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Homeschooling Tips for Teaching Your Kids

by Katie Wallace | Updated: October 15, 2020

Are you thinking of teaching your kids at home? Possibly homeschooling is new to your family, or you just have kids in a new range of ages. I’ve been homeschooling my kids for 3 years. I use several homeschooling tips to make our school routine successful. Every family can use these homeschooling tips for parents. I’ve discovered the most important thing is to enforce a consistent schedule, so my kids know what to expect each day. Next, I chose a homeschool curriculum that works for our family. Finally, we do some hands-on activities to make school creative and fun!

The last few years, I’ve taught my 3 kids at home using a combination of workbooks and creative activities. This year (2020) my kids are in 3rd grade, 1st grade and preschool. Each of my kids are in quite different learning stages, so I need to plan ahead to make our days go smoothly.

Easy homeschool tips for teaching kids at home Abeka workbooks

Establish a Daily Schedule

A daily schedule is a very important element of homeschool for our family. It’s my job as the mom to plan our homeschool schedule. Ideally, our family gets up around 7:45 – 8:00, eats a simple breakfast, and we start school at 9:00. I clean up the night before so our house is organized for a new day. My kids are usually very happy to follow along when I am organized. Homeschooling is an opportunity for our whole family to be intentional! Our daily homeschool schedule usually looks like this:

9:00 am couch time
We read a story, pray together and start the day.

9:30 am workbooks
Math and language arts

The kids take a short break in between each subject.

10:45 am snack time

11:00 am workbooks
Reading comprehension, spelling and handwriting

12:30 pm lunch

1:00 pm reading
Independent book time and reading lessons with the younger kids

Homeschooling tips for parents Abeka workbooks

I have planners for each of my kids, which outline their subjects and worksheets for each day. My 3rd grader and 1st grader often work independently. I am available to introduce new lessons and answer any questions. I keep my preschooler busy with phonics worksheets, coloring pages and hands-on activities.

Start the Day the Same Each Day

Starting the day the same each day is one of my tried and true homeschooling tips for parents. I try to start our homeschool day the same each morning. I typically begin the day by calling my kids to the couch and reading a Bible story or a storybook. Sometimes we sing a few songs. Occasionally the kids bring something for Show & Tell. Our “couch time” typically lasts about 30 minutes and then I send the kids to their individual desks.

Other homeschool moms start the day with “morning time” and sometimes offer their kids a selection of pre-approved activities in a “morning basket”. I keep our couch time fairly simple to start our day. We often do more creative activities later in the day.

Divide School Work into 30 Minute Sections

I’ve discovered that my kids work harder in shorter intervals of time. I try to give my kids a break after about 30 minutes of focused work. My girls Kiera and Sylvie can usually complete one school subject such as math in 30 minutes. Between subjects, I give my kids a 10 minute break which they can use to play or go outside. Consequently, breaks motivate my kids to work diligently and afterwards, feel ready to move on to the next subject.

Simple homeschooling tips for parents Abeka workbooks

Eat a Snack

Encouraging kids with food is one of my most practical homeschooling tips for parents. Around 10:45 am, I often give my kids a snack. I typically offer relatively healthy snack options such as pretzels, fresh fruit or graham crackers. Sometimes I make a little snack tray with cheese and crackers, grapes, and apple slices. A snack break helps motivate my kids to work hard and stay focused!

Read for an Hour after Lunch

After lunch can be a tricky time to fill. I often need to clean up the kitchen and my kids typically have finished their workbooks for the day. Because of this, the hour after lunch is a great time to read a book. My kids can grab a blanket and cozy up with a reader or an I-Spy picture book. My daughter Kiera (age 8) enjoys reading American Girl books. She can also read out loud to her siblings. Reading books is a great way for kids to explore their favorite topics and use their imaginations.

Homeschooling Tips for Parents & Problem Solving Ideas

1. Problem: Feeling overwhelmed by all the school subjects

Solution: Start simply and add more over time.

Beginning your homeschool schedule is often the hardest part. I recommend starting with a simple routine and adding more over time. For the first few weeks of school, my kids often start with 3 workbooks; math, language arts (phonics) and handwriting. Over the next few weeks I add in some science activities, social studies discussions, history highlights and art projects.

I use Abeka homeschool workbooks, which are filled with colorful illustrations and hands-on learning exercises. Abeka workbooks are easy to follow and the homeschool topics advance throughout the year. The kindergarten through 3rd grade workbooks progress through number recognition, placeholder digits, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, shapes, clocks, money, angles and more. The Abeka math workbooks are especially fun for elementary school kids. Sometimes my daughter has to solve a variety of math problems in order to complete a color-by-number activity. Abeka introduces math concepts using the spiral approach. My kids enjoy learning through continual reinforcement, while also tackling new things each week!

In my experience, the Abeka language arts workbooks are also comprehensive. They cover all the things starting with letter sounds, vowels, consonants, blends, sentence structure, parts of grammar, vocabulary and spelling. So far I’ve used these workbooks for kindergarten through 3rd grade. I also appreciate that Abeka workbooks introduce new concepts clearly and concisely. I typically don’t have to teach each of my kids a separate lesson on each new concept. However, I’m always happy to answer questions and clarify the instructions.

Homeschooling tips for parents first grade Abeka workbooks

2. Problem: Kids don’t want to do their school work

Solution: Encourage kids to work diligently, wear a smile and have a flexible mindset.

It helps a lot to encourage kids to work diligently, and praise their successes. This can be as simple as telling a child to slow down and write two perfect D’s during handwriting, instead of ten sloppy ones. Reward your kid’s success by letting them pick out a sticker!

I think that maintaining a flexible mindset is one of my most important homeschooling tips for parents. Each child often learns differently. If something’s truly not working, try something else. One year, I ordered several workbooks from a new-to-us homeschool resource. I discovered that the structure of the books clearly did not work for our family. In October, I abandoned the books and ordered new books from a company I had used before. The switch was definitely a good choice!

Homeschool tips for motivating kids

3. Problem: Teaching kids who are different ages

Solution: Plan schoolwork and activities for each child ahead of time.

The problem of teaching kids who are a range of ages has been the story of my life for several years. My oldest daughter is 8, and she’s doing 3rd grade school work. My youngest son is 4, and he regularly gets into mischief. To keep our range of kids organized and on task, I have a planner for each child. I write down their age-appropriate tasks at the beginning of each week. My 6 and 8-year-old girls can pace themselves and work independently with my simple guidance and occasional help. I give my preschool son activities, puzzles, sensory bins and playdough to use in 30 minute sessions. As long as each child knows what they are supposed to be doing, our school day usually goes well.

Homemade mint playdough creative activity for kids

Fun Kids Learning Activities

We do a lot of activities to make learning fun!

Mix up a batch of homemade playdough in any color! Add glitter and a fragrance too! All you need to make playdough is water, vegetable oil, salt, cream of tarter and flour. My kids love playing with this soft salt dough.

Play a game of word family dominoes with your kids to reinforce phonics concepts. Learn how to make the game pieces using word family lists for your kids ages and grade levels.

Homeschooling tips fun word family phonics game

Go on a nature scavenger hunt to look for feathers, shells, interesting rocks and moss. Kids will love discovering what kinds of treasures they can find in their own backyard. Exploring the outdoors is a great opportunity to view nature up close and prompt future unit studies! This fall my kids learned about how plants convert light into energy through photosynthesis. We also love watching nature shows to see how plants and animals interact with and contribute to their ecosystems.

Nature Hunt Printable

Download, save or print off this Nature Hunt printable for your own use. Click the image to open the printable a new window and print it off. To download, right click the image to “save as”.

Nature hunt scavenger list homeschool kids activity

Pin this to Pinterest

Nature Scavenger hunt printable homeschool kids activity

With a little planning and a few tips to stay organized, you can enjoy a lot of success with teaching your kids at home. The most important part of my homeschooling tips for parents is to cultivate a love for learning, and to make learning fun!

Katie Wallace
Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!

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Wallace Family 2024 create play travel

Hi, I'm Katie and we are the Wallace family! We homeschool, go on adventures, and travel internationally with our four kids. I hope you enjoy our creative ideas on Create. Play. Travel.

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TRAVEL | KIDS | ADVENTURES 🌟 Creative family ideas! #createplaytravel

Coming to terms with the past, and pressing forwar Coming to terms with the past, and pressing forward with grace, that’s all any of us can do.Lately, I’ve been asking myself some hard questions… especially when it comes to homeschooling.Here’s the truth:I can’t keep homeschooling the way I’ve been doing it.I’m not a teacher in the traditional sense, and I don’t love teaching. That’s not why we chose this path.The real reason we homeschool is because we want our kids to have freedom.🌟 Freedom to learn how to learn🩵 Freedom to discover what they love😀 Freedom to grow in diligence and live out their faith boldlyBut as I wrestle with our present, I’ve also had to face my past.I was homeschooled, too.There were a lot of blessings in that, but also some challenges. I grew up in a conservative environment where the focus was often on sheltering kids. And while I know that came from a place of love, it was hard. Especially as a teenager trying to figure out what I believed for myself.In our family’s younger years, our homeschool rhythm has been pretty relaxed, mostly workbooks and flexible days. But moving forward, things are going to look different.Here’s what I do know about the road ahead (and I’ll share more in upcoming reels):— We’re still homeschooling… just reimagining it.— We’re asking the Holy Spirit to lead our family.— Our kids know the Gospel, and that’s our foundation.— We want to live with intention and boldness.— We’re giving our kids space to try new things while they’re still at home.— I’m praying for a gracious heart when the questions come (because they will come).Maybe this resonates with you. Maybe you’ve felt that tension too, between what you grew up with and what you want to build now.If so, you’re not alone. 🫶🌟(continued in the comments)Follow our journey!
Seriously, SO many cute impulse buys. But I didn’t get any of them. 😅😌 🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#travelwithkids #travelhighlights #explorefrance #createplaytravel
Beautiful architecture like this is so fun to stum Beautiful architecture like this is so fun to stumble upon while going about every day life in Europe. 😀🌻 I love the cultural & historic discoveries we find almost everywhere we look. 😌🌍Tag a friend who loves going on adventures! 🫶Follow along for more creative family travel!@createplaytravel
Throwback to a year ago. ❤️ We did it! 🥹😎 I had our baby in Merida MX and with some effort, we got her documents lined up to bring her home. She’s a dual citizen, with double US & MX birth certificates and passports. 🌎🌟It was a great experience! 😌🌄😍 We felt like God was with us, led us through the whole process, and provided for us so tangibly even in the small things. 💗🎬 Watch my YouTube video highlighting what we learned by having a baby in Mexico!🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures! 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#digitalnomads #birthingabroad #worldschoolingfamily #adventurefamily #travelwithbaby
Tuscany villa stay straight out of a fairytale! ✨🌿🇮🇹This overnight at an “agriturismo” was perfect for our family of 6. 🌹🍷 We loved staying in our cozy villa, exploring the gorgeous tree lined lane, smelling roses, and sipping local wine while our kids played in the yard. Our host even made us an amazing Italian dinner! 🙌Would you stay in a villa like this with your kids?? We loved this amazing cultural experience in Italy!💬 Agriturismos are working farms that welcome guests (like us!) to stay on the property, creating memorable & local experiencesTag a friend who would love this! 🇮🇹🌟 Hi! We’re the Wallace family. 👋😀 We love traveling with our 4 kids, homeschooling, and exploring — follow along as we Create. Play. Travel. 🌟#travelwithkids #exploreitaly
Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such a Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such an amazing time exploring — we had to come back a second day. Highlights included:Visiting the gladiator arena in Pompeii. 🏛️Walking along ancient streets, so well preserved!Exploring what’s left of the shops & eateries.Viewing 2,000 year old artifacts like bottles and bread! Learning about Roman culture in 79AD.Viewing Mount Vesuvius, which is huge and very close to modern day Pompei, Italy 🌋😮It was so wild to learn in detail how this ancient city was wiped out by the volcanic eruption. Definitely an amazing educational experience!!➡️ Homeschoolers, would your family enjoy visiting such a rich historic site, such as Pompeii? 😀 🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#createplaytravel #homeschoolfamily #travelwithkids #adventurefamily #worldschooling #kidswhotravel
Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such a Pompeii with kids?? 🌋 Absolutely! We had such an amazing time exploring — we had to come back a second day. Highlights included:Visiting the gladiator arena in Pompeii. 🏛️Walking along ancient streets, so well preserved!Exploring what’s left of the shops & eateries.Viewing 2,000 year old artifacts like bottles and bread! Learning about Roman culture in 79AD.Viewing Mount Vesuvius, which is huge and very close to modern day Pompei, Italy 🌋😮It was so wild to learn in detail how this ancient city was wiped out by the volcanic eruption. Definitely an amazing educational experience!!➡️ Homeschoolers, would your family enjoy visiting such a rich historic site, such as Pompeii? 😀 🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#createplaytravel #homeschoolfamily #travelwithkids #adventurefamily #worldschooling #kidswhotravel #pompeii
Safety is a top priority when traveling with kids! Safety is a top priority when traveling with kids! 🌎🌟 We’ve learned a lot through our experiences. For example, when arranging a ride to the airport in Cancun, we followed these guidelines ⬇️1. We hired a driver through a company that had good reviews. This gave us peace of mind when traveling 4 hours across Mexico ☀️2. We told friends/family about our travel plans including when we left Merida and when we arrived in Cancun. This gave us some accountability 😃3. Finally, we trusted our instincts. We are continually growing in our travel knowledge and intuition. We often know when an arrangement needs to be changed. Often, we meet very friendly and interesting people!➡️ Would you take your kids on an adventure in Mexico? We had a very positive and memorable experience!! 🌴🌟 Inspiring families to live creatively and make memories, through adventures 🌎🩵➡️ follow along! @createplaytravel#createplaytravel #homeschoolfamily #travelwithkids #adventurefamily #worldschooling #kidswhotravel
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