One question I always hear from fellow homeschooling moms is how do you homeschool multiple children of different ages? There is more than one way to homeschool multiple ages, but I’ll share how I do it. This is what is working for our family and might work for yours or at least give you some ideas for finding what works for you.
How I Homeschool Multiple Ages With Ease
*This post contains affiliate links, see my privacy policy for more information. I am an ambassador for BookShark – they provided curriculum for us to use in order to facilitate our reviews. BUT I truly love using it, and we continue to do so for as long as possible.*
Last year was the first year I had all three of my kids homeschooling together more or less, four days a week. My youngest was doing pre-kindergarten work, I let him go at his own pace with it but he wanted to be at the dining room table or on the couch with his big sisters when they were doing schoolwork. Having him wanting to learn along with his sisters was a nice way to ease into having the three of them learning together. He was learning some patience waiting for Momma to make it back area the table to help him just like she did with his sisters.
Learning Together
Choosing BookShark homeschool curriculum was the one factor that made teaching multiple ages easiest. It’s literature-based curriculum which means we sit down together and read our history, science, and this year’s language arts. We all get to cuddle and relax with a great book.
Last year our History and Science was Level 1, which is for ages 5-7. This year History and Science is Level 2, for ages 7-9. My girls are in the perfect age range for these making it seamless to teach them together. Gauge, who will be five in November, is learning along with them and enjoying every minute of it. I’ve never been a parent to limit what books my kids can read, and I don’t limit Gauge either. Although the ages our curriculum might be a bit older for him – a bit over his head, he always learns a little something from the books. Next year when he is in grade one, I’ll loop back to Level 1 with him.
Learning Individually
For individual workbook subjects such as math and language arts we still sit down together at the dining room table. Each child gets their binder out, or in Austin’s case a laptop for Teaching Textbooks. I let them know what lessons to start, and off they go. I am right there to help each as they may need it. I an easily walk around the table to help each and make sure that they are the right path as far as understanding and getting their work finished.
For reading aloud time they love to sit in the kitchen and read at our island while I’m making bread or doing the dishes, both of which I can do without thinking about and completely listen to them while they read. As a bonus their siblings will be in the dining room or living room working on their own thing, not interrupting, or at least that’s always the hope.
Using curriculum such as BookShark has made teaching multiple children flow nicely for us.
I think that you can easily homeschool multiple ages together if that is what you want to do, and if you are choosing a curriculum that is going to help you with that goal. Curriculum that is based on a range of ages rather than a strict grade can help you do this.
Similar posts that you may be interested in:
Getting Back into the Swing of School
A Life of Homeschoolers Who Don’t Stay Home
Homeschooling When There’s No Homeschool Room
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