CoronaVirus : Free Kids-at-Home Schedule Guide
The first time I heard about CoronaVirus, it didn’t hit me so much.
At that time, every COVID-positive person at my place got healed, so it didn’t bother me.
But suddenly I heard the cases has spread to Europe with unimaginable fatalities.
My place’s COVID’s graph started to grow exponentially.
It started to create a panic in my house.
And now, it’s worldwide.
Schools are closing. Offices implementing work-at-home routine.
This surely is a big thing..
I’m Here to Help
I’m a homeschooling mom with 5 kids (that’s plus a newborn).
But I can also imagine how overwhelmed you can be from working parent to suddenly being stay-at-home parent.
It must be challenging thinking how to occupy the kids 24/7, what to do every day and many more.
First, breath in. You can do this!
Second, as a homeschooling mom, I felt it’s my responsibility to help you navigate through this new-normal situation.
Don’t worry, it won’t be permanent.
Let’s pray this pandemic will fade soon.
For today I’m going to share with you a guide how to create your own kids-at-home schedule.
Kids-at-Home Schedule Guide
This is just a guide.
I know things are getting haywire when we don’t have a plan.
This kids-at-home schedule guide is just to give you an idea how to structure your family’s day.
P.s: You can download the blank schedule version at the end of this post.
Because the day at my place is a bit longer (we adult usually wakes up at 6+ am and sleep at 11 pm), so my kids’ schedule would start at 7 am (they usually wakes up at this time or around 8 am) and end at 11 pm.
I know at your place, night comes a bit early. But for some of you who have kids who can’t sleep early no matter what you do, you can try my schedule guide.
This is JUST a guide. You may alter it to your preference.
- 7 am- Wakes up. Bath time.
- 8 am- Breakfast.
- 9 am- House chores
- 10 am-Free play (Free play is important for kids because this is the time they got to express themselves, their emotion, learning better communication skills (when they play with their siblings and more!)
- 11 am- Snack. Literacy Activities.
- 12 pm- Prepare lunch together. (It might feel a bit daunting for the first time to prepare lunch with your kids, but as the days goes by, you’d find it a breeze. Preparing lunch opens up to many endless learning. You can count together, learn about colors together and more!)
- 1 pm- Lunch. Clean-up after lunch.
- 2 pm- Free play.
- 3 pm- Nap time or their me-time (it’s when they just want to play alone)
- 4 pm- Nap time.
- 5 pm- Play outside.
- 6 pm- Dinner.
- 7 pm- Clean up dinner. Bath time.
- 8 pm- Math activities.
- 9 pm- Fine motor activities.
- 10 pm- Light supper & cleaning-up.
- 11 pm- Sleep
Helpful Tips
If scheduling every hour makes you feel overwhelmed, try to do time chunk first.
For example,
- Morning chunk – Activity 1 – wakes up, bath time, breakfast, house chore
- Noon chunk – Activity 2 – free play
- Evening chunk – Activity 3 – outdoor play (because it’s COVID period, you don’t need to meet other people for this activity)
- Night chunk – Activity 4 – bedtime story, bedtime routine
Don’t worry about perfection. You might change your schedule often, but eventually you’d find your family’s rhythm.
How to get kids to free play without fighting?
If your kids are not used to play by himself, you can start by inviting them to play any simple toys such as playing the block cube.
Show them how to stack those cubes, or how to arrange it.
Then slowly leave them by themselves.
Or you can try one of our 5 simple activities to keep your kids busy.
P.s: Be sure to read how to get kids to play independently.
Free play is important for kid’s development especially for their emotional development, fine motor skills, communication skills and more.
Screen Time
You can add screen time if you wish.
I don’t add any because every time after screen time (watching TV), my kids would have their what I call as ‘screen tantrum’
Usually we would have around 2-hours of TV every 2-3 days, or just on the weekend.
If you wish to have a screen free day but your kids are so used to watching TV, try to cut the screen time bit-by-bit.
Maybe your kids used to watch TV for 5-hours straight.
Try to cut it into 4-hours. Then 3-hours. Then 2-hours.
You are the parent, set some rules to follow and join them play one or two time a day.
They would be very happy to oblige then.
Stay Safe!
I’d share more with you regarding this new-normal kids-at-home thing.
But I hope the schedule would help you for the time being.
Stay safe and stay healthy!
The Blank Schedule Guide
Grab your free Kids-at-Home schedule guide by clicking on the download button below.
