After reading several wonderful books about ordering your days, I began creating a more fluid and flexible routine for our day. It greatly helped me be more intentional with our time by observing our natural flow and tweaking things here and there.
Related: The Call of the Wild and Free, Teaching from Rest, and examples at Treehouse School House
Our Current Rhythm
8:00 - 8:30am - Breakfast
- After prayer, I will begin with reading Egermeier's Bible Story Book, Wild Faith Devotional for Kids, then review our memory for the day which includes a hymn, poem, verse or anything else I want them to remember. If they are in the mood for more, I will continue reading or transition to crafts and activities.
8:30-10am - Free Play (or a trip to the park, playdate or outside time)
10:00-10:30am - Snack and crafts
- I will either start with reading a story I didn't have a chance to get to, or I'll dive right into our craft for the day – replicating an artist, listening to a composer, drawing an animal for science, etc.
10:30am-12:00pm - Free Play (or a trip to the park, playdate, or outside time)
12:30-1pm - Lunch
1pm-1:30pm - Individual Lessons
- After placing the youngest in her room with some toys to rest and nap, I use this time to work through individual lessons with the older two girls - 1 math lesson and 1 reading lessons. While I'm working with one child, the other one is playing a learning game on the iPad. Our favorites are The Bible App for Kids and Duolingo ABC.
1:30pm-3pm - Quiet time
- After the lessons, the girls then go to their special areas for quiet time – one in the toy loft and the other in our room. They love playing with hot wheel cars and the doll house, listening to their Yoto Player or coloring and drawing.
Related: All Things Yoto, Homemade Yoto Cards, Audio Books for Kids
3pm - Tea Party/Popsicles and Snacks
- To signal that their quiet time is done, a song plays over a speaker upstairs. Sometimes the girls are so engrossed in what they are doing, they will delay coming down. But once they do, I offer them a small snack and a treat - usually tea in the colder months and popsicles in the warmer months.
- Enjoying these outsides, I will also read aloud one of our "for fun" books. We are still working our way through The Burgess Bird Book for Children which follows Peter Rabbit as he hops through the forest talking to and learning about his feathered friends.
Related: Top 10 Favorite Read Alouds for the whole family
3:30-5:30pm - Free Play (usually the girls will seek out their neighbor friends)
5:30-6pm - Dinner Routine
- As I prepare the dinner, the girls help by setting the table with napkins and utensils, and fill up the water cups. My 2.5 year old fills up the cups while my 5 year old brings them to the table. My 4 year old folds the napkins and places the required utensils on top. We like these placemats that show where things belong.
- Once they complete their jobs, they settle on the couch for "show time." Their current favorite is Zoboomafoo.
Related: Kid Entertainment
6-6:30pm - Dinner
- After our prayer for our meal, we hold hands and sing our favorite song - The Johnny Appleseed Song. My husband was taught this song for dinner by his grandmother during his childhood and has now passed it on to us.
- We also like to review the day with High, Low, Buffalo – Buffalo means something you learned, how God blessed you today, or even someway you failed and learned from it.
- Lastly once they complete their meal, they bring their dishes to the counter.
6:30-7:30pm - Free Time
- Post dinner the girls will play, clean up, take a shower, or more outside time like a walk as a family.
7:30pm - Bedtime Routine
- The girls are learning to get ready by themselves these days. But once they are in bed, we read a nightly book. Our current read is Paddington Treasury.
- We finish with individual prayers or reciting the Lord's Prayer, and singing Open the Eyes of My Heart Lord and Jesus Loves Me
Related: Favorite Bedtime Stories
8:00pm - Lights Out
- Of course there are often small foot steps heard out of bed.
