Your Homeschool Life
And, feel free to email me with any questions - simplehomemom@gmail.com or find me over on Instagram.
Hi, I’m Kelly! I’m a mother of four children - three boys, one toddler girl - and our family lives on the beautiful east coast of Canada. I’m a past elementary teacher, turned stay at home, work at home mom eight years ago after I had my second child. I’ve found that the busier I’ve become and as my children age, that it’s become even more important to figure out what is most important to me and us as a family. Living a simpler lifestyle has helped us in so many ways in our home life - from better routines to faster tidying up times. It has been through my children that I have been inspired to learn how to effectively manage my time and to simplify in all areas of my home and life. I enjoy helping busy moms simplify home life by teaching flexible planning methods and skills. Enjoyed this blog and think it would be helpful to others? I'd love if you shared it. Thank you!