Homeschooling Through The Winter: Tips & Tricks to Make it Through

Winter is here and the homeschool year is beginning to drag on. With the colder temperatures and shorter days, homeschooling through winter can be a challenge. This is the perfect time to have some fun, experience new things, and build precious memories. Here are some tips and tricks for making it through winter this year.

Winter Field Trips for Homeschooling

Leave the classroom behind! It is easy to focus on “doing school” and forget one of the best benefits of homeschooling–educating on your terms. Homeschooling shouldn’t be about plowing through checklists. It is really more about home than school! 

Take some field trips (see below), participate in a service project or visit family. Give your children so hands-on, real life experience. These memories will stick with them for years to come. Plus, they will have a chance to practice everything they are learning during school hours.

Schedule a Reading Week

Sometimes you just need a break. However, you don’t want to lose momentum and have to regroup everyone, especially after the holiday season. Reading week to the rescue!  For reading week, everyone has to read during school hours. It could be something specific or just anything they choose. You can mix assigned readings with free choice. 

Have everyone put together a pile of books, and then take a reading vacation. This maintains the rhythm of school without the burden of lessons. Make sure mom and dad get in on the act.  Print these FREE Reading Bookmarks, Charts and More for your Homeschool Reading Week!

Have a Snow Day

Every public school kid looks forward to snow days. Sometimes, homeschoolers just need to do the same. Close your school for the day, light a fire, mix up some hot chocolate, and let the kids just play in the snow. This will help burn off some steam in the middle of winter. Plus, they will be exploring nature, every moment is a learning opportunity.

Don’t get snow?  You can still take a day off.  Try whipping up a batch of this Super Soft & Sparkly Wintermint Playdough! Schools take off for all kinds of reasons. Pick your own and enjoy hours of play. Homeschool life is not meant to be all work and no fun! Try these fun Fine Motor Snow Man activity pages for some hands-on fun!

Mix It Up with Some Delicious Winter Cooking Lessons

Cook up some fun and tasty treats this winter. The kitchen is the best place to learn about science, math, geography, history, and nutrition. So, put down the books and notebooks, and take out the pots and pans.

Here are a few Kid-Friendly Winter Recipes to get you started:

• Candy Cane Popcorn
• Winter Salad Recipe
  Popcorn Snowmen
• Banana Berry & Yogurt Muffins

You don’t have to be a master chef to teach through cooking. There are plenty of YouTube channels and cookbooks to guide you. Start where you feel comfortable and grow from there…or take on a challenge and learn together.

Winter Field Trip Ideas for homeschooling in winter

Winter is a great time for field trips, here are some ideas:

• Museums
• Art Gallery
• Underground Mine Tour
• Aquarium
• Winter Nature Walk
• Ice Skating
• Factory tour
• Town Hall
• Fire Station
• Tour of Your Town or County
• A New Library
• Skiing
• Snow Tubing
• Craft Studio
• Train trip (near or far)

Homeschool Encouragement for Mom

Homeschooling through the winter can be hardest for mom. The excitement of the new year has worn off, the holidays are over, and summer feels very far away. It’s important to realize that homeschooling in winter is hard on every homeschool mom. You are not alone. Let’s look at some other self-care tips and tricks to make it through for mom. Here are some encouraging homeschool mom ideas:

• Take care of your health. Get plenty of sleep and eat well. Sometimes getting sick is impossible to avoid. However, do what you can to keep yourself healthy and avoid the added pressure of homeschooling while sick.
• Be willing to take time out and catch your breath. Sometimes, you just need 30 seconds to take a deep breath and move on. Giving yourself space and a bit of time is healthy and useful.
• Get moving. Even if exercise is just a walk around your house or a quick workout on your stairs, getting your body moving will help you deal with the added stress.
• Find a bit of comfort. Homeschool moms don’t have much time for pampering. However, make a routine of doing something nice for yourself each day. Enjoy a cup of tea. Use a nice body butter to smooth rough winter skin. Listen to a podcast. It doesn’t have to be big to have a big impact.
• Connect with other moms. Whether it is online or in real life, having other moms on your side is therapeutic. Everyone has difficult homeschool days. And every homeschool mom is just trying to make it through the long winter. Get inspired by others, vent if you have to, and know that you are doing an amazing job!

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