How To Create a Simple Home Preschool Schedule

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One of the questions I am often asked is how to fit in home preschool activities around every day life. As a busy mom, it can be hard to decide when to plan activities when you have so many other things to do throughout the course of a day. Today we are going to talk about how to create a simple home preschool schedule. I have some great tips you can use today to begin implementing all of the fun activities you want to do with your preschooler!

Homeschool Preschool Daily Schedule Tips

Stick to a Routine

My first tip is my most important tip. Preschoolers thrive with routine. I never create a concrete schedule in my house. It just doesn’t work for us. If I set up time blocks and then my toddler throws a fit and we get off by 15 minutes it will drive me crazy.

Instead, I build a preschool routine and only pay a small bit of attention to the clock. I do prefer to have meals and rest time at specific times, but everything else just follows a certain order regardless of the time.

Here’s a home preschool routine example:

  • 8 a.m. Wake Up, eat breakfast
  • Free Play, 2-3 planned home preschool activities, snack
  • 12 p.m. Lunch
  • Story time
  • 1 p.m. Rest Time
  • 1 planned activity, free play, outside play, snack
  • 5 p.m. Dinner
  • 6 p.m. Bath, story, bedtime (In Bed by 7:30)

See how simple that is? There is plenty of time for you to get things done while your preschooler is having free time. You could even include your preschooler in some of those things you need to get done like cleaning or cooking. 

Have an Errand Day

I choose a specific day of the week to run errands. I do not like being out of the house every day. If we are on the go every day, there’s just no way I can get anything done inside the house, much less and preschool activities I want to do. 

So, we go grocery shopping on Fridays. I also try to plan doctor’s appointments and anything else we may do during the week on Friday to make sure we can get everything else done during the rest of the week.

Errand day has become increasingly important as my kids have gotten older and we have continued to homeschool. They need time during the week to actually be home to do school.

Create Anchors Around Meal Times

Our meals are anchors. We have lunch around the same time every day. Always before we eat we do a quick clean up, and the kids know that as soon as lunch is over we are having rest time.

Dinner is another anchor in our house. We do a quick tidy before dinner, clean up after dinner, and then begin bedtime preparations. These things are constant and give the kids a sense of security. Preschoolers like routine, and if they know what is expected, and it’s always done that way, they will be more likely to follow along with it.

Don’t Push Activities

The preschool years are for play. You may spend a lot of time planning an amazing activity only to find your preschooler is not interested at all. As disheartening as that is, it is important to remember not to push the activities. Your child will begin to resist you. 

I am a big proponent of child led learning especially during the early years. I would advise you to choose planned activities based on your child’s interests. For example, if your child loves the book, “Brown Bear Brown Bear, What Do You See,” he will likely enjoy the activities from my lesson plan.

On the other hand, if your child is afraid of bears, that lesson plan probably won’t be a hit!

Always Include Time for Rest and Play

I like to keep our home preschool days simple and relaxed with just 3-4 planned activities and story times. Those planned activities may not last anymore than 15 minutes each! 

The rest of the day is for exploring and playing. Don’t make your child expect you to always provide the entertainment. Kids need time to be bored and learn to occupy themselves. You’ll be amazed at what they come up with! 

I do suggest providing some materials for your child’s free play time. My kids always have access to paper and crayons, and of course their favorite toys. We also try to get outside often. I’m grateful for a fenced in backyard that allows me to watch my preschoolers while I get work done in the kitchen.

Plan Your Own Home Preschool Curriculum

If you are the type of mom who likes to write all of your plans down, you’ll want to check out My Homeschool Preschool Planner. It’s jam packed with printables to help you plan weekly and monthly preschool plans, plus tips and encouragement for the journey!

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