A Schedule for Children at Home

As a stay at home parent to small children one of the most challenging things in our home was coming up with a daily schedule that provided for learning, growing, resting and private time...for mommy.

A Simple Schedule Template for Preschool Age Children:

For small children it’s great to follow the direction of daycares and preschools in providing a scheduled day to meet their needs. When it’s time for naptime you’re ready for the break and can get some of your own things done. Since you’re mostly likely working alone things like crafts and circle time may often be replaced by running errands.  Here is a sample of what a daycare schedule might be like. Circle time with your child can be 15 minutes of singing preschool songs and doing hand motions.

• Hands on Activity
• Breakfast
• Some kind of circle activity with music
• Crafts
• Lesson(s)
• Outside play
• Lunch
• More Circle Time songs etc.
• Story Time
• Naptime
• Snack time
• Play time (while you’re getting ready for dinner)
• After dinner it's time to play quietly, read and prepare for the bedtime routine.

Finding Things to do:

If you haven’t already one thing you will discover is that if you do not encourage and help your child learn the art of entertaining themselves (without destroying something) you will have a whining child constantly on you to provide them with something stimulating to do even though they are surrounded by toys.

While we struggle with wanting our children to be in learning mode all the time remember that they are learning while playing. Quietly playing while mommy is involved with something else is not a bad thing. In fact you want to teach your children how to constructively entertain themselves. In the beginning show them a little how to do something such as play dough, coloring, building blocks, and the like and then move to do something near them. Study your child to see what interests them. Do they like to create? Do they like to read or look at picture books. Do they like to role play with dolls and kitchen sets?  They may like to do all three.

Older toddlers and preschool age children can help you around the house and they often want to do that. Begin showing them small skills you can progress on. Cooking is a great one. Mixing together things like small salads, rice mixes before you cook them, and bread dough are some simple ones. 

If your child seems more difficult to get to entertain themselves turn it into a game. Have your child pick something. One activity from among their toys and crafts that they can do alone (you are nearby of course).  Set a timer for 15 to 30 minutes and have them play with that item letting them know you are right there just not actively playing with them. You can even do this daily so you can get something done.

Another option is to provide preschool at home for your child.

Here are some great home preschool programs

ABC Home Preschool

ABC Fun and 123

Preschool Themes

Letter of the Week Preschool

Preschoolkids. Alpha and Omega's Pre-K At Home.

Summertime Tips for Preschool and Kindergarten

For school age children be sure and keep them on track with the reading and basic math skills learned during the school year. Simple worksheets and reading time will help keep your child's new skills right at the forefront.

Steady Days: A Journey Toward Intentional, Professional Motherhood is an excellent book for organizing your day with children at home. This resource for working or stay at home moms is based on the author's own experience parenting 3 children very close in age (2 adopted). Find routines and ideas for morning through night.

Read about our Daily Homeschool Schedule for 2011

Back to Homeschool Daily Schedule

Your Time:

Now that you know your child’s daily schedule you need to fill in the blanks with your own personal time. Maybe you wake up early for a quiet time or some work. Maybe you work after your kids are in bed as my mom used to do. Or you have some peaceful personal time during their naptime or quiet time. Make sure you get some moments for mom in there or you will burn out.

Visit the Homemaking Downloads section for a Child's Daily Schedule template.

Put your new routine and more to paper with our The Management of Time digital planner.