Creative Learning- A Waldorf-Inspired Day in the Life

This post is one in a series on homeschool methods. Scroll to the bottom to see links to the other posts in the series.

Today is a Thursday, much like any other in our home. As Waldorf-Inspired homeschoolers our days follow a predictable rhythm. We learn in blocks, spending 3 or 4 weeks delving into our topic, learning through story, song and art. At the moment we are in a traditional third grade block; textiles and clothing. Specific topics are used in each year level in this method (you can find out more about that here). I have crafted this block myself and I’m really excited to be teaching it. I love designing our program but when I get stuck or busy I make use of the blocks from Earth Schooling.

Welcome into our home…

6:30 am My 8 year old is up and getting his chores done, including feeding the chickens. By 7:30am his 3 year old sister is up as well. I spend some time alone before the start of the day, catching up on emails and checking my social media. By 8am we are all up and ready for the day. I put on the washing and get the dishes and any other housework done while the kids are playing.

9am The school day starts. I sing a song to get the kids racing in to the kitchen and we begin our morning circle by lighting a candle and reciting a short verse. My daughter tries to join in where she can and we include a few little songs just for her. While Nikolai works on poetry recitation, clapping games, singing and recorder practice, Wynter draws, sings, and begs for snacks 😉 We practice some times tables with the help of our multiplication wheel and some yarn then finish up with a closing verse.

9:30am A short transition verse and we’re on to Main Lesson. I confess I’m not a morning person, so all of my prep work was done the night before. Wynter listens in on the story then wanders into the living room to play. A play rug and some toy farm animals are set up in there this morning to keep her occupied so that my son can be my main focus for now. We start by chatting about yesterday’s work and Nikolai writes a summary into his Main Lesson Book to go with the painting her worked on yesterday. Then comes story time. Today it is a story about a Chinese Empress who discovers silk while taking tea in her garden. While I tell the story we use beeswax to model the cocoons and moths in our story. We use the blackboard to practice the drawing that will go into his MLB then the kids head outside to eat their morning tea and play. I hang the washing on the line and put another load in the machine.

10:45am The kids have burnt off their energy so it’s back to lessons. Nikolai settles down to work through some maths problems while I sit with Wynter for a while. I read her favourite book. Twice. And then she is off playing again while I check in on her big brother. He is done by about quarter past eleven then decides to card silk fibres while he plays on the swing. We’ll use these later in a felting project. Wynter and I collect the eggs from the henhouse then she comes with me to fold up yesterday’s laundry before we break for lunch. We sing a short blessing before we eat.

12:30pm Tomorrow we will be hiking with friends, so Nikolai bakes us chocolate brownies while his sister steals spoonfuls from the mixing bowl. On days we don’t bake we use this time for handwork, art or music lessons.

1pm Wynter goes down for a nap, Nikolai heads downstairs to read and play quietly and I take the chance to get some work done on my blog and to answer emails before I pick up my knitting for a while.

3pm The kids and I mulch and water the garden then I help Nikolai finish off his leatherworking project.

4pm The kids play while I cook dinner.

5pm Daddy’s home so it’s dinner time. As we finish up Nikolai asks us all for our favourite part of the day. This is a special ritual in our home, and he doesn’t go a day without asking. Once the meal is over the kids clear the table and then take it in turn for showers.

6pm It’s a weeknight so no screens for us. Once the kids are in their pyjamas we all snuggle on the couch, listening to music and reading books until bedtime.

7pm The kids are off to bed with a final verse and a book each. I prepare for tomorrow’s adventures and then knock off for the day. Goodnight x

Want to learn more about homeschool methods? Take a look at the other posts in this series.

Kirstee Raki :: This Whole Home

Kirstee is a Waldorf-Inspired homeschool mama from Australia. She has one husband, two children, too many chickens and a mastiff who thinks she’s people. Nikolai is in third grade and Wynter is almost three. Their days are spent learning around the kitchen table or wandering the mountains and forests with friends. You can find her in her half renovated home, nestled between the mountains and the sea, or on the pages of her blog This Whole Home, where she offers practical advice and inspiration to Waldorf-Inspired mamas and holistic homeschoolers.

*This post is one in a series on homeschool methods. Scroll to the bottom to see links to the other posts in the series. *

Welcome into our home…

Want to learn more about homeschool methods? Take a look at the other posts in this series.

Disclosure:

This post is one in a series on homeschool methods. Scroll to the bottom to see links to the other posts in the series.