Written by Pam Barnhill
I woke at 4:30.
No, I don’t do this every morning — not at all. But there are a number of mornings each month where I wake early, my thoughts whirling in my head, and I know it is futile to lie there and try to go back to sleep.
My first stop is the coffee pot and then I tiptoe upstairs and start to work. The thoughts won’t even let me have quiet time first thing.
My husband is the first to arrive. He is newly semi-retired and he cracks a joke about us being old and not able to sleep. He recently came home from his day-job to help me with the business and the kids. He still moonlights as a National Guard officer and that keeps our family hopping sometimes.
By the time the first boy stops in for a hug around 6:30 I am halfway through my to-do list for the day and feeling like a champ. If only I didn’t need sleep. Every day could be like this.
Around 8 a.m. I go in to wake Olivia, our oldest. She is not an early riser like the boys. In fact, she is the exact opposite. It is harder than ever to get kid-free time around here.
The boys and dog head off for a walk to the park with Dad while I get dressed and chat with some team members about work for the day via a phone app. Every few minutes I stick my head in to make sure Olivia is moving in the right direction.
Great! She is breakfasting and reading. Moving along she actually does her handwriting and math too. Yay, for older kids.
The boys return around 9:00 and we spend a few minutes doing chores — tidying the living room and bedrooms, emptying the dishwasher, and starting a load of laundry — before beginning our school day about 9:15.
We start with Morning Time
Morning Time is everyone’s favorite. Today it will be a little shorter than yesterday, but we begin with prayers.
I light a candle and we go around the table naming everyone we want to pray for — a deacon at our church on the first anniversary of his wife’s death, my stepdad who recently had surgery, far away friends, and “all the dogs in the world” (that last one so we don’t have to name them individually).
We recite a litany of prayers because Thomas is preparing for First Communion this year and Morning Time is where we review the ones he needs to know.
From there we move on to memory work. We start with “Blow, Blow Thou Winter Wind” from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The big kids will be reading that in co-op later this semester.
From there we move onto a collection of memory work from math, Latin, science, and other subjects. As I play the memory work on my phone the kids sing or recite along while they draw or play with kinetic sand.
After memory work, we read a poem from our Middle Ages Morning Time plans — Thomas Hardy’s “A Cathedral Façade at Midnight.” I show the kids a picture of statues on the outside of European cathedrals.
I know they don’t “get” what the poem is talking about, and I resist the urge to explain. We talk for a few minutes about the personification of the moon in that poem and they really enjoy that part.
Finally, I read about half of You Wouldn’t Want to Work on a Medieval Cathedral and save the rest for tomorrow. We were excited to make some connections between the book and our IEW writing lesson from co-op on Tuesday.
We end Morning Time by blowing out the candle (today was John’s turn) and singing “The Doxology.” Normally there is a flurry of tidying the table, pulling out books, and stalling as our table work begins. They plead and we actually begin the day by listening to our audiobook of Adam of the Road for a literature class. It buys them some extra drawing time.
I sneak away and finally get in the quiet time I missed that morning. I spend a few minutes reading Scripture and my current book (an advance copy of The Read-Aloud Family — good stuff).
Next is table work
This is the time of day when each of the kids is working on more independent subjects. I try to finish with the 8-year-old first. My logistical secret is to get him done and off playing so I can focus on the other two. It works some days better than others.
Today goes pretty well. He does Math-U-See, All About Reading, All About Spelling, Song School Latin, and steel drum practice. I am at-elbow or directly involved with many of his subjects. When he wants to, he can be done and gone in a little over an hour.
While we are working, the other two kids are at the table doing their independent studies. My 10-year-old does Math-U-See, All About Spelling, All About Reading, and handwriting. My oldest does Math-U-See, Phonetic Zoo, piano practice, A Sentence a Day, and handwriting. Together they do IEW, Famous Men of the Middle Ages, literature, and science for co-op.
So table time is a dance between working with the kid who needs me to teach a lesson and simply being there and available as they work independently. I make it a point to stay engaged during school time and not wander farther than the laundry room or a quick trip to load the dishwasher.
Late in the morning, Olivia heads off to the kitchen to make a lunch of quesadillas and applesauce. I love having someone else who can do that while I finish up the day with her brother. The kids eat while I read science to them.
Play and work
Finally, we are done around 1 p.m. Normally we would head off on Thursday afternoon for a playdate at my friend Jessica’s house. I enjoy that time to unwind and chat with a fellow homeschool mom. Since Jessica lives on a quiet cul-de-sac the kids have free reign of the neighborhood to ride bikes and play. Today Matt takes the kids and drops them off without me since I am under a deadline for work.
I spend the afternoon working on book launch tasks for Better Together, my new book about Morning Time, and I prep for my weekly Instagram and Facebook Live videos. Meanwhile, Matt gets the kids from their playdate and runs them to dance and Ninja Gymnastics.
Fortunately for me, I remembered to thaw an extra pasta and cheese casserole I made a couple of weeks ago as part of my proactive homeschooling plan. I put it in the oven about 5 p.m. All I have to do is throw a salad together about 6 p.m. and dinner is done.
The evening is dinner, baths, bedtime routines, and then some TV with Olivia. She and I are binge-watching Once Upon a Time on Netflix. I am glad — that’s all I have the energy for.
The great thing about homeschooling is that every day is different. Jessica has already texted me asking if we would spend tomorrow morning at our local nature park. (Temps in the 60s with sunny skies? Ummm, yes, math can wait.) Tomorrow afternoon is our bi-weekly family cleaning session. Different days keep it all fresh.
The rewards of homeschooling are getting to spend your days as a family, experiencing the moments when wonder and learning collide. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.
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Our children are 11, 9, 7, 4, and 2. We have been having dance parties before lunch and dinner, making lots of tents, and learning new games we got for Christmas.
My kiddos are 10, 7, 5, and 2! This mama has the flu, so we have been loving the Olympics. I am thrilled that the kids are old enough to understand the scoring and cheer on the athletes. Thanks for these Day in the Life posts. So inspiring!
I’ve got a dozen ages 3-17. My littles are spending uncountable hours outside stomping on the frozen creek, climbing bare trees, and paving a small muddy area with river rock so that they can have a woodsy playhouse this spring. My teens are hopping from dance to dance to dance on the weekends–sometimes having to turn down invitations because there are simply too many dances to choose from!
I enjoyed reading about your day–I, too, have those 4:30 am days with a mind too full to rest.
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My kids are 13 and 8. We love to sing during our morning time. We are also listening to a few audiobooks while eating or working on our handicrafts.
My kiddos are 8, almost 6 and almost 2. We are reading aloud everyday and trying to play a game everyday.
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My kids are 6, 5, 4, and 4 months. It’s pretty crazy all the time at our house with all these littles, but we sometimes play board or card games for fun.
My son is 6, and we’re awaiting another son any day! This winter has been full of lots of read alouds and crafts.
My son will turn 13 y.o. at the end of the month. This is our first year homeschooling so most days our lessons seem fun, as they are new and different to us. We also love outdoors time. We walk along the lake near us or hike at the state and national parks in N.C.
Wow!! Excited here about the chance to win:)!!!!
Our children’s ages are: 17,12,7,4,& 1. This winter we are enjoying reading aloud& drinking hot cocoa together. Plus we are “designing” our outside areas to be able to enjoy them more in nice weather.
I am a first time mom with an 9 month old son. We are planning on having more children and we want to homeschool 🙂 For winter fun right now, I love bringing my son and his cousins to different kind of museums!
My children are 10 & 13. This winter we have been spending as much time outdoors making snowmen, painting snow and making forts. Indoors on days when it’s been too cold to be outdoors, we have been doing lots of reading, listening to homeschool podcasts, and cresting our own board games to play as a family.
My kids are 9, 6 and 6, and we’ll be doing all sorts of fun tho F’s this week: play dates, hikes, a Fieldtrip and an over night visit to grandparents. Add a daily sprinkle of boardgames and olympics – so much good stuff!
I love Pam’s work. Morning time has transformed our homeschool. My kids are 9, 7, and 3. We are in the process of a cross country move, so life is pretty exciting. Our favorite work is our Brave Writer Arrow, composer study with Maestro Classics, and our piano practice with Hoffman Academy.
My kids are 7, 6, and 3 and to have fun this winter we are doing lots of read alouds, games, ice skating lessons, and visiting an indoor track a few times a week to keep cabin fever away.
This post was just what I needed this morning. I love the day-in-a-life posts as a way to continually re-think what our homeschool days can look like, so thank you, Pam, for writing this; and thank you, Jamie, for keeping the series up!
My six kids are ages 3 months through 10 years, and we’ve been doing lots of reading aloud curled up by the fire this winter–although they’re also enjoying joining me in trying to exercise and get back in shape after Baby. 🙂
My kiddos are 11 and 13. We got a Google Home for Christmas and have been intergrating it into our homeschool time. We play the trivia games and try to match our music to our meals. It’s been fun and interesting listening to Chinese music while eating Chinese food, etc.
My children are 8, 7, 4 & twin 3 month- olds. We’re enjoying hot mugs of cocoa while reading, all the outdoor snow activities and cuddling our new babies.
My kids are 8 and 10. We need to throw in more fun…it’s right before the science fair, choir concert, etc. and we’re running behind. We like to play board games.
My kids are 10, 9, 7, 5, 4, 2…And our winter fun has been the addition of a newborn baby. 🙂 Everyone is willing to come do their daily school work with me since it usually means they get baby holding time.
These “homeschool day” posts are so fun, and always give me an idea to try. Kinetic sand during memory work…why haven’t I thought of that?!
7,6,2. We bundle up and head outside if at all possible! Otherwise we set up indoor obstacle courses or play soccer with an inflatable globe!
My kids are 7, 9 and 10. The things we’re enjoying this winter are blankets by the fire, puzzles, Harry Potter aloud and, right now, binging the Winter Olympics.
My boys are 11, 9, 8, & 6. We have been spending as much time as we can outside in the snow. Whether it is just playing, or sledding- we need to enjoy this weather so we can really enjoy the next couple seasons. ????
my kids are 4.5 and 8. we have loved trying out snowshoeing this year and multipication games for my oldest!
My daughters are 7 and 5 and we have been out cross country skiing together this winter. Nothing like fresh air in cold temps!
My boys are 5, 3.5, 1.5, and I’m expecting another one in July! Now that first trimester sickness is over we stay warm and have fun with lots of baking in the kitchen.
my kids are 9 and 11 and we are going skiing
My kids are 13, 11, 9, 7, 4 & 1. No snow in our neck of the woods, so we have been doing a lot of geocaching!
My kids are: 17, 15, 14, 12, 10, 9 7, 6, 4, 3, 22 months, and newborn,
My kids would say that the two most fun things we’re doing this winter are: poetry tea times and studying the Constitution (yes, really!).
I loved Pam’s day in the life post! My kids are 14, 11, and 6. We got a puppy for Christmas, so we have been trying to get outside each day to give him exercise and us some sun (even though it’s frigid!).
Kiddos are 8 & 10. For winter fun we are reading our way through Ralph Moody’s Little Britches series.
My girls are 12 & 9. We just got back from a trip to Florida…so far, that’s been the best way to have a little fun this winter!
My kids are 9,9, and 6. We are reading A Wrinkle in Time to get ready for the movie. For my younger one, I’m reading Judy Moody books with her.
My kids are 7, 5, and 2&1/2. I am just in the beginning stages of homeschooling; our family is blended so my oldest goes to school while I plan on homeschooling our other two.
We have been having family dinners, spending time outside when we can, creatings arts and crafts, and playing with many of the games recieved from Christmas and from my 5 years old’s birthday.
My kids are 8, 4, & 4. Have fun during winter? What’s that? Haha. We have hunkered down & stayed cozy at home this winter. We had a very busy & exhausting holiday season (traveling back home to MO from our new-to-us home, SC) and we will have a constant string of activities this spring, so we are enjoying steady schooling, lots of books, and even more tea. Awesome post, Pam. I love these day-in-the-life posts!
We have 8 children – ages 15 down to almost 2. We have fun by watching Jeopardy, watching the Olympics now 🙂 and getting together with friends. Having teens and pre-teens means that we are doing a lot of shuttling from activity to activity and baseball season starts at the end of the month! Ack! I’ll have 3 playing and 1 umping (no extra drivers yet though – boo hoo!!!!). We have also been able to keep up with our new Nature Study group and that’s been a huge blessing for me to force myself out in nature for 1 1/2-2 hours every week. 🙂
10 and 6 and one on the way! It’s been way to cold her in North Dakota. Negatives for months. So we have been staying inside and doing crafts, and playing games.
My kids are 16, 12, and 8. We took a field trip day last week and went to a donut shop, an art museum, and bowling. That was a fun winter break. We also play a lot of board games and card games.
I have a 7 month old, 4 year old, and 7 year old. We have a county Park near us that you can drive through and see elk, deer, and bison up close…it has been some fun “science” for us once a week this winter!
My children are 7, 9, 18, and 27. We have enjoyed making snowballs and snow babies. They have waited for lunar eclipse events. It has been an extra special winter this year!
Our girls are 6 & 8 and winter where we live isn’t the deep snow and frigid temperatures. We are still able to get outside regularly to enjoy hiking and exploring the local parks, lakes and mountains. Of course we still use the excuse of cloudy days to snuggle with good read alouds— Little House on the Prairie most recently. And the Olympics have become our latest “unit study”.
My three boys are ages 7.5, almost 6 ( as in four days from now) and 3.5. Our days consist of running to every activity! We are enjoying the Olympics right now and having friends over for play dates.
My kids are almost 3 and 4 months. My oldest is very energetic and hates sitting still, unless we are reading. So we spend countless hours reading and listening to audiobooks. We also live in a very warm climate, so we are able to go outside and play most days (thankfully)!
So fortunate to have your husband involved in the daily mix! My kids are 13 and 10. Our best family time is out in nature or at home creating together.
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Right now we are focused on love verses for Valentine’s. I have a 6 and 9 year old.
My son is 10. We build forts, play on the trampoline and sometime just sit and talk about the newest characters in a game.
My kids are 1, 5, 8 and 10. We have been taking advantage of the library cultural passes for some indoor field trips to fight off the winter blahs and are going to spend some time watching the Winter Olympics for the next couple weeks.
Thanks for the chance to win! My kids are 1, 3, 5, and 7. Winter fun for us has meant more board games and art projects… and lots of hot cocoa parties!
My guys are 12 and 10. We pulled out a new to us anatomy book and are having fun reading through that and learning about our skeletons. And lots of read alouds and hot chocolate, because that makes everything better!
My kids are 12, 8, 7, 2 and 2 months. We have been enjoying baking time followed by hot chocolate this winter. And board games are always a hit in our house! I love these windows into other mom’s routines.
My kiddos are 3 and 7. We moved to a new home in September and have been spending most of our free time exploring our new neighborhood and parks and working on a complete landscape re-do….lots of plants, nothing to eat, lol! This mama needs her food garden! The weather has been very warm here in Idaho-perfect outside weather and I’m super grateful for it.
My kids are 22, 19, 19, 18, 16, 15, and 8. We are trying to take time to be silly, read LOTS together, and bird watch!
Pam, how do your kids like AAR, especially the older one? I’m considering doing level 4 with my daughter (9.5). However, she said it’s babyish. Thoughts?
Amanda – They do really well with it. I do not have the older one do the cut-out activities anymore. He is behind in reading, but we get extra practice when he needs it by playing some competitive games with the green cards instead. We always do the fluency sheets (which isn’t nearly as painful as it used to be). He still enjoys the stories at almost 11.
My kids are 9, 7, 5 & 2. We are really enjoying watching the Olympics, playing games, and working on individual interest led projects!
My kids are 7,5,and 2. With no snow on the ground and warmer temps lately, they’ve been enjoying outdoor play. We also have been loving new games to play as a family, 90s movies from our childhoods on Fridays, and the Olympics! The younger ones “race” around the living room during short-track speed-skating.
My kids are 9, 7, 4, and 2. We’ve been listening to a lot of audiobooks and playing with play doh or building with plus pluses to get us through the winter.
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My kids are 4 and 7, and we’ve been enjoying the botanical garden each week (it’s been fun to study change in seasons in a place they know well). We also love going to the zoo to see which animals like the colder weather!
My kids are 10, 7, and 5. We love having weekly movie nights! We also like board games.
My kids are 5, 13, and 16. It’s birthday week for my soon to be 16 year old, so it’s trips t the botanical gardens, redwoods and ocean this week!
My four children are ages 10, 7, 5 and 1, and we’ve been surrounding ourselves with lots of books and fun things to listen to in order to survive the winter! This school year, I made Friday’s our library day, and it’s fun for everyone to have that to look forward to at the end of our week! Once we’re home from the library, we have “library lunch” which consists of cold cereal and some other simple things like bagels and/or yogurt, and we all read and look at our new treasures while we eat, which is a special treat! 🙂
I have a 9, 7, 5, 3 and almost 1 year old and we’re enhoying the Olympics! And our read aloud time.
My kids are 6, 8, and 10! We live in Georgia so we haven’t had much of a winter- it’s actually easier to get out now than the summer time! The kids play with neighbor kids almost every afternoon, and we are loving watching the Olympics together right now!
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My kids are 9 and 10 and this is our first year of homeschool skiing lessons! It’s been a really fun experience, and my husband (who is a fantastic skiier and snowboarder) has taken off all the days too to come with us!
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My kids are 13, 8, 8 & 19ms. We live in Southern California so even our “cold” weather is moderate. We are loving mud and water play right now. They three boys (the youngest three) will play for hours if left alone. They build, destroy and build again and again. It is messy, I have to hose them down before they come back in, but so worth it. They are playing cooperatively, fully engaging their minds and bodies and having so much fun.
I have a 5 and 2 year old and a 10 month old. We’re doing some science experiments from a book we got for Christmas. And we have a fun Joy School group.
Our kids are 13, 12, 8, 5, and 2. We are having fun planning this semester. Planning Olympic activities, nature activities, and all the summer camping and beach-going that we can’t wait for!
Hi I have a 9 yr old boy. And we are reading even MORE books together! 🙂 This is his favorite thing to do!! We are also watching the Olympics.
I’ve an 8 yo boy. This winter for fun we’ve been working on puzzles, snuggling on the couch for at least five minutes each morning for some bonding time, watching old tv shows a couple times a week (Andy Griffith, Goner Pyle, Fraggle Rock).
I have a 17 year old daughter, 14 year old son, a 12 year old son, and a 10 year old daughter. This winter for fun, we have gone to some Art classes at the library. Planning on taking a camping trip in April to see the Grand Canyon, the Pacific Ocean, and Yosemite, the Hoover Dam,etc. Then in September we are going to visit Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, etc. We have Boy Scouts & American Heritage Girls. 🙂
My kids are 8,5,and 2 and our school fun lately has been learning Idioms! I’m shocked at how much they love it! Non-school fun lately is all about the Olympics lately! tv during the day???! They’re pretty happy!
Our kids are 15, 12, almost 11, and 3. We are trying to do more reading aloud.
Mine is 9, and we are in FL, so this is the time of year for hiking and biking and all things outdoors. It gets too hot for those things really fast around here.
My boys are 9 and 5. Winter is a tough season for us. My biggest goal (daily) is to either get out of the house or go outside. I also find daily baths and showers help! Sounds strange, but it splits the boys up and makes the house quiet for at least an hour 🙂
The boys have all this extra energy. This is also the time of year we really lean hard on our homeschool group (which I help organize and run).
My kids are 10, 8, 5, 3, and 8 months. We’re having a great time following the Olympics this year!
I LOVED reading this day-in-the-life! As a new homeschooler I really love hearing how different people do their days.
My kids are 9, 7. 4.5, and 16 months. I homeschool the oldest two, the 4.5 year old goes to a co op preschool so I am involved in his education as well- yet he gets the much needed social play he needs and I get some 1:1 time with the older two! To have fun this winter we are finding lots of rabbit holes while studying the Human Body- so we are snuggling up with candles going as we watch educational shows all about development, bones, and the all the body systems. This is so much different than last year when I struggled to get them out the door to public school each morning only ti have them both come home exhausted and miserable.
Thank you again!
My kids are 2, 5, 8, and 10. We are enjoying reading good books together and watching YouTube videos.
My kids are 7, 5, 3, & 2. Lately we’ve been enjoying telling stories (add a sentence and on to the next person) around the table while we eat supper. The kids love it, and it actually serves to shorten the time it take them to finish their food, because they have to eat a bite before their next turn to talk. The two year old is clueless but loves watching her brothers giggle and tell their part with so much animation.
We sure are looking forward to nice weather again in the spring, though…
My girls are 10, 8, & 4. We have been enjoying hiking in our woods, exploring our mud pit which has become an ice skating rink or pond depending on the temperature, and playing Wildcraft Herb Game!
My girls are 11 and 14 and we have been playing “basketball” with a indoor hoop attached to the wall with heavy-duty command strips! We need to be creative during sub-zero winters in Minnesota!! 🙂
My kids are 4,6 & 8. This winter we are trying to get outside as much as possible, listening to some great audiobooks and playing more games. 🙂
I have four kids. 14, 11, 4, and 3. We read and draw together, which is still fun to do all together.
My kids are 6, 4, 2, and 3 months. We are eating a lot of cookies and reading a lot of books this winter!
My kids are 12, 9, 7, 4, and 2. We have been enjoying some great read-alouds, and more time with grandparents during the winter when things aren’t so busy.
Kids are 7, 9, and 11. We just finished our homeschool groups baking contest which brought lots of fun and excitement as we planned and prepped and finally baked our entries! I just got 3 bags and a large box of free books from a former homeschool mom so that really added joy to the house!
The kids are ages 8 down to 6 months, and we are enjoying watching Bob Ross on Netflix for some downtime in the afternoons.
Our children are 2, 4 and 6. This winter has been, as it has been for many, punctuated with illness. But when we’ve been well we’ve spent it outside on dry days and indoors cuddled with books on the dreary days.
Mine are 6, 21 months and one on the way! We don’t have to worry about being stuck indoors, because it seems the super cold weather has passed here in our south. Still, we do a lot of movies, shows, reading, games, and baking together.
Hi I have a 2yo girl, 4yo boy and 6 yo boy. This winter has been full of sickness for our family (2 seperate bouts of flu and resperatory infections) but we have managed to take our boys skiing for the first time while in MI for a wedding, sledding the little bit of snow we got here in nashville and built a rockwall in our playroom for more inside movement! We color every day. We have explored our antique Audubon book of birds to find the birds that land on our porch for a ledge snack (instead of bird feeders so we can see them closer from the window).
My kids, Lilly and Jack, are 8 and 6, and winter is always the hardest season around here – especially for Jack, who is severely autistic and resistant to the changes in the weather. During the week we try to get out for as many hikes and long walks as possible, even if we have to get super bundled up lol! The exercise keeps the “crankies” away and so many parks and trails are deserted in the winter, which makes for better bird watching and wildlife encounters ????
My kids are 7, 6, 3, and 1. We love to read, craft, and have been playing a lot of board games this winter.
Thanks Pam. For your post and giveaway. 🙂 I have 2 boys aged 7 and 4. It’s summer here so fun looks like – swimming, cricket, watching Winter Olympics and movies. Winter will include camping, pump track riding and scooting and fishing. The great outdoors are much more appealing as it gets cooler. (At least for Mummy)
12, 10, 8, 4 and 14 mths.
Been trying to read aloud more
Hello–
My kids are 9, 6, and 4. It’s been a cold winter here in Minnesota, but that hasn’t stopped us (much) from ice-skating and investigating the fresh animal tracks on our snowy 40 acres. We also have a membership to the Minnesota Science Museum, so we’ve spent many afternoons there.
My boys are 5, 3, and almost 1. I loved reading this article and seeing a day in the life of the homeschool mom who sold me on homeschool. My boys love the snow (sledding, hiking, and exploring). When it is too cold outside we enjoy a read-aloud and play doh or learning games.
My kiddos are 7 yo, 2 (3 in a couple of weeks!) yo and 6 months old. We’re not having much fun this winter 🙁 I’m avoiding the flu desperately, it’s freezing (I’m a southern girl living in DC) & the hubby has been traveling a ton. i’m surviving until spring..which hopefully comes soon!
My kids are 9 years old and 6 years old. We have enjoyed walks to the park to play in the snow, making snow ice cream, building forts, playing board games, visiting museums, and play dates with friends. Although, sometimes the February cabin fever still seems to catch us down. Especially when the high is 11F.
We also enjoy the hot springs if it’s 30 F or warmer. Swimming outside during a snowstorm is so magical! 🙂
My kids are 4 and 6. We’ve been having fun by practicing basketball at the YMCA, playing games and building Lego sets!
My children are 9, 7, 5, 3, 2, and 2 months. We are enjoying having a new baby in the house, and Little Britches for a family read-aloud.
I have two boys, aged 11 and nearly nine, and a ten-year-old daughter. We live in New Zealand, so this summer, we are enjoying the sunshine and trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep on these hot, sticky evenings 🙂
Loved this post! My kids are 7, 5, 3, and 10 months. We are enjoying great read-alouds and family prayer time, as well as Song School Latin (our best discovery this year!).
Loved reading about your day, Pam! And I always appreciate the encouragement and ideas for morning time. My kids are 11, 10, 8, 6, & 4. We are heading out early next week to spend time at an indoor water park! We’re really looking forward to breaking up winter in this way 🙂
I have an 8yo, a 5yo, an almost-3yo, and a 4mo, and we are enjoying slime making and library classes during these cold months.
My kids are 8, 5, 4, and one on the way. We love our afternoon and evening read alouds, puzzles, board games, and asking a million questions about what it will be like to have a new baby!
My kids are 2, 6 and 9. We are doing lots of karaoke and read aloud this winter ❤️
My kids are 6 and 8; we have enjoyed sledding, playing board games, and the winter olympics this winter. We also have a shared passion for music, so either listening to music or playing instruments is a favorite around here!
My kids are 14, 12, 10, 8 and 5.
We have been reading aloud some awesome books, doing lots of baking (& eating!), playing lots of games and getting outside as much as possible. I finally bought warm winter clothes and boots for myself this year so I can get outside and play with the kids.
My children are 8, 6, 3, and 10 months old. We have been enjoying quiet time in the afternoon while the baby is napping, sitting together at the table while snacking and reading aloud from The Green Ember.
My kids are 8, 5 1/2 and 3. Our winters aren’t all that cold but we still are enjoying some cozy days inside reading together.
My kids are 15 and 10. We are enjoying the Olympics and really not having much of winter weather here, sorry folks, but 78-80 degree days do not make a cold winter 🙂 We have been in “spring” mode since late November. We are working on some Celtic shamrock banners, “pi” door coverings, math, Shakespeare, and of course some valentines party tidbits.
My kids are: 8,6,4, 8 months and we are watching the Winter Olympics to add some fun to the long winter days
My children are 12,9,7, and 4. We’re loving watching the Olympics right now!
My kids are 11,7 and 5. We have been learning card games and taking advantage of every warm day to play outside.
Seven and three. Two boys, and I actually got all bundled up and played out in the snow! (We live in GA. It wasn’t much snow, but it was colder than my happy place.) ☺️
My “children” are 20yo, 18yo, and 9yo. My 9 yo son and I love reading aloud every day! We’re also excitedly watching the Olympics now!
My kiddos are 10, 9, 6, and 4 and they are amazing! In the winter we walk A LOT in nature all bundled up, ice skating, and lots of snuggles with hot cocoa!! Love the blog!
Jennifer Cassidy’s latest post: Floor Time with your BIG Kids
My kids are 12, 10, 7, and 3. I’ve recently simplified our school, so actually finding an amazing balance for the first time in 8 years of homeschooling has been the very BEST thing we’ve done this winter.
My children are 7, 4, 2 and 2.5 months. We have mostly been hibernating thus winter, with a newborn in the mix and doing lots of reading aloud. I introduced my kids (all girls) to the Little House series for the first time this winter and that was a huge hit!
My kids are 12, 10, 7 and 5, plus one in college (who never homeschooled). We’ve been playing in the snow, shoveled lots of snow, enjoyed building snowmen, and went on a nature walk during a warm spell of 50 degrees. While Dad was out of town last week, we visited grandparents and did some handy crafts, and visited Barnes and Noble for the kids to spend their gift cards they have been accumulating and topped it off with lunch at Chick-fil-A! Just joined Morning time yearly subscription and trying to incorporate it into our days, which always include devotional and read aloud time, plus Brave writer lifestyle aspects! Love your podcasts, Pam!
I have a 10 year old, an 8 year old and 6 year old. And we play together to have fun. Half the time we are outside. We live in Michigan so the weather can be tricky sometimes. We like to get outside and either take a nature hike or play with our dog. But If it is yucky outside we go to our local gym that we belong to to play basketball together or tag. I have become intentional in making this an absolute must for me to be engaged with them in play because it definitely brings us closer together.
I am so excited for Pam’s book!!!!
My kids are 9, 7, 5, 3, and 4 months. With a new baby it has been a low key winter for us—lots of hot cocoa and audiobooks and too much Netflix 🙂 Right now our nightly ritual is a big bowl of popcorn and the Olympics! Thankfully we’ve had periodic breaks from the cold here where we can get out in the backyard so we aren’t *too* stir crazy.
My kiddos are 12, 9, 8, 4, and one due in a few weeks. Board games, read-alouds, crafts, and frozen creek adventures are the basics of our winter fun.
My children are 8 and 9 and have been beating the winter blues by becoming involved in a local children’s theater group. Also, as a family we’ve been enjoying the Carnival season here in New Orleans, with family traditions, parades, and plenty of king cake! ????
My children are 15, 10 and 7. This winter we’ve been enjoying reading Little House books and their sequels with Laura’s daughter Rose. We also started watching the entire series. We don’t get much chance to relax and veg anytime except winter!
I have an 8 yo daughter. We live in Hawaii so winter doesn’t change things much ????
Sarah Badat Richardson’s latest post: 20 year anniversary
My kids are 7, 4, and almost 2. We live in the desert in So Cal, so winter is our time to spend outside. It’s pleasantly cool ???? Summer is more like our winter: hunker down because it’s too hot to do anything!
My kids are 2,5,9, and 12. We are enjoying listening to Tom Sawyer audio book in the evenings while knitting.
My kids are 17, 15, 13, and 8. I love the idea of morning time with all my kids, but my teens do NOT want to sit down and do things with their little brother. For fun this winter, we moved to Sicily. 🙂
Our kids are now adults 25 and 23 with my oldest now married and we have our first grandson. Even though the times are now different than when we were homeschooling, we make it a mission to sit down together for dinner at least once a week and will try to play a game or just chat and catch up.
I have 7 children ages 24, 19, 17, 15, 11, 8 and 7. I homeschool the youngest 3. Winters can be longgggggg, dark and cold here in MA. I try to break things up with Family movie night, games, video games and trips to the local bounce house. Getting out of the house is not only good for the kids but helps this mama from crawling up the walls.
Two kids aged 6 and 11. We love audiobooks, warm museums, cooking new things and card games together in the dark days of winter.
My kids are 8 and 11. We love reading, art, and playing games together.
My kids are 7 and 5. Right now we are watching and talking about the Olympics. But other weeks we have been building Lego forts, and even real forts out in our woods. Bundle up and get outside! 🙂
Wow! Sounds like a great book you have coming out! Thank you for the chance to win! My children are 15, 13, and 7. We got a puppy for Christmas so that has kept us busy keeping him from chewing everything in our house. He especially loves the library slips that stick out the top of the requested books! He grabs one and runs like the wind while 3 kids chase after him to get it! 🙂
My children are 8, 8, 6, 3, and 1. We’ve had a lot of fun playing with lego this winter, but this week we are all about olympics!
Pam, I always wondered how you do so much. This was wonderful and encouraging to read. As a working homeschool mom, it is always neat to get ideas from those also in the trenches. Thanks so much for sharing!
Jen’s latest post: Homeschool High School College Prep Tips: Save Time & Money (And Get Your Child Into Upper Level Courses Faster!)
My kids are 15, 12 & 7. And this winter we’re spending a lot of our school hours on the couch under electric blankets!
My kids will be turning 3, 8, and 11 soon. We started a new tradition this year taking a vacation to a warm and sunny place late Jan/early Feb to break up the monotony and gloominess of winter. It was a huge success and we are already thinking about next year.
My kids are 8, 6, 4, 3, and 1 month. We have been enjoying lots of outside time (it’s bern in the 50s here in Oregon) and games inside when it’s chilly.
Katy’s latest post: Books I’ve Read: January 2018
Kiddos are 5 and 3 and we are just getting going in some homeschooling this year! Loving it so far. For Winter fun we are getting outdoors as much as possible, learning some new games, and making field trips. We have also started planning next year!
My kids are 9, 7 and 3. My kids love to be outside, so as long as it isn’t below zero (which unfortunately has not been often this winter), they go outside. Otherwise we do a lot of read alouds inside on the couch, and it is one of our favorite things!
Heather’s latest post: knitting and reading
My kids are 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, and 6 months. I’m having a bad day and it is hard to think of what we do that is fun together. This is such a tough season with some significant health and learning issues that we are facing as a family. We did go to the movies yesterday. I love to read aloud from our history books, we are fixing to start Adam of the Road! Basically, we are jut holding on for dear life and looking for joy in the chaos
My kids are 14, 10, 8, and one coming in May. We have been waiting over a year waiting to serve as a family. This is our familie’s thing to serve together.
My four daughters are 18, 15, 13 &11. We just got hit with a lot of snow, so we have spent some time playing outside. We also love playing board games together.
My kiddos are 11, 10, 5 and 6 months. This winter we have really started to enjoy our morning time together – to include nature study, art, bible, poetry and more read alouds. Currently reading Charlottes Web and we just started some bible journaling! Besides school we have been (finally!) enjoy the snow that we missed all of January!
My gals are10, 6 and 2. We are having so much fun with the Winter Olympics—Ancient Greece, Greek mythology, modern Olympics, and lots and lots of Geography.
My sons are about the same age: nearly 8, 10, and 12. And being boys they like competitions so sometimes I’ll have a pushup competition or a balance competition (to give the youngest a chance at winning). Other times we break out the board games. Game day is always met with much enthusiasm and we will have those types of days more in the winter than in the summer.
My daughter is about to turn 12, and my son is a newly-minted 8. We escape outside to hike in the state park lands that border our neighborhood, and it is a wonderful break!
My 9 kids range in age from 17 to 2.
I homeschool the 15, 13, 12, & 9 year old. This winter for fun we are watching the Olympics together!
My kids are 12, 9, 7 and almost 1. Here in upstate NY winter seems to last forever. We use this time to slow down and enjoy lots of fires in the fireplace, cozy blankets and fun readalouds.
My kids are grown and have kids of their own. 2 of my grandkids are in TN., but one is nearby. His parents will put him in school but I get to love on him and teach him until then .
Two girls, age 4 and almost 2. Just general silliness and laughter keeps the fun alive around here. Tickling, making funny faces or sounds, chasing each other, dance parties, etc. ????
We have grown up kids (29, 29, and 27) and a 15 year old. We live in a warm climate, and so winters are great for walks in the park, neighborhood, or beach. At this time of year, selling Girl Scout cookies is a must. Painting is also a blast. Looking forward to reading your new book!
My children are 12 and 10. We are trying to be more intentional with our nature walks and including friends for our walks. (weather permitting, of course!) We are also participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, starting Friday.
My kiddos are 6, 2, and 1. Weather has been dreary here, at best, for months, but we have made major use of our library programming. We’ve done mommy and me yoga and visited with zoo animals. 🙂
My kiddos are 16, 13 and 11…we have been trying to get outside to enjoy any sunny days we have this winter.
My son is 10 and we have been reading Harry Potter.
Hi! I have an 8 year old daughter I homeschool (and then I also have an almost 1 year old and a 3 year old). We have enjoyed starting morning time as part of our routine!
My boys have birthdays very soon and they will be 2 and 5. We live where it is very cold, so for fun this winter we are doing a lot of fun read alouds, puzzles, games and toys.
My kids are 10, 9, 7, 5, 3, & 1 and we are neck deep in reading aloud, I’d say hours a Day. As long as they love it and I still have a voice – it works!
My kids are 13, 11, 9, 7, 3. We drink coffee, bake treats to eat, read aloud, and watch videos.
My girls are 7,4, almost 2 Years. We’ve been doing an outside nature walks/ study as often as possible, even when it’s cold!
Hi! My kids are 16, 12, and 8. We are doing some snow tubing this year to have fun!
My kids are 4.5, 2.5, and 9 weeks old. This winter has been about survival mostly, but my eldest and I was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe this year and we both really enjoyed that.
Our kids are 15, 12 (13 in a couple of weeks!), 10, 8 and 5. We’re going camping this weekend with about 100 of our homeschool friends!
My kids are 8, 9, and 11. This winter we are soaking up all the Olympics we can handle. We also received Aquarium passes for Christmas so we’ll be visiting there on the super cold days. Lastly, each Friday morning we join some friends for Forest School- free range learning at its finest!
My littles are 10, 8, 6, and 5. I’ve pencilled in light days on Friday so we can spend the afternoon hiking!
Hi Pam, my children are aged 9,7,5 and 2.5yrs. Am writing from Africa. I always enjoy reading from.everyone here. Its encouraging. Well our year just began and daily the oida have outdoor activities( as you know its summer all through here..haha). But i must say I admire all the moms who get a moment to do some.work on the computer. What saddens me is that due to distance I miss out on all the goodies Jamie and all are always giving out! But thanks for sharing your daily schedules very encouraging. Its our second year of homeschooling. Previously the children were in main stream schools. God bless you. Have a blessed lent season.
My people are 6, 9 and 11. We’ve had lots of snow this year so sledding down our hill and hot chocolate have been frequent diversions around our home.