Kindergarten homeschooling, what does your day look like?

[HomeschoolingMomof2]

Hi homeschooling families,

I homeschooled our daughter this past year, mostly preschool and pre-k material. I was able to make my own materials and did not purchase any curriculum. I do hear a lot from other homeschooling moms that curriculum keeps them on track, but I'm trying to figure out if it's really necessary for Kindergarten level. I just finished reading Well Trained Mind book and it schedules suggests 1.5 hour per day of work for kindergarteners. Do you think I'll be okay by continuing to make my own materials, purchase workbooks from Costco and continue with Bob books for reading? If you are wrapping up your Kindergarten "year", do you mind telling me about your typical homeschooling day? How did you spend your 1.5 to 2 hours of teaching and what did you focus on? My second child is younger, not preschool yet. Thank you so much for helping me out. 

[Rosie_0801]

 Do you think I'll be okay by continuing to make my own materials, purchase workbooks from Costco and continue with Bob books for reading? 

 

Yes. :)

 

And I only got to 2 hours in K if it included a documentary.

 

 

 

Here's a (quite productive) day from the middle of dd's K year, when she was almost 6 and a half. It looks like an unnecessary amount of work to me, but she felt better about life with this much structure. Nearly three years later, she can read, do the maths, find Antarctica on the map and has forgotten the rest. :rolleyes:

 

-Dd spent quite a bit of time with the 10 Green Bottles book, this morning.

-Watched Little Pim.

-Looked at our collection of maths picture books.

-Read The Mission of Addition and The Action of Subtraction.

-Finally drew the four shooting stars we saw on Sunday morning into her nature journal.

-Watched an addition vid about adding one from Education Unboxed.

-Read Bob book 8

-Dot to dots (numbers and letters)

-Read first half of Story of The World (SOTW) chapter 1 on early nomads 

-Horrible Histories Series 2, Episode 3

- Watched a counting song on youtube

-Watched Rock a bye Baby on youtube

-Handwriting

-Put a card showing the shape of Antarctica up on our memory board

-Reviewed everything else on it

-Read parts of a book on Antarctica while she looked at the pics in a few more.

-Drew the feathery ice designs we found on the windscreen of the car this morning into her nature journal.

[LMD]

I agree with Rosie. I homeschooled my DD through k & 1st before finding out about homeschooling curriculum (yes, I live under a rock, it's cosy)

We had a ball, and she's at least on grade level now in 6th.

 

Here's what my current k-er's school day was like today:

 

Family time fitness

Worked on handwriting (and sneaky phonics review)

Some math

Lego

Cut up fruit for fruit salad

Trampoline

Violin practice

Fingerpainting with little brother

More Lego

LA - llatl blue

Tag along with science - he'll peek through the microscope and draw a picture.

 

Eta- this particular kid spends hours every day bike riding, spinning around, making up games, digging. We have 20 acres and he just relishes the space to play. This particular kid desperately needs this time, in stark contrast to my very studious first child who loved sit down 'school' in k, colouring, writing...

Edited April 4, 2016 by LMD

[HomeAgain]

Here is a typical day from September:

 

Work on nursery rhyme memorization

Play a game together

Him read to me

Go over spelling rules with magnetic letters

Hands on math

Science project

Outside play/park day

I read to him

 

[Carrie12345]

You'll be fine.

 

Sharing my k'ers average day wouldn't be much help, since so much includes sitting in/observing/participating in his older siblings' stuff. When he does "formal" work, it's mostly doing some phonics/reading on the couch and playing with math manipulatives at the table.  Lots of no-pressure learning through play.

[MeaganS]

My K'er currently spends about that on a normal day. I feel very strongly that PreK and K are the times when I should be trying to get my child to a minimal standard of reading, so we focus on reading lessons. That usually takes about 15 or 20 minutes a day. I also focus on math. My dd is math advanced and likes to do it, so we usually spend 45 minutes or more on math with her. I don't think that is necessary for all K'ers to spend that long, but that's what we do for this dd. She also did handwriting through HWT until she finished the Kindergarten book. Then we started spelling with AAS and continue writing through WWE. Those combined take her about 10 or 15 minutes a day. She does piano lessons at home through Hoffman Academy, and that takes her about 15 minutes a day at this point. The only other thing we formally do on any given day is Anki for memory work. In it, I put poems, scriptures, definitions, and art that I want her to remember.

 

I homeschool her at the same time or in between time with her older and younger sister, but with all 3, I'm still always done by 11:30 or so (starting at about 8 or 8:30).

 

We do lots of other things that enrich her, like lots of science museum/zoo trips, educational shows. We use a lot of science and math toys and games like Prodigy, Snap Circuits, Dragonbox apps, Butterfly Kit, etc. She also listens to tons of audiobooks and has access to many books at home and regularly from the library. She is also in Girl Scouts, Sunday School, and a once a week co-op for fun and socialization.

 

I think you could totally make your own path. I would make sure to cover reading, math, and handwriting formally. Everything else is secondary for me at that age, and it sounds like you are doing a good job.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Meagan S

[lovinmyboys]

My top priorities for my kindergartener are listening to read alouds and playing outside. I try to make sure he gets an hour of each most days. I also try to do an art/craft/fine motor activity most days. The other thing I really prioritize is free play.

 

We try to spend about an hour total on reading/phonics, handwriting, math, and general knowledge (address, phone number, calendar).

 

At least once a week we go on a field trip. We have memberships to museums and the zoo and aquarium. He also played a sport each season.

 

ETA: we also play lots of games

 

I don't think you can mess up kindergarten. Enjoy your year!

Edited April 4, 2016 by lovinmyboys

[LindaOz]

I have a K'er. On a typical day she:

 

- joins our family time at or after breakfast during which we pray, read Bible, sing, memorize, poetry, do read-aloud. Our current read-aloud is The Hobbit so she tends to drift off and play at that point which is fine but she joins us for the rest.

- read with me and dd4 on couch. Our reading are from Sonlight's P4/5 program but you could definitely just pick your own books that suited. We read science or social studies type book and Bible story here, do a bit of memory and sing a song.

- a lesson or two of mathsonline.

- phonics/handwriting/writing/maths book. Not usually all on same day.

- play outside with siblings

- free play with little sister

- read aloud at lunch with family.

- after lunch reader time. Maybe some literature or other picture book reading.

- violin practice at some stage.

 

This might look like a lot but, other than the family times, this only takes somewhere around 90 mins.

[PeterPan]

My ds has significant SLDs and SN, so K5 for him was a bit different from others.  He did Ronit Bird math (for dyscalculia), Barton reading (for dyslexia), EZ Write handwriting, and then lots of enrichments.  For him the enrichments were things like some online science and history courses (he's gifted, they fit him), lots of audiobooks and Teaching Company lectures, and LOTS of play with games and K'nex.  

 

No matter what you do, my encouragement to you is to play and have fun.  K5 and 1st are the most glorious years, the fun years.  Don't fail to have fun.  Cook, study holidays, craft, whatever she really enjoys.  Plan in things like that that you enjoy.  No, I personally would not go to the grocery story and buy workbooks.  You can buy good curriculum for not much more (CLE, Horizons) and they would be more thorough.  You're going to need more phonics instruction beyond the Bob Books.  Your library should have common resources (OPGTR, etc.), so just pick something.  I used SWR with my dd.  WRTR is available through the library and good.  I don't think it has to cost a ton of money to be good, but I would have something like that.  Especially on reading, given her enough instruction to perform at ability level, not just grade level.  

 

Timberdoodle has really fun grade level kits that would give you a lot of ideas.  Our library now has a game lending library, so you could take the Timberdoodle list and go to the library to get things.  A teaching college might also have a lending library with math manipulatives, etc.  I've been doing simple things like dot to dots and hidden pictures with my ds.  They aren't expensive, but they're really worthwhile.  Coloring is worthwhile and something to encourage.  Almost any interest you'd have, like simple origami, art projects history projects, projects to go with holidays, art study, whatever could be facilitated with the library.  Actually my super favorite thing for K5 is Enchanted Learning.  It's a website, and you can search for any holiday, any topic, and turn up cute things.  

 

Definitely find some things your dc will enjoy and have fun!  :)

[SilverMoon]

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Edited September 8, 2023 by SilverMoon

[Cake and Pi]

When my oldest was in K, all we did was 15 minutes of reading, 15-30 minutes of math, and 5-10 minutes of a fine motor activity (sometimes pencil and paper writing, but just as often other activities to work the same muscles).  That's it.  We used Right Start 1st edition for math (love it and highly recommend it), Teach Your Child to Read in 100 EZ Lessons and then easy readers from the library for reading, and I eventually picked up a Handwriting Without Tears workbook because DS#1 had a lot of troubles learning to write letters.

 

My second son is doing K this year, and his day is much fuller, but it's largely because he tags along with DS#1 in history, science, and grammar (FLL), he's an older K student (turned 6 at the end of Sep), and I give him extra stuff just to keep him busy and quiet (gasp!).  He probably has about two hours of academics in a typical day.  But I don't think it's at all necessary.  It's just easier for me to teach a of of this stuff once to both DS#1 and DS#2 at the same time than to teach it to DS#1 this year and teach it again to DS#2 next year, and he's able and interested.

[hjffkj]

My dd spends roughly 15 minutes on Phonics, 15 minutes reading to me, 20 minutes on math, and 5 minutes on handwriting. That is the only school I require of her. The rest of the day is spent however my kids wish without electronics most of the time. They get read to tons, lots of board and card games, and just exploring.

[MinivanMom]

My kindergartner only spends 30-60 min on school. I usually keep him at the table after breakfast to do his schoolwork. Once he's done, he can go play.

 

At the beginning of the year, a typical day would be:

Singapore Kindergarten Math: 10-15 min

Handwriting without Tears page: 5 min

Reading Reflex activity: 5-10 min

Reading Bob Books aloud: 10-15 min

 

Now at the end of the year, a typical day would be:

Singapore CWP 1: 15-20 min

Writing a journal entry: 15-20 min

Reading a chapter aloud from his current book: 15-20 min.

[Hobbes]

My 6yo was technically K last year by our local school board's schedule, and is Gr.1 this year, but she's a very young Gr.1, so I'm keeping it light.

 

This year, her schoolwork looks like:

 

- "Morning Time" with Gr.2 sister and I for about an hour after breakfast (includes Bible reading, prayer, memory work, poetry reading, art calendar discussion, read aloud, and journaling)

 

- 30/45 mins combined of ETC, selections of MM1 or Calculadder sheets with MUS blocks or other math I pull out, and reading out loud to me. (ETA: She finished her HWT book last month and now we work on her printing in journal time, ETC, and other projects like family birthday cards and letters.)

 

That's it. When she finishes, she takes off to spend the rest of the morning in creative play with her little brother. Earlier in the year, before we had a newborn, she also joined in later when we did SOTW or science or art projects. I wrapped all those up before the baby. She listens to audiobooks during afternoon quiet time (while working on art or playing with Playmobil, etc) and we read aloud more in the evening.

Edited April 4, 2016 by indigoellen@gmail.com

[ailysh]

I am finishing up k with my six year old. Or day looks like this: play all morning with little sister or run errands, play date,etc. Then lunch. Then more playing, then when little sis takes a nap we do our work.

 

1 page from math mammoth 1

 

1 page from song school Spanish

 

Writing the alphabet in its entirety, either upper case or lower case (we are working on letter formation automaticity to prepare for doing copy work in first grade with ELTL 1)

 

Reading a few pages out loud from Elson Reader 3

 

Reviewing the latest table from Webster's speller.

 

We do seatwork for 45 minutes tops, and she loves to draw and do crafts and creative play and reading on her own all day long. Then before bed we have read aloud time for thirty minutes at most, which we don't really consider to be school work.

[Peaceful Isle]

I will have a kindergarten child next year. He's my last :( 

 

I plan on using a combo of BJU and Calvert for his core subjects like math, phonics, reading, and science. 

 

I am going to use Mother goose time as a supplement for crafts, socials studies, and fun activities. 

 

I am also going to use Ivy Kids for reading enrichment and crafts as well.

 

I am a little different than many concerning k5, and I'm okay with that. Everyone is different. All my kids have gotten a pretty structured kindergarten year, and they have all turned out okay. :)

[Meriwether]

My kind of K'er does anywhere from nothing to quite a bit of school in a day. She is technically a K'er but started when she turned 5 in the middle of last year, so she is maybe more of a 1st grader at this point. Because she is school aged child who needs to do school the least, I don't always get to her. Today she did two pages of phonics, a math lesson, and a short English lesson. Tomorrow she may do spelling, several math lessons, English, Latin, science with the boys, a book that will take her 30-40 minutes to read and the papers to go with them. Or she may do nothing. It is highly disorganized and should drive me nuts, but she works well when she wants to and willingly when I tell her to sit up and do something. She seems to be making adequate progress in school and enjoys her life. She could be ahead of where she is, but she is fine. We do use actual curriculum, though. I have no interest in making my own stuff up for her at this point when I like the stuff I used for the older kids.

[Rachel]

Kindergarten looks different with my second kindergartener. She sits in with our morning routine which is bible memory work, singing a couple songs, a current read aloud, and a devotional or character reading. This lasts up to an hour but is often 30 minutes.

 

I do reading with her for 15-20 minutes, copy work/ handwriting for 5-10 minutes, and math which is 15-20 minutes. She also sits in on SOTW and science. Most of the time she participates, but it isn't a requirement.

 

I have recently started doing Five in a Row (FIAR) with my K and 3 year old. We don't do anything complicated with the stories but I wanted to do some extra, focused reading geared more toward them.

 

I think an hour to an hour and a half is about right for kindergarten if you are including read alouds.

[Tumbatoo]

I feel like my K'er does a lot, but she only does school work before lunch. Most days she doesn't get started until 9:30 or 10. We do alternate VP Bible lessons with our Sonlight core bible and usually alternate history and science every other day. The only subjects she does pretty much every day are math, reading, and usually ETC. Some days we barely do anything if we are busy or she just doesn't want to.