We’ve been working from home — and we’ll be honest, it hasn’t been easy! Managing emails, meetings, calls, and our kids has been an interesting learning curve. We, like all parents, want to make sure we’re doing it right (Who are we kidding? there is no right. We want to make sure we’re doing our best.)   We’ve been so inspired by the stay-at-home learning schedules we’ve seen on social media as a great way to give kids the structure and stability they find in the classroom, and crave at home. 

But so many of these learning schedules seem aspirational more than realistic. We can barely remember what day it is, let alone stick to a rigid schedule of when/how/where to learn! So our learning experts created a routine that is fun, feasible, and customizable to each of our families’ unique needs.

Print out our age-appropriate activity blocks below and use them to help shape your daily routine.  They’re flexible and designed to meet any family’s needs. Enjoy the flexibility, move things around, or skip as you see fit! We’ve got options for kids ages 2-3, 3-4, and 5+.

Making Memories

Though it seems far off now, at some point, we’re all going to return to “normal” life. Wouldn’t it be great if, when we do, we have memories of what we did together as a family during this time? How did we continue to learn, play, and have fun? This time can be full of hidden learning opportunities for kids of any age.  

Together as a family, take time each day to fill a page with the facts and feelings of the day.

•  Document facts like the date and the weather.  
• Write down something your child is grateful for.
•   Retell the special or funny moments that happened.
•   Write about how everyone’s feeling!  It’s so important to acknowledge and build vocabulary around our emotions, especially right now. 
•  You can include photos, funny quotes, of leftovers from a craft session to commemorate each day.

This activity can be adjusted to any age! If you have a 2-3-year-old, they can draw or dictate while you write. If you have a 3-4-year-old, they can trace letters and draw, while you write a short sentence or two about the feeling or moment they are trying to commemorate. For kids 5+, they might be ready to join you in writing down some of the memories! 

Reading/Story Time

Storytime isn’t only a time to encourage reading and listening comprehension skills in our kids, it’s an opportunity to instill a love of reading in general.  If your toddler is reading to you, and what they’re saying doesn’t match the book- that’s okay! Storytime doesn’t have to be perfect! Let them imagine and explore. Reading can create a bond with your child that makes them feel supported, encouraged, and loved- building their confidence to try new things and, ultimately, learn!

We can  encourage this love of storytelling by showing kids that reading to an audience is different than reading to yourself. Use your voice to make the story exciting! Use a storytelling voice to make the experience special, or create different voices for each character. 

And remember, be flexible! You can switch stories or adjust. Cater to their interests and use your imagination. 

 To support families as they adjust to a “new normal” while schools are closed, we are hosting Ask the Expert live streams on our Facebook account, @learnwithhomer. Join us each week on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday as we answer your questions and offer our tips and tricks for making learning successful at home.