Tips & Tricks: Tips for Temp Homeschoolers

With many schools being closed for a month or in some cases longer I thought it’d be a good idea to give y’all some ideas on what you can do. Don’t feel like you have to do school related things right away. Take a week off to reconnect with your kids and family. They maybe worried and scared already so let them relax and adjust to staying at home 24/7. Below you’ll find ages and ideas on what to do with them.

Preschool:

• Let them be kids. I didn’t know anything when I started elementary. I learned it all while in school.
• Their are many few things online to help: Khan Academy, ABCMouse, a bunch of printables on Teachers Pay Teachers, etc. 
• Everyday life can be lessons without your kids knowing: baking, folding laundry, Madd Mattr (way better than Play Doh), etc.
• Play board games. 
• Playing in the yard. 
• Watching movies. 
• Read books. 
• Science experiments! There are a lot of cool experiments you can do with regular household items. 

My daughter loves to help when we’re cooking so I let her measure out the spices. 

Elementary:

• Things from Preschool age still apply here. 
• If you’re thinking that you can’t teach them. Guess what you can. You passed elementary didn’t you?
• When reading books ask them questions.
• Get involved with them. Ask them what they’d like to do around the house. 
• Start a garden. 
• Act out a favorite movie. 
• Some teachers have created packets so look at your schools website and see if their teacher has made one or left any notes on what to work on. 
• Science experiments! There are a lot of cool experiments you can do with regular household items. 

Middle School:

• Things from Elementary age still apply here. 
• If your kid’s teacher has a packet online print it out and have your kids work on it. Not to much in a day. You don’t want them to get overwhelmed. Remember they see you as their parent not a teacher. 
• Ask your kids if they need help on something. Pre-teens and teens most likely won’t ask for help. If you don’t understand the work either sit down together and look it up. Learning is more fun when you have a partner.
• If your child excels in a subject ask them to teach it to you (even if you already understand). It’ll boost their confidence and help them with communication.  
• Give chores to do. They may not like it but life isn’t always fair.
• Science experiments! There are a lot of cool experiments you can do with regular household items. 
• Read a good book. 

High School:

• Things from Middle School age still apply here. 
• High schoolers aren’t going to want to ask for help so get involved. Ask if they need anything; even if it’s just a snack while they do some school work. 
• If your child excels in a subject ask them to teach it to you (even if you already understand). It’ll boost their confidence and help them with communication.  
• Have a movie night. 
• Ask them if they’d like to try cooking dinner. They’ll be on their own one day and need to know how to cook. 
• If they are into gaming trying playing with them. You might not be very good but it’s a great bonding activity. 
• Ask them about their interests. Over the years things change and teens distant themselves to be more independent so reconnect with them.