Boy, the world is quite a mess lately, hmm? Our kiddos are home full-time until September and Mr. Fix-It and I are both Essential workers at our off-homestead jobs, so our house has been kinda reeling lately. A little bit of organization goes a long way! We have always done summer home-learning activities, but I had to look over my previous activities and make some adjustments for this new phase of Crisis-Schooling. It’s not really the same as homeschooling. I’m not trying to cover a complete school year or curriculum. There’s no overall plan. Just the idea of keeping them learning.

First, our crew is older now. Their learning choices have to be more challenging, and thankfully they can work a little more independently. But we also have higher expectations.

Second, this is going to be a long summer break to try and keep them engaged! And there won’t be camp or vacation breaks to soften it up. One of the biggest issues we have so far is convincing them this is NOT a break, and that everyone is still working.

Third, I have to be able to work at home regularly while they’re doing their activities. And actually get work done.

And Fourth, it needs to be simple enough I don’t spend all my time policing the plan. It’s not time-driven, it’s just a routine. One item, then the next, then the next, until we’re done.

Here’s what we came up with and the tools we’re using…

Morning Chores and Learning Time

Every morning they have to get up and do their normal hygiene, farm chores, breakfast, and exercise routine while I get ready for work. Then they start learning time while I start work.

Their learning time is structured just enough that they hit all their main subjects. Math and reading time, and then unit study work that hits science, history, reading and writing, researching and technology. They each have an assignment sheet for the week that I write up for them so they know what to do each day and can check it off as they go. I guess it’s a very loose interpretation of homeschooling, or maybe some type of unschooling. But we call it learning time because the idea is for them to keep stretching and exercising skills they already have, using new information I provide by giving them a unit study topic. We’re not diving into new skills.

Looking for some easy unit study help? Check out our list of great Classic and Non-Fiction Graphic Novels as a springboard!

It’s possible that our high-schooler will end up with assignments directly from the District again soon. This time block will just end up being her virtual school block.

Learning time is planned to finish about lunch time. Yeah!

Lunch and Lunch Chores

They make their own lunches and clean up. They are supposed to do lunch just like they would do for packing a lunch for school, but on a plate. They can have leftovers, just like they would normally pack, or they can have the standard sandwich-chips-fruit-drink-cookie. But it’s not a pantry free-for-all!

Then, after lunch on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday they’re each assigned one room in the house with a Room Chore Card. It’s a step-by-step checklist of how to clean that particular room. There’s a chores section on their assignment sheet where I can write which room they get each day. Each room should only take about 15-30 minutes if they’re diligent and the house is not a wreck.

3 kids, times 3 days a week, means 9 rooms a week–so we should get through the whole house each week!

After lunch on Tuesday and Thursday, they each get 1 deep cleaning assignment. These are things like changing the sheets on their beds, wiping the trim and switch plates in their room, or a special effort to vacuum under the furniture in a particular room. Their deep cleaning chore is put on their weekly assignment sheet.

Afternoon Time

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday they have structured afternoon time. I call it “structured free time” but they call it “more work.” {smile} They get input, so don’t listen to them whine! Their special project or activity is put on their assignment sheets. This could be anything from a special Lego building project (we found some cool old Lego instructions and are trying to use our mish-mash of 10,000 pieces to construct an entire town together!), to a cooking project, or craft project like our Pirate ships from corks! This is a time for them to work on Duolingo classes or Keyboarding lessons (we’re using TypeDojo) or watch some extra movies or documentaries for their current unit study. Honestly, I’m open to just about anything they ask to do as long as it’s not vegging-out in front of the TV or video-games.

We put it on their assignment sheet so they can continue in the afternoon without me while I’m working. And if things get away from me, then we just do free time on Mon, Wed, Fri too! The name of the game is flexibility! Since we’re not really focused on homeschooling (at the moment), but simply on continuing to learn until we go back to school each of these blocks is very easy to adjust or revise if needed.

For Tuesdays and Thursdays, after their deep-cleaning chore, they have free time until 4. Whatever they want as long as it’s reasonably quiet so I can work if needed.

4 PM Chore Time

Every day at 4 pm everyone stops and cleans up. Whether it’s cleaning up Legos, art supplies, snack trash…whatever is needed. They clean up, make sure all their school stuff is put away neatly, and do their farm chores. As I’ve told them, if they’re not messy then this will be easy.

Then it’s free time/fresh air time outside until dinner.

So far, it’s working fine. They’re not happy about it because they still think this is some kind of summer break and they should have more free-time. But I’ve learned that they say that no matter how much time they have!

What kind of routine is working for you right now? Do you need some help?

Feel free to click the links below to download our Schedule and Assignment Sheet and use it at home if you think it will help!

Daily Routine Schedule Printable

Weekly Assignment Sheet Printable

{UPDATE: You can find a Printable Version of our Cleaning Checklist Chore Cards here…}