This fabulous guest post was written by my friend Lydia who does a fabulous job of sharing her adventures with her three littles utilizing The Gentle + Classical Preschool. Find more info about Lydia at the bottom of the post.

To the homeschool mamas reading this who are simultaneously changing a diaper, wrangling a toddler away from near disaster, and mitigating the uproarious queries of a preschooler bouncing on the couch — you are my people.

With three very little littles (ages 4, 2.5, and 1), I would be lying if I told you we regularly had beautifully structured homeschool days. Far from it! But homeschooling has brought its own rhythm to our home, adding an invaluable richness to our lives and family culture. I want to share with you a example of what I consider a very good day.

Ever want to pull back the curtains and see into another homeschool mama's day? Here is a chance to see how a mama to 3 under 5 gets everything done!

Our mornings begin at 7:00 a.m., because my oldest daughter is pretty much an alarm clock. My husband and I are not morning people, so our day begins slowly. Our morning routine is simple in essence if not execution: brush teeth, go potty/new diaper, get dressed, eat breakfast.

While eating breakfast, we recite our memory statements for the week, since our memory board is beside our kitchen table. I keep our recitation very simple so that we don’t lose track of the object of eating breakfast (which is to eat breakfast), but if the kids get really interested in a statement then I will expand on the topic by asking or answering questions.

Our core curriculum is The Gentle + Classical Preschool (GCP), which includes memory statements for eight subject areas. We primarily emphasize science, Scripture, and character and catechism. I also incorporate aspects of Gentle + Classical Nature, and I love curating additional supplemental curriculum to enhance our studies (or maybe just because I have an obsession with curriculum).

When breakfast is over, the kids take their plate to the kitchen. Then they are allowed one hour of TV (Octonauts, Sarah & Duck, and Tumbleleaf are their favorites). I know TV isn’t for everyone, but we use it as a tool to give me a teeny tiny break to recharge with my cup of coffee. As an introverted, highly sensitive mama with anxiety and depression married to an introverted, highly sensitive man with PTSD, finding a sustainable balance in our home rhythm is a major priority.

Around 10 a.m., we do Family Chores — a newly instituted routine of working together as a family to knock out the basics: dishes, some laundry, wiping tables, sweeping, vacuuming, and taking out the trash and recycling. I play fun music loudly and encourage the kids to move, wiggle, dance, and keep going with their chores. Alyce (4) wipes the tables, Lewis (2.5) sweeps and empties the dustpan, and Sybil (almost 1) tags along behind everyone in turn attempting to undo all the things that have been done. (Find a great list of ways your toddlers can help around the house here.)

Depending on the weather, we then either go outside or have free play inside. Yes, still no structured “learning,” since I adhere to the Montessori philosophy that play is a child’s greatest work in these early years. Playing is not something that comes easily for my task-oriented self, but I do my best to foster an environment that welcomes play and encourage my kids to play freely.

Around 11 a.m., the baby takes her nap, and this is when I pull out our morning basket. For all intensive purposes, this is our most structured school time of the day. We sing our hymn of the month, pray together, recite our Scripture memory from GCP again, and read a poem from A Child’s Garden of Verses and one selection from The Children’s Book of Virtues. The kids use their GCP Preschool Morning Binders to note the weather, discuss the date and day of the week, practice writing (or tracing) their names, and do a few pages of activities related to the letter of the unit.

By this point, little attention spans are spent and Sybie is usually waking up. I assemble lunch, which is often PBJs that I let the kids make by themselves while I nurse the baby. During lunch, I play music relating to our unit. I love Songs for Saplings, and we regularly listen the Bible memory verse songs and catechism songs.

After lunch, we move toward nap time as efficiently as possible. I read the kids a portion of Read Aloud Bible Stories and Everyday Graces while snuggling them down. We also listen to our hymn, then music by Hidden in My Heart. I leave the music playing while the kids (fingers crossed) are sleeping.

Naptime is never as seamless as I would like, but on a good day all the kids sleep at the same time for a portion of minutes all in a row — and I drink up the silence and reprieve. This can be a time for me to work on my home business, or I might just drink coffee and scroll Instagram or Pinterest. Mamas need rest, too!

When the kids wake up, we have snack and read a story together with one of our unit themed picture books. Then we either go outside again or do an activity based on our GCP unit (during the summer we often go outside to do the activity). It could be anything: crafts, artist study, letter sound recognition, letter tracing or building activities, object to card matching, playdough, nomenclature cards, sensory bin, or felt puzzles.

I don’t expect the kids to have much endurance for anything didactic at this time of the day, but I do try to set up activities that spark curiosity and intrinsic motivation and feature our science theme in some way.

If they love the activity and can continue it while I make dinner, then I let them work independently. If they are being too crazy, then I send them outside. I monitor them through the window while I cook, and even the baby now loves this tiny bit of freedom to plow through the rose bushes or sit in the raised bed garden with all the bugs, leaves, and dirt at her disposal.

My husband arrives home from work around 6, at which point we eat dinner together. Then it’s time for the bedtime routine: brush teeth, diapers, jammies, and water bottles. My husband reads the kids a story from our unit-themed shelf and leads Bible verse recitation. Then prayers, snuggles, listening to our hymn. I turn on bedtime classical piano music, and eventually we all make it through bedtime ... and occasionally I even stay awake long enough to get up for another breath of quiet.

As you can tell, my primarily goal for our homeschool right now is to make the atmosphere of learning a part of our daily lives. I continually research new ways to make learning approachable, tactile, and kinetic for my busy, curious littles. Our “school” is incorporated into our daily rhythm, and (with the exception of our Morning Basket) there is little to no sit down teacher-led instruction. I want my children to value education and enjoy learning, so these days are all about instilling a love of knowledge in ways that they enjoy.

Lydia is a stay-at-home wife and mama, Pacific Northwest native, Jesus follower, fine arts enthusiast, coffee snob, and lover of good books, natural beauty, and the simple joys of life. When not juggling her three kids ages 4 and under, she illustrates and designs Montessori inspired curriculum and blogs about her journey as a second generation homeschooler. She blogs at GreenUrbanCreative.com and make sure to follow her on Instagram here (WHICH I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO!). Her shop of gorgeous watercolor tools is a personal favorite.

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