Summer is quickly approaching, and you may still be on the fence about whether or not you should be homeschooling during the summer. The truth is that homeschooling during the summer doesn’t have to work the way the traditional homeschool year does. You can choose to focus on a single subject, multiple subjects or an activity-based classroom. The possibilities are endless. However, sometimes taking the time off to relax and recharge is equally as helpful. Should you homeschool during the summer? Well only you can decide, but these tips might help you with your decision.
Do you feel burned out or ready for more?
Do you feel like you are burning the candle at both ends in order to finish up your homeschool year? Are you overwhelmed with the grading and lesson planning? Or are you finding yourself ready to start the next lesson? If you are burned out, consider taking the summer to plan out your homeschool year and recharge. You need to do what’s best for you and your children. This is critical to keep in mind. Just because you think you may want to homeschool during the summer doesn’t mean you have to do so when that time comes. If May gets here and you or your kids need a break, take a break. No one knows your family as you do.
If you are ready to jump into the next lesson, consider having a more flexible classroom over the summer to continue the learning. If you look at a new set of textbooks, most of the time you will notice that the first several weeks are review. The summer months would be a great time to use for all of this “review” material. Summertime can be used to have a very light schedule, even one or two hours a day. Homeschooling during the summer could look like something as simple as doing a nature study while visiting some local state parks or nature parks. Check out this awesome nature journal. Take the kids on a nature trail and hike, find leaves and make some crafts. Study different types of insects or animals you might find out on your hike.
What do you want to do over the summer?
During the summer, many people take more vacations and travel more often than during the rest of the year. Others take the time to enjoy the nice weather from home. Decide what you and your family want to do over the summer. Do you want to take things easy? See the world? Learn a new skill? Make time for a hobby? This decision may dictate whether or not you will even have the time for homeschooling in your schedule.
Are you behind? Do you want to get ahead?
One of the perks of homeschooling during the summer is that you can catch up on subjects you didn’t have time for, or you can get ahead. Some parents are even able to homeschool an entire grade over the summer! If you are looking to get ahead, homeschooling over the summer might be a great fit! If you are behind, maybe you need a month or two to catch up. No one says you have to homeschool the entire summer after all.
Advantages of homeschooling during the summer
There are a lot of advantages to homeschooling your kids over the summer. Many families who do year-round homeschooling experience less burnout and a more comfortable learning environment. You also have more freedom to have shorter school days if you want or take the time to do activities that interest your kids. This could be a time to do some of those exciting science experiments your kids are always asking about. Here is a list of some easy experiments you can try at home this summer. Homeschooling over the summer can also give you a chance to stay on top of your schoolwork without having to play catch up after three months of no school.
Disadvantages of homeschooling during the summer
One of the biggest disadvantages is that many families feel like they may be missing out. Kids who are in public school with have the summers off and that you won’t be able to have a real summer vacation. If your child wants to go to summer camp or you want to take a vacation, it can be kind of difficult if you also have to keep up with homeschooling.
While making this decision isn’t one I can do for you, I hope this post has given you a lot to think about so you can make the right call for your family. Check out how to create a homeschool routine during the summer!