We all have those days. You know the day when the kids are cranky, or you, and everything seems like a battle. You had a rough weekend, and you aren’t as organized as you thought you were so you’re scrambling to get things together. Maybe your day is interrupted, and you can’t get back on track. Some days, it seems impossible to get anything accomplished. You want to push the reset button and give it another try. There has got to be some way to salvage a bad homeschool day.
Unfortunately, life doesn’t have a reset button. However, you can pause and try to make the most of the day. I don’t know about you, but I can’t call the day a wash and quit. I need to feel like we’ve done something. It’s already a bad day. I’ll feel worse if I don’t get something done.
What do you do?!
Well, quitting isn’t going to solve the problem. There are some things you can do to salvage your homeschool day.
Best Ways to Salvage Your Homeschool Day
1: Salvage Your Bad Day with Reading Fun
In our family, we love to read. So if we are having a bad day, I like to try and turn things around with some reading time. I may read a book to the kids, or they may get their own to read. The kids love getting immersed in a good story. It’s a good way for everyone to relax and still do schoolwork.
If you want to feel like they are getting a little more out reading, hold a book discussion. Everyone shares what they are reading. It could be something funny, something that surprised them, or maybe why they think everyone should read it. You could turn it into tea time and have tea or hot chocolate with a treat. The kids are more engaged with their reading and having fun. There is less pressure on everyone.
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2: Reset Your Bad Day with Math Review
I know math is not always a favorite thing to do. It can also be a cause for a lot of strife in this household. If you are having a tough day and need to find an alternative to what is planned, you can try playing some math games. I have a list of ideas for some fun math review activities HERE. I like using math review. The kids are still doing math work yet what kid couldn’t benefit from reviewing some math concepts?
3: Salvage Your Bad Day with Art
Art projects are a great way to get in schooling requirements but have a little fun. The other day I was not ready and feeling frazzled. The kids went on my Pinterest account and picked out some fun art projects to work on. I got a breather, and they were still working on academics.
I also like to put out different art materials and let them go for it. They are being creative and coming up with some really cool projects in the end.
Art Projects you may be interested in:
- How To Make Cool Op Art Flowers With Kids
- DIY Clay Recipes: Which is the Best?
- Fun Fall Art Projects for Your Older Kids
4: Reset Your Bad Day with Physical Education
All kids are required to do physical education. Another great way to reset a tough day is to get active. Go for a walk, play catch, make an obstacle course, or dance. A lot of times, being outside or getting some physical activity helps to clear the mind and make everyone feel better.
5: Reset Your Bad Day with a Movie Day
I have used this before. We have watched a movie or show that was related to a history topic we were covering. One day we watched several Liberty’s Kids episodes and Dear America videos. We may watch science videos, like Bill Nye the Science Guy or Magic School Bus. We even watched some musicals for music class one day. There are so many options now to incorporate movies or videos into your homeschool day that provide educational benefits for just about any subject.
6: Salvage Your Bad Day by Getting in the Kitchen
Baking seems to be the number one thing we do lately to try and salvage our homeschool day. We love getting in the kitchen and baking something together. We might bake cookies or bread. Sometimes we get adventurous and try something we’ve seen on one of those cooking shows on Netflix. The kids learn about baking terms, measurement, and how to read a recipe. In the end, we end up with a nice treat the kids are proud of.
Check out these fun cooking activities with kids:
- Fantastic Soft Baked Pretzels to Make with Kids
- A Perfect Activity to See if Your Kids Can Really Cook
- 5 Easy Treats to Make with Your Kids
7: Reset a Bad Day with STEM
One fun way to get the day back on track is with STEM Challenges. STEM challenges allow the kids to get creative and explore. It is very educational, but the kids won’t know they are learning problem-solving skills. It is just plain fun.
Another part of STEM is coding. If your kids like working on the computer, chances are they will have a great time learning to code. It is a good way to reset your day. The kids are learning AND having fun.
Check out these fun STEM ideas:
- STEM Hammock Challenge
- The Challenge is On: A STEM Tower Challenge
- 5 STEM Activities Your Kids will Enjoy
- Resources to Teach Coding to Kids
8: Reset a Bad Day with Games
Gameschooling really is a thing. Board games and card games often need a lot of different skills to win. So don’t feel guilty about taking a break and playing some games together. It is sure to make the day go better.
Check out these ideas:
We all have days we want to throw in the towel. Some days homeschooling is hard to even get started. When you need to press the reset button, try one or all of the ideas above. I know some people have done a movie day or a reading day. I like to mix in a few different things. Sometimes it is enough to salvage our day, and we can continue. Other times, the list above becomes our school day.
The nice thing about some of the ideas mentioned is you can have the kids do them independently so you can regroup and get things together. You can also take part in the different things with your kids to have some fun family time with academics thrown in.
Whatever has thrown your homeschool day off, rest assured you can salvage your homeschool day. Simplify your homeschool and move on.
Happy Homeschooling!
