A lot of families are choosing homeschooling these days, either because they need to or because they want to tailor their children’s education in a specific way. This decision can feel either thrilling or daunting, depending on why you started and how well it fits into your existing life. To ease some of that anxiety, it’s helpful to set up systems that work for you.
Having a good homeschooling schedule can provide structure and help you transition smoothly into home education. It’s important to remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all schedule, so you’ll need to create one that suits your family’s unique needs. After years of trial and error, here are some top tips for designing a homeschool schedule that works for you.
First, get clear on your homeschool’s overall vision. Knowing what you aim to achieve will help you focus on the essentials in your schedule and cut out the unnecessary. In my family, we prioritize skills like critical thinking, creativity, and innovation—skills that won’t easily be outsourced to technology. As we plan our homeschool schedule, these goals guide our decisions, helping us foster learning in these areas.
Once you have your vision, it’s time to set some yearly goals. This not only helps with your overall homeschooling approach but also with planning your schedule. For example, we set goals for math and reading skills, but we’re flexible about how these skills are learned. If my child understands a math problem’s answer, they aren’t always required to show their work in a specific way. We want them to think creatively and find innovative solutions.
Setting goals like this lets us focus on skill development rather than getting bogged down in “how” things get done. With only so many hours in a day, it’s important to be selective about where to invest our time and energy.
Every family has different needs, so it’s crucial to be honest about what works for yours. If you’re not morning people, don’t force yourself to start homeschooling at 8 a.m. If your kids concentrate better in the morning, tackle essential subjects like reading, writing, and math early on.
Some families find that schooling in the afternoon or evening suits them better, while others prefer shorter school days year-round or using a six- to eight-week cycle followed by a break. There are countless ways to arrange your homeschooling schedule. If you’re aligning with a public school schedule, apply these principles to the flexible times you have.
Whether you call it a schedule or routine, what matters is incorporating flexibility. It’s unrealistic to think you can start math at 9:10 a.m. sharp every day. Since homeschooling often happens at home, there will be distractions, like a hungry baby, a restless dog, or household chores.
I personally prefer a schedule because it helps me anticipate what might happen, but I don’t stress if we fall behind. One strategy is to allow extra time for transitions—if a lesson is meant to last 20 minutes, I plan for 30 minutes. If sticking to a schedule stresses you out, try a routine without specific times to keep things flexible.
Remember, you’re in charge of your schedule or routine, so do what works best for your family. Don’t expect perfection. Overscheduling or trying to do too much can lead to frustration. Following the 80/20 rule—focusing on the 20% of actions that give 80% of results—keeps us from overcommitting and ensures our kids develop essential skills.
Now it’s time to map out a schedule for your family. Start with a yearly calendar, using either a planner or a simple wall calendar. Some families follow the local school calendar to coordinate with public-school friends, while others create their own.
A common concern is that children might resist the new routine. A friend of mine, Carrie Husse, who’s been homeschooling for a while, suggests easing into the schedule gradually to help kids adjust without much resistance.
Despite careful planning, you’ll likely need to tweak your schedule. Changes might come with kids’ ages, family work schedules, or other commitments. You might find an organic schedule that naturally fits your family, like enjoying afternoon reading time or doing math just before lunch. Adapt as necessary to follow what suits your family best.
What are your best tips for creating a homeschool schedule that works? Let’s share our ideas and help each other out!
