How are we all doing? I hope everyone is hanging in there and finding their new normal during this strange time that we are in. We have struggled some and I am thinking you probably have too. We have days full of highs and lows as we navigate through tough feelings of the unknown.
I thought it might be helpful to show you our routine and what our days look like right now. This is the loose schedule that we have been following since being at home full-time:
- 8:00am: I meditate using the Calm app. It helps me start my day calm and centered.
- 8:15am: Make the boys breakfast.
- 8:30am: Write in my gratitude journal. Read from my Daily Stoic book. Write in my journal and reflect on what I have just read.
- 9:00am: We head upstairs to get dressed and do morning chores. I feel more productive if I get myself out of my sleeping clothes and at least put on different comfy clothes, do my makeup & hair and make my bed.
- 9:45am: Luke starts virtual school lessons & Tyler does an alphabet worksheet while I clean up the kitchen from breakfast.
- 10:00am: Some mornings I begin working on my blog or I head to our garage/gym to start a workout. If I work out, Tyler typically joins me and plays in the garage while Luke continues to work on school work and comes to ask me questions if he needs help.
- 11:00am: Boys go outside for morning playtime & fresh air.
- 11:30am: If I work out, then I shower and get ready for the day. If I’m blogging, I stop to make everyone lunch.
- 12:00pm: Lunch and free time & clean up the kitchen from lunch.
- 1:00pm: Reading Time- Luke reads on his own and Tyler and I choose 3 books to read together and discuss.
- 1:45: Creative Time- craft, play a board game or do workbooks. Luke finishes up virtual school work or educational games on the computer
- 2:45pm: Go back outside and play basketball, ride bikes, play with bubbles, sidewalk chalk, play with coolsand or the boys explore around the outside of our house with sticks and find bugs, etc. OR we do a workout video together from Amazon Prime Videos or Cosmic Kids.
- 4:00pm: Quiet Time- ipads, gaming on the computer, I read, blog, organize/clean-out or watch a show and try to zone out and regroup before nighttime routine.
- 5:30pm: Prepare dinner.
- 6:00pm: Family dinner.
- 6:45pm: Clean kitchen and downstairs area.
- 7:00pm: This time can go one of 3 ways; 1. Go on a family walk around the neighborhood, boys will ride scooters, bikes or walk. 2. We watch the show Lego Masters together. 3. We head upstairs for family play and do a variety of activities: Megatiles, chase, find the golfballs (we hide golfballs and the boys have to find them by playing hot or cold), hide and seek or play indoor basketball while listening to music (we have a hoop on the back of our bedroom door).
- 7:45pm: Luke showers.
- 8:00pm: Tyler gets a bath (Luke reads during this time).
- 8:15pm: Mommy reads to Tyler.
- 8:30pm: Boys go to bed.
- 8:45pm: Parents free time: Jason may go for a run outside or we hang out and watch a show together.
- 10:30pm: Jason puts on a late-night show and falls asleep and I read blogs that I enjoy.
- 11:00pm: Good night, lights out
Our Weekend Routine:
We are trying to change up our weekend routine so that it’s signifcantly different from our weekday routine. We are planning on doing Family Fun Night every Friday night while we are stuck at home, instead of our usual twice a month. We opened up our pool and are going swimming on either Sat or Sun. Sometimes we all work out together in the garage/gym as a family. We are supporting our local restaurants by picking up food on one night. We do home projects, play games, take family bike rides and hop on lots of video chats with friends/family. I’m also doing Sacramental prep and church studies with the kids.
Here are lists that I have compiled of activities and ideas to help entertain our kids at home.
We have been trying out some kid workout videos such as:
- Cosmic Kids: this is yoga on youtube
- Go Noodle: This is dancing, exercising and mindfulness activities
- Amazon Prime Videos: search for kid exercising videos, we jump around and try lots of them. My boys love the variety!
I have been exploring a lot of learning websites to find free printables and resources for Pre-k and elementary learning. Here is a list of places we have been visiting:
- Starfall: Kinder & 1st – 3rd: language arts, math & music
- Scholastic Inc.: Read, play and connect
- Education.com: Pre-k – 5th: learning packets, study packets, reading comprehension & math
- k5 learning.com: Pre-k – 5th: reading, math & spelling
- great schools.org: Pre-k – high school: math & tech
- Teachers Pay Teachers: Great resource where teachers post ideas & inspiration. Some downloads are free and others cost a fee.
- evision math homework books: Pre-k – 8th: math skills
- XTRA Math: Help kids master their math skills
- Adapted Mind: Turning math into a game
- Junior Brain Pop: Helpful with science, social studies, arts, technology, math, reading & writing
- ABCYA: Games & apps by grade level
- Spelling Training: Help kids keep up on their spelling skills
- Mystery Science: Mini and full lessons based on year in school
- National Geographic Kids: Explore animals, the ocean, science and random things about earth
- ABC Mouse: For ages 2-8: reading, math, science, arts & colors
Random resources to help entertain:
- Scanvenger Hunt: Great activity for kids to do outside and for kids to use their creative thinking skills
- Libby or Hoopla : Helps you rent out books since the libraries are closed
- Kiwi Crate : Kids activities based on age, all supplies & directions delivered to your door
- Summer Bridge Activities books: I love getting these for Luke every year to do in the Summertime it helps you bridge between the grade they are leaving and the one they are entering in the Fall…I purchased this one for Luke early this year.
Here is a list of things I’ve added to my Amazon shopping list to possibly buy to help keep my littles busy & entertained:
Perfect outside activity
Tyler can’t wait to improve his scissor skills so I thought this would be a fun activity
My boys love making artwork so these scented markers looked fun to me and they are washable which is a win
We are obsessed with playing games right now and this one looked like one that both my boys would enjoy
It’s no secret that I have a mini chef on my hands and this can-set comes with food inside each can and promotes counting.
This looked like a fun toy to play with outside, all kids love themselves a drone to play with
I wanted to add a book to our collection and this one comes highly recommended and spreads cheer!
Fun family game to play altogether
This game looks hilarious and would make for a good laughing session
A great game for 2 people and a good dice game to see who can create a whole pizza first
Great set for kids to explore with, make potions, and assist with science experiments
I welcome ALL of your ideas and suggestions on how you are filling up your days right now. Let’s all help each other out, share our findings and get through this tough time together. Wouldn’t it be a great silver-lining to this current situation if our families and communities became stronger and more unified as a result of this?!?!?