Homeschool Routine For Young Children
Parents have asked me in the past how our typical homeschool day looks and how I get my children (under 5-years-old) into the homeschool groove.
The Key is Consistency
Your homeschool might not be as beneficial as it could be unless you have a routine. If you are consistent in doing things in a certain order, the children will get used to it, from a very young age. Even my 19-month-old son knows the routine, because it does not change much. He will even sit for the songs and intros to our mornings.
If you have a child that does not sit still, that’s okay! Children are children, and they love to move. Remember the song “Ants in the Pants?” Well, that’s how they act, and some children can be attentive for a certain period of time, while some will go do their own thing. What works for me is tending to what they like! Here is what they like and how it became our routine:
- Fatiha-Before the start of every homeschool day we must recite Surah Fatiha together! I recommend this for every family. Close the day with whatever surah the children are working on. We recite together, and the boys will recite after me on their own.
- Singing- Yes we have a theme song, a morning song, and a welcome song! We send each other salaam in our welcome song, and all the children give salaams to each other. Then we move into our days of the week song and typical circle time fun. We take this time to discuss the weather, what day it is, and how we feel.
- Reading- We dive into a book, story, or poem that sets the tone for the lesson. We make it exciting–so exciting the children do not want to run anywhere else.
- Art- We are a hands-on homeschool. Whatever the lesson is for the week, our hands are on it. This is great because children love sensory work. They love to explore touch and use their other senses. If you homeschool younger children, you must appeal to that aspect of children’s tendencies because textbook style does not always work for children aged 1-4! Make your lesson come to life so your children will always await the next adventure. We have learned the moon phases, tons of new vocabulary words, and the life cycles of certain insects–all through hands-on learning. Our children are worth all the effort, Alhamdulillah, with a son reading at 2 and one starting at 3. We didn’t have drilled and rough hardcore lessons; rather we kept it fun and exciting for the kids. You have to know who you are working with. We are working with young children. We must appeal to what they like.
Make the Day Fun!
Start the day the same way, and the children will get used it. It took a short amount of time for my boys to become used to the orderly singing, reading, and making art. But, keeping it consistent, they have now become accustomed to officially beginning homeschool after breakfast, Alhamdulillah.
As adults, we sometimes forget that children learn a lot through play. Remember there is nothing wrong with making your lessons playful, sensory-appealing, and hands-on fun. My children love homeschool as we make it as creative as we can. Whether they know it or not, they are learning each step of the way and enjoying every minute of it!
What is your homeschooling routine? Leave us a comment!
Category: Homeschooling 101
Great article! Thanks for sharing. Creative Motivations makes an AWESOME set of dry-erase Homeschooling charts and schedules (even one for Islamic Studies)that make keeping a routine easy.
Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.302203806491430.86909.167035233341622&type=3
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Asalamu alaikum,
Just want to say I’m impressed mashAllah by moms like you. I wish I could shadow you for a day or two!
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Ameera Reply:
January 15th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
Wa alaykumsalaam mashaAllah <3 thank you for the kind words
I would prefer you to be side by side and we grow and learn together..its def a learning process 
Ameera recently posted..Body Measurements
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Salaam dear sisters, MashaAllah this is such an inspiration for me. I am not a homeschooling mum but have just had baby number 2 and so am currently on maternity leave and recalling all the reasons why I wanted to stay at home and homeschool Alhumdulillah. This post is great for me to use as a starting point for my days at home with my now 3 and a half year old daughter and new born son inshaAllah.
I noted you mentioned your children read at 2… I did start with some Glen Doman and Brill kids stuff with my daughter before I went back to work but I found nurseries and schools so discouraging re the early reading that I did not follow through with this with my daughter. I would be really interested to know what method(s) you used with your children for reading and writing.
I am also very keen for our children to be multi literate especially as my husband is Lebenese and so want to work out how best to work with our children to achieve this inshaAllah. The aim is for them to be able to read and write Arabic and English and if possible be fluent or be able to converse in French or someother language as well as Hindi or my parents mother tongue Gujerati.
I would welcome any tips, views or suggestions on this InshaAllah.
Jazakillah for your post. May Allah put barakah in your efforts and may your children be the coolness of your eyes and remain in the best company in this life and the next.
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I wish I knew about homeschooling when my children were young. But alhamdu lillah they are doing very well in high school. We practice reading the Quran at home from house of Quran. House of Quran is an excellent source of memorizing the Quran.
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Assalamualaikum dear sister.
Thank you so much for sharing these tips. I am a mom considering homeschooling my two younger boys. I have been teaching them at home, nothing formal though.
Appreciate it if you could share your morning circle time songs.
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i love your blog. i want to jump in and homeschool..my kids want to homeschool. my husband wants me to homeschool, but i am nervous about doing it.
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