Late Spring Checklist for Homeschool Moms

I have always been inspired by the change of seasons. Each new season brings with it fresh challenges, changing weather, and projects to look forward to. This changing season of late spring over to summer is especially busy for homeschool mamas.

Most of us are just wrapping up a busy year of school. Our paper portfolios are bulging, and our school rooms are a wreck. There’s much to be done to transition from school into summer. It’s so busy in fact, that I created a checklist to keep us on track these last few weeks of school.

End-of-the-year testing

If your children haven't takes their yearly testing, now is the time. We are starting this week and nothing feels better than sending off those test sheets to be graded—such a relief to be done! Some states don’t require a yearly standardized test, but I feel it’s a good idea to see how our kids are shaping up for the year.

Evaluate how school and curriculum are working

Now is the time to ask yourself what has been working and what hasn’t. A homeschool year rarely looks just like the previous one, so use this time while the school year is still fresh in your mind to evaluate what didn’t work for you or your kids. Look at your curriculum and your schedules and ditch what you need to.

Plan summer activities

Summer, as you know, fills up fast. It’s a precious three months! Take time to schedule what you know you want to take part in this summer. Camps, special days, parties, or programs should be set early or they might not happen. We love having a summer art week, so I make sure to choose that week before any other activities have a chance to crowd it out.

Be careful about planning too much though

Late Spring Checklist for Homeschool MomsSummer should feel like a break from the regular rat race—not the regular rat race times four! Make sure you don’t plan too much for the summer months. The more stuffed our calendars are, the faster the days will fly. Leave plenty of margin in your schedule for lazy summer days, spontaneous lake days, and quick trips to the ice cream shop.

Put together a summer basket for the last day of school

My kids love our tradition of a Summer Basket. At the end of each school year, I start gathering goodies we’ll need for summer: sunscreen, pool toys, summer reads, etc. On the last day of school, the kids wake up to a big basket of summer fun, and they look forward to it every year. Even if you don’t do a summer basket, try to plan some fun little things for the last day of school, You’ve all worked hard; it’s time to celebrate!

Sort through old papers and books you won’t be using again

Don’t let your school room collect cobwebs this summer. Use these days to clean and purge so it’s fresh and clean when September rolls around. Sort through the old papers, make a pile to recycle and a pile to save. Also, sort through all your curriculum and sell what you won’t be using again. You’ll be so glad you did when the new school year starts.

Make a summer reading list

This is my favorite part. I love planning a reading list for each of my kids and for myself to keep us reading over the summer or get to books we missed during the school year. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Reserve some summer days for school planning

Homeschool moms need time to plan during the summer. At the beginning of summer, schedule in a few days to get away by yourself and plan, order new curriculum, and get ready for the new year.

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About the Author

AliciaAlicia Hutchinson is the homeschooling mom to four.  She and her children love reading and history and exploring outside. They are just settling into their new home in the Minneapolis area, where they just relocated from North Carolina.

You can read more about Alicia and their homeschooling adventures, current projects, and thoughts on motherhood at her blog Investing Love.

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