Every August is the same. We all start getting cranky and annoyed with each other. I always realize what we need: we need to get back in to routines. I said recently that having "to do lists" is a good way to learn to accept responsibility. I have found that having a planned schedule likewise helps all of us stay on track. Especially when my kids were younger, a visual picture schedule to help them see what happens now and later helps out. Putting together a visual schedule to plan our day helps us keep focused throughout the beginning of the school year.
As a homeschooling mom, I have gotten used to having my kids around all the time. But summer is always difficult for me. Despite the gorgeous weather and essentially unlimited free time for my kids, I hear daily complaints of boredom. Can I tell you how much this drives me crazy!?
At the same time, I always got very nervous about getting school done with my older child as well as my younger children. Especially before my oldest was old enough to do his work on his own, I wondered: how can I get done all that needs to be done? How can I teach when my 10-year-old gets distracted just going to comb his hair?
One of the main steps is to make sure my son knows what the plan is after he's done with his current task. By putting the tasks on specific time frames, the visual helps him see the amount of time he has to finish his task and what he needs to do in the next span of time.
To get us ready for the first day of school, I made up a visual schedule. It was definitely time to get back on schedule. I love my laminator, and I love Velcro (hook-and-loop tape)!
Below are the supplies I used in putting together this schedule.
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After I printed the small task cards, I cut them out. Then I laminated them. I hoped this would keep the lamination a bit more secure around the edges, than if I laminated before I printed. (But, it is much more time consuming. I'm sure it would work just as well, honestly, to laminate the whole page and then cut out.)
If you are trying to laminate the tiny slips, you might need this tip: Use stick glue to glue these onto the inside of the lamination page. It keeps the small cards in place as it moves through the laminator and it will dry clear and be invisible.
As I mentioned, I use Velcro on the back of the labels. This means our daily schedule is not set in stone. No day is the same as the previous one! I can easily adjust and adapt our daily plans to meet our needs for a particular day.
When I gave my kids their schedules in a visual format, they could see what they need to do at each time during the day. This schedule may help you too to get organized as you jump back in to school!
For us, it was important that we not schedule too much each hour. I set the time periods to be 1 hour long, with three or four items fitting in each time hour slot. Why? Because it is really hard to stay focused on more than four things in an hour. If we have too many things on the to do list, it just is going to be overwhelming, especially for the youngest ones.
I also have to be realistic. If I put math, spelling, history, and science in an hour, what are the chances they will all get done?
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In addition to the free already-compiled version, I also made an editable visual schedule. I know not all my readers are homeschoolers. Not everyone has the same needs for a school day! If you wish, you could change the schedule to be just a morning/get ready schedule or an after school schedule. You can name the labels anything you want to name for your day.
Your daily schedule is one that can change from day, so use the task cards to rearrange the events of each day. Each task cards (about 1-inch by 1/2-inch) has an image and word label and additional pages let you enter your own text for the labels. Use the cards to rearrange your daily plan to give your young kids a visual schedule for the day.
Getting back on schedule is helping us have a great start to our school year! My daughter is excited to help plan out our day.
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