7 Tips for Homeschooling Multiple Kids

How do I teach my kids of different ages without letting anybody fall through the cracks?

Remember those charming stories of one-room schoolhouses where children of all ages learned together? Well, welcome to your modern version! Teaching multiple children at once can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it can be an enriching experience for everyone involved.

Here are some strategies to help you thrive in your multi-age classroom: 

1. Embrace Group Subjects.

Some subjects can often be taught to multiple ages simultaneously. Adjust the depth of follow-up work for each child's level.

Think about it. It's true that some subjects, like Math and English, build concept upon concept. You can't master fractions if you don't have a good handle on whole numbers yet. You can't diagram sentences if you're still learning what a noun or verb is. But other subjects, like History, Literature, and Science, do not have to follow a certain order to be effective.

Consider Science, for example. One kindergarten class may start by teaching the 7 Days of Creation. Another may start by teaching the 5 Senses. Still another may start by teaching about the Solar System. These concepts do not necessarily build on each other, so you could easily start a kindergartener and a 2nd grader both with the same material, adjusting the instruction to each child's comprehension level as needed.

(Side note for future reference: This is also why, I believe, standardized test scores in these subjects may often have the most fluctuation for elementary-aged students. In our family's experience, a younger child can score very well on English and Math but score poorly on Science or Social Studies, simply because they haven't yet been exposed to the material presented. This tends to even out as they get older and have had opportunity to study a greater variety of topics).

2. Implement a Loop Schedule.

Instead of trying to do every subject every day, rotate through subjects on a loop. This allows you to give focused attention to each child in turn.

You can allow one child to work on something he can do independently while you work with another child on work she needs your one-on-one assistance with.

Insider Idea: I'm going to let you in on something I started doing with my kids. I have four kids, and we do a four-day school week. A while back, I decided to assign each child his/her own "day." That doesn't mean I ignore the other three, but it does mean that each child has certain privileges (& duties) assigned with his/her "day."

For example, we have an oversized chair I use for quiet times in the mornings. On each child's "day," he/she has exclusive rights to sit there with me before starting school. What else comes with the day? Leading meal-time prayers/blessing, having first turn on their favorite video games (after school, of course), and, their favorite... doing their laundry. 😊 That's a bonus for me, of course. My kids are all old enough now to know how to use the washer and dryer, so on their "days," they have the responsibility of making sure their laundry gets washed and dried (still working on getting everybody to fold and put it away promptly).

3. Utilize Peer Teaching.

If you've read my previous post about how I homeschool multiples, you already know this is one of my favorite strategies!

Older children can often help younger ones, reinforcing their own learning and developing leadership skills.

The best way to know that you know something is to try to explain it and teach someone else!

There have been many times when my older kids either had a lighter workload one day or just needed a mental reprieve from Algebra and Physics. Those are great times to have them work with one of their younger siblings and help with some Spelling tests, guide them in drafting a personal essay, or teach them some easy (for them) Math.

4. Create Independent Work Stations.

A lot of times, one of the obstacles you have to overcome with multiples is simply keeping them from distracting one another (Let's be real: That's a challenge in a school classroom, too, right?).

One idea to help with this is to set up areas where children can work independently while you focus on another child.

Alternatively, you can allow children to disperse to different places in the house to focus on their work independently of each other. My kids love taking their books and/or iPads* (for video courses) to the living room sofa, to a cozy chair in another room, or even sometimes to their bedrooms.

Rarely, if ever, will you find all four of my kids sitting around a table together doing school.

5. Use Technology Wisely.

Educational apps and online programs can keep some children engaged while you work one-on-one with another. This can be a life-saver for you, keeping education continuing even when you can't devote your undivided attention to every kid at the same time.

If you've followed me for long, you know that I am an advocate of video curriculum, especially for moms who are teaching multiples and/or are working jobs and/or have little ones to tend to (I've been in all three of those categories at the same time, so I know how it is).

I go into detail about the pros and cons of video curriculum in this video.

*Side note: I highly recommend Apple products for the protections and parental controls you can enable on these devices. If you're concerned about your child wandering off of their lesson to other places on the web, Guided Access is a great feature that disables the portions of the screen that you select.

6. Prioritize One-on-One Time.

Make sure each child gets some individual attention each day, even if it's just for 15-20 minutes.

If you get to the end of your school day and find that you haven't been able to get around to each child individually, perhaps invite one of them to help you make dinner, or find another way to include each one in your space before the day is over. You can have one of them sit with you if you relax as a family after dinner. You can take a few minutes to talk with each one before saying goodnight at the end of the day. Be creative and innovative, but don't overthink it. Your kids love being with you, so grab the time with each one as you can.

Look for ways to have those one-on-one contact points, even if it's not always in a structured way.

7. Teach Life Skills Together.

Pivoting off of the previous tip, while you can use dinner prep as great one-on-one time with one child, cooking, gardening, or household projects can also be a great way for involving everyone all at once.

Don't forget that home education is not only about textbooks and traditional subjects. We are preparing our children for life. Practicing life skills together provides valuable learning experiences and quality time together.

With the high popularity of suburban/urban homesteading and all of the topics surrounding it, there are so many ways to incorporate life skills into your homeschool. Hydroponic gardening systems can grow herbs and small plants on your kitchen counter. We even planted a peach tree several years ago in our small backyard and get a massive harvest every year! Teaching basic safety skills when using a stovetop, explaining food handling safety (why we put the mayo back in the fridge when we're done with it or why we don't cut veggies with the same knife we just used for raw meat), demonstrating how to safely chop an onion... These are all educational opportunities we often take for granted, but they can be so valuable for our kids in the long run.

Experience = Education.

I've come to consider just about any experience to be educational. If the kids help me pull weeds, they're learning something. If they help me water the tomatoes, they're learning something. If they help me make salads for dinner, they're learning something.

Take advantage of every opportunity, and don't take any opportunity for granted!

Remember, the goal isn't to recreate separate classroom experiences for each child, but to create a rich, integrated learning environment that benefits everyone.

If you're looking for more strategies on homeschooling your children effectively, my Homeschool Crash Course is for you. And don't forget about our live group coaching calls that can be added on to your 12 months of access to the course. It's a perfect opportunity to get personalized advice on managing your unique, multi-child homeschool situation.

You're doing amazing work, and your children are so blessed to have such a dedicated teacher!

Because our kids deserve better,

Amy