Ready to head back to homeschool? Here are some fun ideas for celebrating the beginning of a new homeschool year plus the best tips and actionable strategies for a successful start. Don’t forget to grab the Back to Homeschool Scavenger Hunt!
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Back to Homeschool Ideas
Even if your kids aren’t going back to school in a traditional sense to a traditional classroom, you can still celebrate the beginning of a new academic year as homeschoolers! We’ll discuss scheduling, fun ideas for the first day, and other plans for the first week back to homeschool.
First Day of Homeschool Printables
While I don’t use many printables in my homeschool, there is definitely a place for them in the first few days of the new homeschool year. Here are some meaningful printable ideas for your first day of homeschool.
It’s become a super cute and fun trend to take first day pictures with your kids holding signs. Whether it’s just a cute printable sign showing what grade they’re in or the school year, or you could get more detailed with a “my favorite things” sign.
Download our Back to Homeschool Scavenger Hunt for another fun activity on the first day! You can use the scavenger hunt as a jumping-off point to explain where the supplies are, how to clean up the learning space each day, and where to find resources.
I love the idea of filling out an About Me Worksheet at the beginning of each school year. Then, you’ll have a meaningful trip down memory lane once you have twelve years worth of these sheets! Want some cute About Me Worksheets? They’re in our resource library.
Have your kids set goals for the coming year and then look back to see how they did at meeting those goals.
How to Schedule Your Homeschool Year
There are many ways to schedule out your homeschool academic year! In fact, some families continue schooling year-round with breaks spaced out to fit their family’s needs. Others (like us) love the traditional summer break, and it makes sense for us since our college kids are home and working weird hours.
Whenever your new homeschool year officially starts, it’s fun to make a big deal about it – especially if you have younger kids.
One other topic that always comes up when discussing how to structure an academic year is the question of how long each day does it take to homeschool? The answer is – less time than you think! Because we lean into the one-on-one tutoring approach, homeschooling is much more effective than a traditional school setting.
Fun Ideas for the First Day
To make your back to homeschool season even more exciting, try a few of these fun ideas on your first day.
- Throw a back to homeschool party
- Make a big breakfast – or go out for breakfast!
- Take pictures
- Give kids some simple (but useful) back to school gifts
- Go on a field trip
Here are a few more detailed ideas to try:
Create a “Back to School” Celebration: Treat the first day like a special occasion with decorations, a small party, or a special breakfast to mark the beginning of a new academic year.
Memory Lane Collage: Create a collage or scrapbook page with photos and mementos from past homeschooling adventures or summer activities. It’s a great way to reminisce and transition into the new school year.
Letter to Future Self: Have each child write a letter to themselves, reflecting on their goals, hopes, and expectations for the upcoming homeschool year. They can seal it and open it at the end of the year to see how much they’ve achieved.
Outdoor Learning Adventure: Plan a nature walk or a visit to a local park where you can kick off the school year with some hands-on outdoor learning activities.
There are so many ways to celebrate the first day of homeschool. But what should your goals be during the first week back to school?
What to do the First Week Back to Homeschool
While you’re planning the back to homeschool activities and how to celebrate your brand new year, think through some strategic plans for the first week back.
I know, I know. Many families (especially new homeschoolers) are so excited to begin and dig into their adventure! But if you start the first week with all the subjects, resources, and ideas, then you and the kids will quickly burn out by the end of the week.
Instead, it’s a good idea to start the new homeschool routine and academics slowly.
As a classroom teacher in middle school, we weren’t even given our textbooks until a couple weeks into the year. But that gave us time to settle into helpful routines, teach learning strategies, and dip our toes into the content without starting full force on the first day.
So, practically speaking, how might this look the first week? I’ll share some simple tips below.
- start your routine slowly
- don’t do everything the first day or first week
- don’t spend the entire day homeschooling
- start with one or two subjects
- get a routine going before adding more
- introduce Trello or workboxes
- start with a short couch and table time
- make it fun
- let your kids love learning
- set expectations early
Happy Back to Homeschool for you and your family!
