Our Daily Rhythm: A Simple and Flexible Homeschool Schedule

Today I want to talk about homeschool schedules because I know how challenging it can be for homeschooling parents to find a schedule and rhythm that works for them. I have been homeschooling for seven years now, and in my first few years of homeschooling, I found it super helpful to see what other homeschool parents were doing and try different approaches to see if something worked well for my family.

We are four months into the homeschool year now, and this year has been our smoothest and most enjoyable year yet – and I think that has a lot to do with our schedule! So, today, I want to share our current schedule and some tips based on what we’ve been doing this year. I’m hoping this will give you a glimpse of what a day in the life of our homeschool looks like and also show you how we fit all of our subjects into the week without getting overwhelmed!

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Our Homeschool Grades & Subjects

Before we jump into the schedule, it might be helpful to know a bit more about our family and homeschool style. I currently teach my three children who are:

• 5th Grade, Age 11
• 3rd Grade, Age 8
• Kindergarten, Age 5

Each child has individual studies for Math and Language Arts. For all other subjects, we use a family style of learning. Our family subjects for this year are:

• Social Studies
• Science
• Art
• Music
• French
• Computer
• Health & Physical Education

Our homeschool philosophy is relaxed and flexible – we focus on what works best for our family and what we enjoy, rather than following one specific style. It’s an eclectic approach that blends elements of Charlotte Mason, Montessori, unschooling, student-led learning, and more.

If you’re interested in learning more about our family subjects and what we’re doing this year, check out this blog post:

2025 Homeschool Curriculum Picks – Family Subjects

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Our Homeschool Daily Rhythm

Monday–Thursday: Core Days

We typically divide our days into two with a morning and afternoon ‘routine’. Our mornings consist of self-study activities and family subjects, while our afternoons focus on individual studies. I will alternate so I can work 1:1 with each child. While I am working with one child, the others will work on solo practice, play outside, draw, or read.

Here’s an example of what our days look like:

Morning Routine (8:00 AM–1:00 PM)

• 8:00 – 10:00 – Slow Start to the Day: Wake Up, Breakfast & Get Ready
  
• 10:00 – 11:00 – Self-Study Activities: Lesson Practice, Handwriting, Typing, French, Solo Reading
  
• 11:30 – 1:00 – Family Subjects:
  
  • Science (30 minutes, Mon-Thu)
    
  • Social Studies (30 minutes, Mon-Thu)
    
  • Elective Subjects (30 minutes, 1x per week)
    
    • Mon: Computer
    • Tue: French
    • Wed: Health/P.E.
    • Thu: Music
    • Friday: Art

Afternoon Routine (1:00 PM–5:00 PM)

• 1:00 – 2:00 – Lunch and Outdoor Play
  
• 2:00 – 2:45 – Math
  
• 2:45 – 3:00 – Language Arts
  
• 3:00 – 4:00 – Clean-Up & Daily Chores
  
• 4:00 – 5:00 – Outdoor Play
  

Friday – Catch Up and/or Free Learning Day!

I think this has been our saving grace this year and really made our homeschool more enjoyable, less stressful, and more fun! Each week, I plan to complete all of our subjects from Monday to Thursday, with the exception of art. However, we all know life happens and can throw things off sometimes (or more like every week!). Having Fridays free has helped a lot by giving us flexibility in case something happens so that we can stay on track with our goals for the week.

Apart from having flexibility to make up tasks, having this day open also gives us free time to explore interests, be creative, and have fun – all while learning! My kids love Fridays and it is also the time when we connect most as a family. This year, we are exploring different countries and on Fridays we usually have Art and Cooking classes which are based on the country we are learning about.

We also have ‘Free Learning Time’, where each child can choose what they would like to do. However, this doesn’t mean sitting and watching TV or playing video games all day! We are always discussing their interests and I like to provide some options of things they can do and this often includes building with Legos, playing board games, drawing, painting, or playing outside.

Here’s what a Friday in our homeschool might look like:

• 8:00 – 10:00 – Slow Start to the Day: Wake Up, Breakfast & Get Ready
  
• 10:00 – 11:00 – Free Learning Time
  
• 11:30 – 1:00 – Catch-Up from the Week, Art/Music/Cooking Classes, Exploring Interesting Topics from the Week
  
• 1:00 – 2:00 – Lunch and Outdoor Play
  
• 2:00 – 4:00 — Free Learning Time
  
• 4:00 – 5:00 — Outdoor Play
  

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Embrace Flexibility in Your Homeschool Schedule

As you plan your homeschool day, remember that while this is an example of a normal day in our life, it doesn’t always go to plan! There are many days where we move subjects around based on our mood or something else that is happening in our day. And then there are some days that are just difficult and we decide to skip core subjects altogether and play board games or go on a hike!

If I had to give you one tip to create a rhythm that works, it would be to leave space in your schedule. Whether it be for delays or spontaneity, having flexibility can help keep you on track, avoid you getting overwhelmed and encourage a peaceful and fun-filled homeschool. Here are some ways I make sure to add flexibility into our schedule:

• Try not to overdo it with the number of homeschool subjects or activities you do in one year. Focus on less, but do them well.
  
• I like to leave extra days when planning my school year so that we have time to skip lessons when need or desired – but also leave time to make them up later.
  
• When planning your weekly and daily schedule, be sure to leave free blocks – for yourself and your kids. This will allow room to prepare, catch up, or just have fun!

Find Your Homeschool Rhythm!

I hope this peek into our daily rhythm was helpful and gave you some tips or ideas to consider. Remember that your homeschool rhythm should be unique to your family, so don’t be afraid to adapt and try new things!

If you want more help creating your homeschool schedule, check out How to Create a (Realistic) Homeschool Schedule and sign up below to get a free homeschool planner, including a schedule template and weekly/monthly planners!