The best homeschool planner is the one you use
New brain research reveals why routines and rhythms matter for kids.
It’s that time of year—only July—but getting back to school can’t help but be on our minds. After all, the local Walmart is already stocked in their seasonal section with pencils, markers, binders, scissors, and. . . planners.
Does the thought of using a planner make you want to run away? Or do you look forward to filling out all of its fresh, blank pages?
Wherever you fall on the spectrum—from planner love to planner aversion—it’s worth considering why having some kind of planning system could benefit our families.
For one, a recent study highlighted on UC Irvine News of nearly 30,000 children “found that growing up in an unpredictable environment, where daily life lacks consistency and children are unsure what comes next, is strongly associated with depression, anxiety, sleep disorders and other mental health challenges.”
It’s not surprising. God made the sun to rise and set each day. He makes the seasons repeat each year. Farmers plant crops, they grow and are harvested. Creation itself is filled with rhythms we can count on—rhythms that bring stability and security.
So when I use a planner, it isn’t because I want to control every detail. It’s because I want to cultivate those kinds of life-giving rhythms in my home. It’s a joyful venture.
And that’s why the best planner is the one that you actually use.
Because it’s a place to start to evaluate: what are the patterns of my day? Can my children count on a morning and evening routine? And does my homeschool have a predictable rhythm?
If you’re new to homeschooling, it may take some trial and error to discover what works for you, and that’s ok. The key is to just not give up.
With that in mind, here’s the layered approach that has evolved to work really well for me. You may notice it doesn’t even include a traditional planner, per se. I prefer using calendars that are “open-faced” as much as I can so they are visible throughout the day. I hope you’ll find some inspiration!
My Planning Favorites:
Google calendar (on phone & PC): Useful as a “master” calendar. It’s especially helpful for repeating events—like your child’s soccer practice or music lessons.
Weekly/hourly calendar: Whenever I need to slow down and get extra help staying focused, I always go back to this. Writing everything out in pencil gives me the ability and time to change things as needed, to think and pray over the upcoming week, and then to physically check things off as they go by. I print off one page and keep it on a clipboard.
Weekly calendar: If you don’t love the hourly breakdown, in the spirit of striving for rhythms, I offer this one.
Academic year wall calendar: This beauty is on a door right next to our kitchen. Use it with dry erase markers, or there’s also a paper version. It helps keep the whole household on the same page; good for travel dates, medical appointments, non-recurring events, and even recurring events, depending on how busy you are and how small you write. :)
Planners for homeschooled kiddos: Everybody gets their own clipboard. Simply write out tasks and daily assignments the night before, each morning, or at the beginning of each week on one sheet of notebook paper per day.
Or, check out all kinds of free homeschool planning pages (just scroll down and click on the “Worksheets and Planning Forms” button) that can be added to a clipboard.
The right planning system will look different for every family. That’s one reason why I love coaching—it’s personalized to your situation.
If you could use some support creating rhythms in your home, it would be my joy to walk alongside you. Together, we can make a plan that fits your family and brings confidence and peace to you and your household, one step at a time.
In a free discovery call, we’ll talk through where you’re feeling stuck, what you’ve tried, and what kind of support would help you move forward.
