Where to start?

When my daughter turned 3 I felt the pressure to figure things out. At the time, my daughter was already excelling in academics (aka: the first child performer syndrome) but I knew we both needed some structure to our time at home.

I researched and came across the practice of "Morning Basket."

It took us a while to find our own unique groove, but this morning basket practice has been foundational to our home learning. We eat breakfast and then sit on the couch in the living room. The basket is already set, all I have to do is grab the books and read the predetermined amount of each.

This routine helps start our morning with intentional time that is void of academic pressure for the kids. We usually start with one bible story, one kids devotional, a character building story, and then we rotate through various other options.

When my daughter was 3, it usually lasted 20 mins with just Bible, Devo, and a couple picture books. Now that she is older, we have worked our way up to over an hour of reading time in the mornings. We now also have an additional book tub ready for quiet coloring that they can get into if they need to keep their hands busy.

Preschool Morning Basket Ideas:

- Beginner Bible/Jesus Storybook Bible

- One Year Devo for Preschoolers/Jesus Wants All of Me

- The Children's Book of Virtues

-Variety of Picture Books (can be themed based on season/holiday/etc.)

- Flash Cards to review

Kindergarten Morning Basket Ideas:

- Jesus Storybook Bible/ Egermeier's Bible Story Book

- How Great is Our God/Indescribable

- Aesops Fables for Children

- Bible/Theology Flashcards (https://thedailygraceco.com or www.tinytheologians.com)

- Picture Books or Chapter Book Read Aloud

First Grade +:

All of the Kindergarten, then add subjects as desired.

We have added our history, which is in read aloud format. We have also added catechisms, spanish, and some science readers.

I have found that when we start the day with this intentional time, the rest of our day goes smoother. It sets the tone, establishes connection, and covers a lot of content once mastered.