Embracing Free Time In Your Homeschool

 Remember the days when we were growing up where free afternoons were a given?  School would let out and we'd rush home for a snack, only to be shooed outside to play.  Some how free times seems to have been swallowed up the rush to a sports practice or the hum of a gaming system.  And if we're not carefully, the same can happen even for those of us that homeschool.  In our race to raise well-rounded children, we can easily find ourselves caught up in an over scheduled life.

But what if we took a minute to just breathe?

What if we took a minute for our brains to truly hit the point of boredom?

Real boredom?

This is the sweet spot where creativity and imagination can blossom.  Where problems become possibilities and children can wonder.  Where life is puzzled out and genius can emerge.

How many high school graduates reach the finish line only to wonder, "Now what?"  So they jump into a degree program that fulfills the need for purpose in the moment, but find themselves asking the same question in midlife.  

What if we embraced free time NOW... while minds are still full of possibility and life is young.  What if we left our kids to wrestle with boredom and discover that there's so much potential ... potential that can only be noticed in the stillness?

What if we stepped away from an over full life and gave ourselves the same gift... time to play, time to experiment, time to wonder, time to build relationships.... TIME!

Just some thoughts from an overly busy mom trying to recapture free time in her homeschool.

Our Morning Time Basket for 10th Grade ll 2026-27 Picks!

 Morning Basket has been a part of our homeschool for so long.... I don't even remember what year we implemented it.  It must have been a long time ago because I just can't imagine starting our days any other way.  As I've said before, Morning Basket first became a foundational part of our homeschool day out of necessity.  A way of bridging the gap between waking up and charging full force into learning.  A way of sweetening our morning, building shared experiences, and finding time for delight and beauty.

Now entering year 14 of our homeschool, morning time is still going strong.  It grows and changes with our family and needs.  But it still unites us... still brings us into shared experiences and stories... still brings us into rich discussions and lively opinions... into family memories and fine arts.

Today I'm sharing with you how we make morning time work with older students  How we hit the subjects that bring us the most joy and keep challenging our minds, even in the teen years.

Folksongs/Hymns:

I love the idea of learning hymns and folksongs in our homeschool.  There's so much rich theology and history woven into music.  Now that I'm down to one student, he loves to sing.  So I'm hoping we'll do more singing this year.  I use our hymns and folksongs as a call to Morning Time.  We utilize the channel "Folksongs and Hymns" on YT and rotate through Hannah's songs of the month.  This way my 10th grader can hear each song every other day, and it gives him 2-4 minutes to gather his things for meeting at the table. We do one song a day.

Memory Work:

We use a memory box system.  I found a nice Sterlite box from Dollar Tree a few years ago, and now it's filled to the brim with Scripture we've memorized over the years.  We use this system for memorizing Scripture, but it would be great for any memory work you have in your homeschool.  Adapt it to work for you. Again, this is something we do every morning.

Current Events:

We found World Watch News 3 years ago, and love it.  It's 10 min segments of world news presented at the student's level.  It's very similar to CNN10, but from a Christian perspective.  And it's been great for me to learn what's going on in the world as well.

Bible:

We're continuing our way through Rod & Staff's Bible series.  This year, we're picking up about 1/3 of the way through level 9.  Then the curriculum ties it into what the authors were actually saying when they wrote the Bible... exploring culture and context before analyzing and applying.  I introduce the lesson on Monday mornings, the kids work independently throughout the week to cover the material, and we discuss the lesson on Friday mornings.

Additionally, we'll be adding in a Not Consumed Christmas Bible study in the fall as well as a topical study in the spring.

Artist Study:

We're again using Ambleside Online's artist study.  I love that this one is free and only takes about 5 min a week.  It's taught us so much about artists we've never even heard of.  This year we'll be studying Rockwell (my favorite), Renoir, and van Ruisdael.

Shakespeare:

Shakespeare and I have a love/ hate relationship.  I love Shakespeare, but I couldn't find a way to draw my kids into it... until 2years ago. We used Lamb's Shakespeare and Nesbit's Shakespeare for Young Readers to read a paraphrase of the play.  Then we found a YT production to watch together, broken into approximately 12 weeks. making it bite-sized for morning time.  We're going to watch the play rather than read it as that's how it was originally meant to be enjoyed.  I'll have a written copy for my kids as well if he wishes to follow along in print.  And we're pairing it with lots of discussion.  Typically we go through two plays a year, but we might try to add a third this year.  We'll be starting with Julius Caesar as it's included in our Notgrass World History curriculum.

Composer:

We've been trying to add more composer/ music study in our homeschool the last couple of years.  I started by following the Ambleside schedule, but did re-arrange a few things last year when the local symphony hosted a field trip based on American composers.  So we're planning on listening to Bernstein, Debussy, and Bach, but that may obviously change.  I like using Classics for Kids for giving a background on each of our composers.

Misc:

I also try to include picture books related to our curriculum as they apply.  It's a good way to whet my son's' appetite for further study.

Read Alouds:

We always end our Morning Time with a read-aloud.  I still like to read before bed, but as the kids have gotten older and are out more evenings of the week, we've also added a block of reading in our mornings so our books don't linger.  I shared our Read Aloud List for '26-27, but it's ever-growing.  Sometimes we detour off that list.  However, I try to at least prioritize the read-alouds that go with our history curriculum.

So, that's what I have planned so far for our 2026-27 Morning Time and how I'm making it work with a 10th Grader!

Do you do Morning Time in your homeschool?

And what are some of your favorite resources?

Weekend Links ll August 7, 2026

Back to School Homeschool Photo Props

Back to School Supplies for ADHD Kids & Unique Learners

26 Ways to Make the First Day of Homeschool Special

6 Fun & Easy Things to Add to Your Homeschool

Months of the Year Lapbook

Kitchen Skills for Kids

 If there's anything predictable in a homeschool home, it's the fact that kids are always hungry.  Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, and that's just the first half of the day.  Teaching kids to work in the kitchen solves a very practical need.  But it's more than that.  Learning basic cooking and meal prep skills builds confidence, independence, and responsibility.  It gives kids a very tangible way to contribute to the family, and build upon a very useful future skill.

But it's important to start with reasonable expectations.  Young children are more than capable of assisting, but they need lots of verbal instruction, lots of opportunities to practice, and lots of encouragement.  Be sure to build lots of margin into your day to take things slow.  Look for opportunities to be in the kitchen daily, making this time a part of your regular rhythm.

As your children get older, they'll be able to advance to more complex skills.  They'll be able to prepare and cook more in-depth dishes, even planning full meals.  You'll still be around to keep an eye on things, but their confidence and abilities will soar.  When they have friends over, they'll be able to prepare snacks and special treats, allowing their confidence and independence to grow.  

If you're ready to invite your children into the kitchen with you, these are a few kitchen skills they are capable of learning, broken down by age:

2-4 Years:

Toddlers love to help.  Their enthusiasm is so contagious.  Make sure to have lots of extra time in the schedule when you invite them into the kitchen.  Make it a fun and peaceful activity with lots of encouragement.

*Wash fruits and vegetables

*Cutting soft fruits and vegetables

*Gather and mix ingredients

*Tearing lettuce

*Beginning measuring ingredients

*Beginning cracking eggs

*Scooping batter into muffin tins or transferring with spoon

*Unload and sort silverware

5-8 Years:

Kindergarten and early elementary age kids are growing in their motor skills and eager to learn.  Their whole world is expanding and they're soaking everything in.  They are ready for new responsibilities and meaningful work.

*Wipe and set the table

*Unload and put away groceries

*Knead bread dough

*Measure with spoons and cups

*Roll out dough (as strength increases)

*Use cookie cutters

*Spread butter and spreads with a butter knife

*Use a peeler (with supervision)

*Crack eggs independently

*Use a cookie scoop for making cookies and muffins

*Use a box grater (closer to age 8 years)

*Beating and whisking ingredients

*Begin halving and multiplying recipes

*Peel eggs

*Make simple sandwiches, puddings, and treats

*Make grilled cheese and pancakes

*Rinse dishes and load dishwasher

*Wipe counters and tables

*Begin washing dishes by hand

9-11 Years:

As your kids grow in competence, they're ready to start helping with meal planning and grocery shopping.  They're begging to have opinions about dinners and meal times.  And they're really a big help in the kitchen.

*Take charge of simple breakfasts and lunches

*Helping with meal planning

*Make a grocery list

*Follow basic recipes

*Make simple side dishes

*Use a can opener

*Use a stand mixer

*Use the oven for baked goods

*Expand stovetop skills (browning ground beef, making soups, etc)

*Clean up the kitchen after cooking and baking

12+ Years:

Kids at this age are aching for independence.  These are all skills to help them continue building their confidence and responsibility.  Knowing that they're meaningfully contributing to the family gives them a sense of pride and self-worth.

*Calculate a timeline (with help) for preparing a meal

*Consider/calculate quantities for family meals

*Inventory the pantry and build meals based on what you have

*Prepare simple family dinners

*Plan simple meals for company

*Find suitable substitutions for ingredients as needed

*Grocery shopping list and budget

*Pack lunches and snacks

*Use most kitchen tools safely

*Manage cleanup after cooking and baking

*Safely store leftovers

*Start their own cookbook

*Learn to prepare 3+ meals proficiently

Tenth Grade Homeschool Curriculum Picks ll 26-27

My third born had an incredible summer.  In June, we got a phone call on Thursday that he had a nearly full ride scholarship to an incredible adventure.  The catch?  He was leaving on Sunday.  So at 14 years old, we packed him up for 2 weeks of backpacking over 60 hrs in the wilderness and whitewater rafting over 35 miles on the river... with no contact.  It was the longest 2 weeks of my life. :-)

Along with this adventure of a lifetime, he went on two camping trips with the family, volunteered at our local mission, went to houseboat camp, and joined a men's Bible study group.

Getting back into the groove of school is going tough.  But I'm confident that 10th grade year is going to be memorable in its own way.  Here's what we have planned for now.  I'm thinking of structuring our weeks for 4 days to allow time for our teen discipleship group.  Or at the very least, making that 5th day shorter.

Geometry and Algebra II:

We had originally planned on going a different route with Algebra last year and instead found Shormann Math.  It's amazing!  Video lessons, auto correct, email support... I loved the format and he loved learning from Dr. Shormann.  This year he'll  continue with a half credit of Geometry and a full year of Algebra 2.

English II:

My 10th grader is a very strong reader.  However, since we put such a strong emphasis on writing last year, we plan on weaving in a lot more formal read this year. Rod and Staff has a lot of high-level literature and we'll be using level 9. We also appreciate the fact that all the selections are clean, and build into our children's character.  I also plan on pulling several books from his Notgrass World History.  His reading list will include: A Tale of Two Cities, Julius Caesar, and Animal Farm, just to name a few.

We're going to pick up Structure and Style level 2C to keep writing fresh in his mind.  But I don't plan on him finishing this curriculum in it's entirety this year.

In the past, we've used Rod and Staff grammar.  While I love that program, we've gotten to a point where it's college-level.  This year, we're looking for something quick, to the point, and effective.  I've used Easy Grammar with my oldest and liked it.  So we'll be returning to that for my 10th grader.

Chemistry: 

Third kid and this is my first experience with Chemistry in our homeschool.  But we have had some experience with Berean Builders Physics.  Good experience.  So I'm looking forward to see where the Christy class goes.

World History:

I love Notgrass' history program in the high school years.  We focus on the history portion, but will also be pulling some of the historical fiction for our English credit.

French II:

I've tried to get all three of my kids to take Spanish.  I've been out of luck all three times.  So online French it is.  This will be his second year learning French and he's really come a long way.  My oldest used Rosetta Stone, and I wasn't very impressed with the voice recognition.  However, I haven't been able to find a course that our charter will pay for, and still covers the speaking element.  Any advice?

Robotics:

This is probably the class that he's most excited for.  He is heavily motivated to learn coding and programming so we've signed him up for a Robotics course at our charter.  He's been taking Robotics with them for several years and has a great relationship with the teacher.

PE:

He's still taking gymnastics/ trampoline classes, but to round out his PE credit, we'll be adding in swimming and cycling, and weight lifting as the weather turns.

Bible:

We're continuing with Rod and Staff level 9.  This curriculum runs from level 5-10, but that doesn't necessarily coincide with grades.  Rather, each level looks at a different part of the Bible, what was happening culturally with the people, what was the background, etc.  This year, he's in level  which covers who God is and how He reveals Himself to His people.  Additionally, we'll do a couple of studies from Not Consumed, and read through a handful of Christian growth books together.

Morning Time:

Next week, I'll go more in depth into what exactly is in our Morning Basket, but some subjects we'll explore this year include apologetics, Shakepeare, and current events.  These are enrichment topics that we'll be studying together before launching into independent study.

Outside Classes:

Choir--He will be continuing on in the senior high choir and will be involved in that for about 14 weeks in the fall, and then 14 weeks in the spring.

Youth Group--He'll be entering his first year of high school youth group where he'll be a part of a discipleship group and attend camps and Bible study intensives

Trampoline-- 1-2x/week, he'll continue trampoline lessons in big trampoline, double mini, and some tumbling at our local gym.

Homeschool Teen Discipleship Group--He was a part of a homeschool group last year that we're hoping will continue this year.  This will fall on our 5th, short school day.

A lot of the curriculum that we're using this year, we've used in the past with great success.  While I try to tailor our year to each child's needs, I also find that when we find something we like, it's best to stick with it.  So many of these curricula are returning from previous years.  Plus, he's been very lucky to find several outside opportunities that fit his interests this year.  He'll certainly be busy, but I don't think my social butterfly would have it any other way.

What curriculum are you using for your 10th grader?