Hi everyone! Today’s blog post is about how to survive quarantine. Specifically, I am going to give you some tips and tricks on how to successfully run a “Mom School” for your kids at home!
Preparation and Planning
To ensure that the day runs smoothly, I always make sure to set up all of the supplies the night before. I dig through all of my kids’ closets and look for all of their school supplies, such as their crayons and markers and any puzzles, flash cards, and number activities. I also found a huge roll of butcher paper from Home Depot in my garage that I lay out on the dining table each night. Lastly, I like to choose any online videos that I will be using that day the night before so I don’t waste any time during the day searching for them.
Aside from gathering all of the supplies, it is also important to create a set schedule. My kids really enjoy having structure throughout their day, but make sure you are flexible, too! I will break down the schedule that I have been using with my kids in the rest of the blog post.
Block Plan
7:30am to 8:30am
I like to have my kids wake up within this time frame. They don’t like to eat much in the morning, but I always make sure they at least have some light breakfast such as cereal, waffles, fruit, or toddler snacks!
8:30am to 9:30am
After breakfast, we get ready! I brush and floss their teeth, comb their hair, and put on their outfits for the day.
9:30am – Time for Mom School!
Morning Introductions
The first thing that I like to start off with is introductions. Each of us will introduce our name, how old we are, and what our favorite thing to do is. My introductory statements usually sound like: “My name is Mrs. Ramirez and I am 32 years old. My favorite thing to do is go bike riding!” I introduce myself as Mrs. Ramirez throughout Mom School hours to help get my kids into school mode. I then introduce my 3-month old baby by saying: “My name is Francisco Thomas Ramirez Cuevas and I am 3-months old. My favorite thing to do is eat!” Then, I let my 2 and 4 year-olds introduce themselves.
Gratitude and Prayers
After introductions, we say the Pledge of Allegiance together in front of the flag. Then, each of us take turns in saying what we are thankful for that day. We also say a prayer before we go into our lesson plan.
Day of the Week
Our first part of the lesson is the day of the week! I grab a calendar and go over what the date is that day. Then, we practice counting by clapping our hands together until we reach the day’s date. For example, if it’s March 25th, we clap our hands and count together until we reach 25. This is an easy thing to start with as it helps the kids learn the days of the week and their numbers.
Animal of the Day
Everyday, I pick 2 animals: 1 for my 2 year-old and 1 for my 4 year-old. We normally watch a fun Youtube lesson about the animal on the computer. After they finish their lesson, I have them do a craft related to their animal. Pinterest has a lot of great crafts that use paper plates, tissue paper, glue, markers, and other creative decorations that the kids love! For example, we did an “Under the Sea” theme and made turtles and jellyfish. Other animals we have done include giraffes, rhinos, and snails! There is a wide array of animals out there that my kids love to learn about, so I am sure that you can find one for your kids, too! After we finish their Youtube lesson and craft, I ask my kids: “What do you want to pick tomorrow?” Then, I keep note of their choices and do my research after Mom School to help prepare for the next day!
Jellyfish Lesson: https://youtu.be/HmynApko5XE
10:30am – Snack and Break Time!
For snack time, I like to offer my kids Goldfish crackers or Cheez-Its. Then, I let them go outside for 30 minutes and we scooter outside the neighborhood. If it’s raining that day, we do Cosmic Yoga on Youtube and it is so much fun! We have also been doing this at night to help them release their energy before bedtime and it has been so good for them!
Cosmic Yoga: https://youtu.be/U9Q6FKF12Qs
11:00am – Music, Planets, and the ABCs
Music Lesson
After snack and break time, I like to start Mom School back up with music lessons. We have been doing “Prodigies” music lessons on Youtube and they have been so adorable! I bring out little drums, xylophones, and an accordion for my kids, but if you don’t have any instruments, you can always follow along by just clapping your hands!
Prodigies Music Lesson: https://youtu.be/NuoHdGBYAYY
Planets
After music lessons, we then choose a planet that we will learn about for the day. I give them a piece of construction paper to cut out their planet and let them be creative with how they want to decorate it! For example, when we did the Earth, we used tissue paper to create the ocean. It has been fun and the kids have been learning a lot!
The Sun Lesson: https://youtu.be/q-QNPfBQylE
Quick Snack
I usually give my kids another snack (typically fruit) before starting the ABCs.
ABCs
After their quick snack, we like to do the ABCs. We start off by saying them out loud together. We also use letter flash cards to help boost their memory. Lastly, I have foam letters. Each child picks one letter and they have to guess what letter it is. These activities have been super great in helping my kids learn the ABCs!
ABC Song: https://youtu.be/36IBDpTRVNE
12:30pm – Lunch Time and the End of Mom School for the Day!
After the ABCs is lunch time! After I prepare lunch and make sure all of my kids are fed, we like to go on another 30-minute scooter ride outside in a different part of the neighborhood. When we come back, I let my kids be kids and let them have free time! I don’t like to push my kids to learn more things after 1:30pm because I feel that their brains are very tired.
7:00pm – Bath and Relax!
I like to stick to my usual, pre-quarantine schedule, so we still have bath time at 7:00pm! After the kids take a bath, I let them have their iPads and relax because it is important for all of us to have time for self-care. This is usually when I like to wind down and watch Netflix, but I also take this time to make sure that I have everything ready for our next day of Mom School!
Wrapping it Up
I know that quarantine may be tough for a lot of us, but I hope that you have learned some tips and tricks for running your own Mom School for your kids at home! It takes a lot of thought and preparation, but my kids have been loving all of the activities and lessons and you can easily find a variety of topics and crafts on Youtube and Pinterest. Try your best to have a set schedule during the day, but don’t forget to be flexible and let your kids be kids, too! Stay safe and healthy!
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