This post is especially for the parents and educators who are currently stuck at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is such an unusual and crazy time for families – you may be asking yourself, what do I do with my kids all day? If you’re not sure how to approach scheduling out your child’s (or children’s)  time at home, I totally get it! I’m writing this for those who are not homeschooling experts, by any means. This is for those readers (whether parent or educator) who would just like some basic ideas and strategies for how to schedule their family’s day-to-day routine, also providing educational time as well as relaxation time.

Hopefully my scheduling ideas can alleviate some stress and uncertainty during this crazy and stressful time.

 

Goals for the Week

Doesn’t it feel so good to fill in that check-mark and achieve a goal set out for that day? It’s also important to not get overwhelmed with endless checklists and to-dos. Just narrowing it down to one main goal for the day makes things less stressful. It will give your child a sense of accomplishment when they meet that goal.

 

Daily Journaling

During this stressful time as we are practicing social distancing, it helps to sort out feelings and possible anxieties or frustrations. Add daily journaling into your child’s morning routine. There are so many benefits to journaling – it provides an opportunity for self-reflection and identifying thoughts and patterns. These journal pages allow for self-expression with drawing and coloring. If your child doesn’t feel confident in their drawing ability, have them watch a fun you-tube drawing tutorial while they create a sketch for their journal.

 

Family Game Nights

Incorporate game nights into your family’s schedule! This is something for everyone in the family to look forward to – make it even more interesting by adding rewards for the winner, such as getting to choose the next movie or tv show, getting 1 hour of free play, or even skipping chores for a day! This resource will help you keep a log of which games are played, who wins each night, and what their reward was.

 

Weekly Reading Log

We all know how important reading is – but this is a great opportunity for your child to foster a love for reading. Check out Scholastic.com for book lists and recommendations, you can search by age, category, and interests.

 

 

Brain Breaks

Taking short breaks during learning time has proven to increase attention while reducing stress and frustration. If you notice your child becoming unfocused and mentally fatigued during learning time, allow them to take a quick brain break by coloring while listening to music.

 

Planning Pages – Daily Planner

Utilize a daily planner! Break up your child’s day into time blocks, making it more manageable and less overwhelming. Have them check the box when completed, even if it’s just taking a lunch break or taking a walk outside for fresh air. Simply edit the schedule in Google Slides or have a ready-to-print version (both in horizontal and vertical formats)

 

 

If you’re stuck at home, hopefully you now have some ideas on how to schedule your family’s day during the COVID-19 epidemic. It’s important at this time to focus on what we CAN control – our home environment and our schedule. Show up as your best self each day and live with purpose and gratitude. We are in this together!

Wishing you and your family health and safety.

 

If you would like the digital and ready-to-print planner resources, you can find them here. 

Distance Learning Planner | Homeschool Planner {50% OFF}

Simple and Easy Planning for Both Parents and/or Educators

This resource contains both digital files and ready-to-print PDFs.

–Editable in Google Slides | Google Classroom and Editable PowerPoint files

Contents Include:

✓ BINDER COVER WITH SPINE & TABS

✓ DAILY PLANNING PAGES

✓ WEEKLY PLANNING

✓ FAMILY AND SCHOOL SCHEDULES
✓ WEEKLY GOALS
✓ LESSON PLANNING PAGES
✓ FAMILY GAME NIGHT SCHEDULE
✓ DAILY JOURNALING

✓ BRAIN BREAKS (ZEN COLORING)
✓ WEEKLY READING LOG

✓ WEEKLY CHORE CHART

✓ CURRICULUM COSTS PLANNING

✓ MISC PLANNING PAGES

✓ CHECKLISTS