Homeschooling Multiple Children
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Homeschooling multiple children can be an amazing experience, but it can feel really complicated at first. That kind of sums up life with more than one child, though. It might feel like you can’t keep up with the needs of multiple children with different learning styles, but you can. It just takes having a plan in place.
We started our homeschool journey when Hannah was in first grade. Ben was only 3 years old at the time. At 3, Ben was a crazy ball of energy. Even more than he is now!
Over the years, I have learned a few tips that make homeschooling multiple children easier.
Homeschooling Multiple Children
Toddlers at Home
Keep a set of toys that are only available during school time. The toys should be quiet so they don’t distract the rest of the family. Rotate the toys often so they maintain their allure. Simple puzzles and sensory bins work well. Pinterest is an amazing source for toddler activities. Check out my preschool page for more ideas.
Include the little ones. If they want attention, give it to them. The easiest way to give them attention and still teach is to include them in the lesson. Let them use whatever art supplies your older kiddos are using. They probably won’t understand the purpose, but they will be engaged and happy.
Keep them nearby. Set up multiple gates and barricade the doorways if you need to. Toddlers that see a chance to explore the house unaccompanied will probably end up in trouble. And you will likely end up with a mess to clean up. Silence is a bad thing in this case. Having little ones close will keep your toddler safe and your home standing.
Do as much school work during nap time as possible. Some days the only solution is to do as much as possible during nap time. Nap time can be especially useful for difficult subjects because the house is quiet. Well, quieter.
Multiple Grade Levels
Do as much together as possible. Science and social studies can usually be adapted for multiple grade levels fairly easily. Requirements can be modified to make them easier or harder. For example, I might ask Hannah to write a few paragraphs about Jamestown, but only ask Ben to write a few sentences. This way both kids are learning the material with grade-appropriate assessments.
Rotate break times. I believe that everyone needs breaks built into their day. Even just a few minutes to relax can really do wonders for concentration. I use one child’s break time to teach their sibling one-on-one. This means that their only break together is during lunch.
Institute a rule that you can only be in the room if you are involved in the lesson. If a child is on a break, they need to be out of the room so they are not a distraction. This works well for school-age kids, but do keep your littlest ones within eye view. Older children can work wherever they are comfortable. Many times I have found Hannah reading in trees!
Plan for kids to work independently. Many times kids do not need us to sit right next to them while they work. Frequently they only need us to get them started on the next lesson, and then they can do the rest on their own. Take a few minutes each evening to look over the plans for the next day. Try to identify times you can ask a child to work independently. For example, if Ben is busy working on a grammar exercise writing the nouns in a room, I can discuss Hannah’s latest reading assignment with her.
Keep the same general schedule so kids know what to expect. The day seems to flow better if kids have a general idea of when they will get a break and when they will have your undivided attention.
Sample Schedule
Sometimes it is helpful to see how someone else schedules their day. This is our basic schedule, although it varies slightly due to co-op classes.
This general plan lets me give both kids exactly what they need from me as their teacher and mother. We start school at about the same time every day and typically work through subjects in the same order. The schedule isn’t set in stone, though, so it can be changed if needed.
We start the school day by doing our social studies and science lessons together. We use a lot of books for these subjects, and that is a nice way to start the day. This takes us anywhere from 1.5 – 2 hours depending on what exactly we are doing.
By now, Ben is ready for a break. He goes upstairs or to the backyard to play while Hannah and I work one-on-one.
Hannah and I begin working through her language arts lessons. We start with spelling and grammar because those lessons require direct instruction. Next, I get her started on the day’s writing and reading assignments. She can do these tasks independently once she has the directions.
At this point, Hannah will take a break for a little while and then start on her writing and reading lessons.
Now it is Ben’s turn to come work on language arts. We usually end up breaking for lunch and a bit of play time at some point during his phonics, spelling, grammar, handwriting, writing, and reading lessons. After lunch, everyone just goes right back to work.
After he finishes all of his language arts work, I help get both kids going on math. Neither one needs me to sit right next to them the entire time they study math, so I usually rotate between them to help as needed.
We come back together for art after all of the other subjects are done for the day. Art usually only happens 1-2 times per week, but it is a nice way to close out the school day.
Homeschooling multiple children is busy and sometimes exhausting, but it is also incredibly rewarding. They are making memories together, and hopefully they will always be friends.
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