Lesson Hearth / Free guides
Homeschooling multiple children: a sample schedule and free weekly template
Teaching several children at home is less about doing everything for everyone and more about deciding what you do together and what each child does alone.
Three ideas that make it work
- Teach together where you can. Read-alouds, history, science, art and music often work across ages, with different follow-up work for each child.
- Rotate one-to-one time. Subjects that need you, like early reading and maths, get a short slot each while the others work alone.
- Prepare independent work in advance. A box or folder per child with the day’s tasks saves a lot of “what do I do now?”
A sample morning
This is just one example. Change the times and subjects to suit your family.
| Time | Together | Child A | Child B | Child C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 | Read-aloud and history | |||
| 9:45 | Maths with parent | Independent reading | Drawing or puzzles | |
| 10:15 | Independent writing | Maths with parent | Building or play | |
| 10:45 | Break and snack | |||
| 11:00 | Reading | Independent maths | Phonics with parent | |
| 11:30 | Science or nature walk |
Free printable: multi-child weekly plan
Week of: ______________
| Day | Together | Child 1: ________ | Child 2: ________ | Child 3: ________ | To prepare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | |||||
| Tuesday | |||||
| Wednesday | |||||
| Thursday | |||||
| Friday |
Tips
- Plan the week on Sunday evening, and prepare the next day’s folders before bed.
- Keep one “Together” subject every day. It gives the day a shape.
- Leave one afternoon a week unplanned for catching up, trips or rest.