How to Start Your Homeschool Year: Back-to-School Checklist

It’s that time of year – Summer is coming to an end and everyone is in back-to-school mode! One of the things I love about homeschooling is that we are able to take a slower, more relaxed start, rather than jumping all in on day one. That said, as a parent, there’s still a lot of work to do to prepare for your homeschool year. To help you make sure you’re all set for that first day back, here are the steps I take to make sure we have a successful first day – and be sure to get your free printable Back-to-School Checklist so you can get prepared too!

1. Set Your Goals for the Year

Sometimes as homeschooling parents, we are so ready to jump right into curriculum, school supplies and homeschool planning that we can easily overlook the vision and goals we have for our school year. I know because I am guilty of this myself, especially as the school year goes on. That is why I like to prioritize this at the start of the year and create a list of goals, whether academic or personal, that I can go back to throughout the year as a reminder and to track our progress on. Here are some things you can consider when setting goals for your homeschool year:

• Reflect on what you want your children to achieve – This usually starts for me by reflecting on the previous years goals and achievements. Think about what things went well or didn’t go well, what interests or desires were piqued in your child’s learning, and what are some things you all enjoy as a family.
  
• Discuss learning priorities with your partner and children – Look at any homeschool requirements as well as personal interests. As parents, we will often set academic goals for our children but it’s also important for children to set their own goals as it allows them to work towards something and see the results of what they can achieve.
  
• Write down academic and personal growth goals – For me, this is usually a page within my homeschool planner, however, you could also add this to a student journal or binder, or even create a small poster as a family and hang it in your homeschool area.
  

2. Decide on Your Curriculum

• Research options that fit your teaching style and child’s needs – Even for veteran homeschool parents, I think this is a great practice. Each child is different and every year comes with new challenges and experiences. What worked well one year might not work well the next. So take some time to consider how you want to show up as a teacher and how your child might learn best.
  
• Choose core and supplemental programs – Start by creating a list of all your subjects for each child and/or any family-style subjects. Spend some time reviewing different curriculums or programs to see what could be a good fit for your child/family. Ask your child for their input too on what they would like to learn. For example, with our family-style science lessons, I will have my children each pick a topic or unit study for that year. This gets them very excited to learn and they even feel a sense of ownership when it comes to learning about their chosen topic.
  
• Order or download curriculum materials – Once you’ve decided on what you will be using, buy, order or download any materials needed so that you have everything ready in advance. This helps to avoid any delays or unexpected changes (like something being out-of-stock or discontinued).
  

3. Prep Your Homeschool Space

• Choose a dedicated learning area – Decide where your learning will take place. Remember that you don’t need a dedicated homeschool room, just a quiet and functional area within your home to study and a place to organize your books and supplies. For us, we find it easiest to work from our dining room table and we have a buffet table within arms reach that holds all of our school supplies.
  
• Clean your space – Once you’ve decided on your learning area, spend some time cleaning out your space before bringing in new supplies and materials. This is a key part of homeschool organization. I like to dedicate a day to this so I have enough time to review old materials, archive anything that needs to be archived and throw away any junk. I also like to use this time to do a deep clean of any furniture or organization bins.
  
• Set up storage zones – After cleaning, start to plan how you will organize your space, making note of what you have and can use, as well as anything that you will need to buy. I like to think of it as having different storage ‘zones’ – an area for everyday books and materials, an area for art supplies or games, etc. Think about your children and their curriculum and how best they could find and access what they will need. For example, I like to have a bin or area for each child so they know everyday where they can find their schoolwork and can get started without me having to lay it out for them. This also encourages them to be more independent and responsible!

If you want some tips on creating an inviting and functional homeschool space, check out this post: How to Create Your Perfect Homeschool Space on a Budget

 4. Buy & Organize School Supplies

• Review supply lists  – Most curriculums or programs will come with a list of  supply needs so take some time to review this and make note of what you need. You may also have your own list of things you need to buy after cleaning out your homeschool space.
• Purchase essentials like notebooks, pencils, art supplies – Look for deals, and if possible, stock up at the end of back-to-school season when items go on sale. I also recommend buying extras because it’s never fun to be halfway through the school year and realize one morning that you have no more glue or pencils!  Check out this post and get your free printable homeschool supply shopping list: Essential Homeschool Supplies: A Simple Guide to What You Really Need + Free Printable Shopping List!
• Organize supplies for easy access during lessons – Like with cleaning out the homeschool space, I like to dedicate a day to preparing and organizing all our homeschool materials. This is where you gather all your supplies and stock your storage zones in a way that you think will work for you and your family. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect or if, after a few weeks, something isn’t working – you can always adjust and adapt as the school year goes on.

5. Prepare Curriculum Materials

• Briefly review your curriculum and lessons – Before prepping my materials, I like to take a quick look through to have an idea of how the material is set up so I can think about how I want to plan and organize the materials and lessons. This helps you know how to store them and also how to create your homeschool schedule.
  
• Print out, gather and prepare curriculum materials – Before organizing, I gather everything together: pull out books, print worksheets, and have all my bins and organization tools ready.
  
• Label materials and store them neatly – Finally, start putting all your materials into appropriate storage. Whether it’s binders, bins or a library of books, try to find a way that is easy to find what you need and have the things you plan to use daily on hand. 

6. Create Your Family’s Schedule/Routine

• Set your daily and weekly learning blocks – A simple way I like to do this is to first check your weekly schedule and decide on the hours that you will dedicate to homeschooling. From there, take your list of subjects and/or lessons and plug them into your week. Even if you prefer flexibility on the day-to-day, having a general idea of what your week needs to include can help you stay on track. For more help with creating your homeschool routine, check out: How to Create a (Realistic) Homeschool Schedule
• Include time for breaks, chores, and free play – Every year, I create a schedule for myself and a separate one for my children. While I don’t usually share this with my children or make them stick to a set schedule, I like to have a rough idea for what their day can include as well. I make sure that there is plenty of free play and solo exploration, as well as time set aside for chores and any other responsibilities or activities they have.
• Add flex time and adjust as needed – I love a good schedule and, while I believe schedules can help keep us on track, I am also realistic and know that a strict schedule usually never works for our family. Keep this in mind and leave some flex time so you don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember that if you need to adapt or adjust your schedule, whether for your whole family or one child in particular, you can always revisit and adjust as the school year goes on.

7. Plan a Fun First Day Activity!

• Choose a fun, low-stress way to start the year – Even for homeschoolers, that first day back-to-school can feel stressful and children can be sad that their school break is over, so make their first day back fun and relaxed! Rather than diving into curriculum, check out our 10 Fun Back-to-School First Day Activities For Your Homeschool post for some ideas on how to make a fun start to the new school year!
  
• Prepare any necessary materials or props – Once you’ve decided on your fun back-to-school activity, make sure you buy and prepare any materials you need.
  
• Take a first day picture! – Document your first day back-to-school by taking a picture of each child and come back to it at the end of the year to see how they’ve grown. Also, be sure to take a family picture too and celebrate the start of another year together!

Whether you’re a seasoned homeschooler or just starting out, homeschool planning and organization can make your school year run smoothly and stress-free. To make getting started even easier, be sure to grab your free printable Back-to-School Homeschool Checklist below. I hope you found these tips helpful, and if you have any additional tips, please share them in the comments!