April 2, 2019

7 Tips for Overcoming the October Homeschool Blues

Cloudy days and rain have reappeared in my area causing the October blues to strike again. We beat the blues by changing our routine and adding some fun to our homeschool days.

Homeschooling is hard work; some days are harder than other!

Here are some homeschool tips to help you not only survive, but thrive in your homeschool:

Homeschooling Resources

Overcoming the October Homeschool Blues

1. Game Days

Once school has settled into it’s regular routine and become stale, we need a change to revitalize our school day. Game days do just that. They add fun and sunshine to our days. All you have to do is spend the day playing educational games all day long.

2. Reading Days

My third grade teacher used to hold reading days at least once a month. We’d show up at school with sleeping bags, pillows, and our favorite books. Reading days work just as well for homeschool kids. Encourage your kids to love reading by pulling out the books, popping popcorn, and spending the day with your nose in a good book.

3. Nature Hikes

Sometimes the October blues strike because we haven’t spent enough time outside, so take your science lessons out of the house. Search for seeds and insects. Examine the changing leaves. Enjoy the bracing breeze. Fresh air and a change of scenery does wonders for the family’s mood.

4. Visit a Museum

By the same token, visiting a museum is an awesome educational field trip that will get you out of the house. Wander through the exhibits together comparing notes about your favorite pieces. Contemplate the different styles. Enjoy an afternoon or a day of study at the local museum.

5. School at the Library

Pack up your schoolbooks for a day and head to the library. Children can do their work there before finding books to read. Schoolwork still get done, and you get out of the house to see some fresh scenery to lighten up the October blues.

6. Home Economics Day

Academics aren’t everything a kid needs to learn. Kids still need to know how to wash, dry, cook, and bake. So spend a day in the kitchen teaching your kids how to read a recipe, calculate doubling or tripling a recipe, and learning some basic kitchen science. They can even copy their favorite recipes into cookbooks for later use.

7. Read Aloud Day

Try curling up in the living room as a family and reading good books aloud all day. You can take turns reading various chapters, listen to an audio book, are simply read aloud yourself. Chat about the characters and plot as you work your way through the book.

October blues may hit every year but shaking up the routine beats the blues. Try a different idea each week, or simply give yourself permission to take a day off to approach school in a different manner.

Sometimes a slight change is all that’s needed to beat the October blues.

Beth Gorden

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables – www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!