A Quick Guide to Morning Time
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Have you seen the kids gathered around the table happily studying a flower during morning time? Or listening to their mom reading a book? If this is something you want for your homeschool, here’s a quick guide to morning time to get you started!
But What In the World Is Morning Time?
Morning time is a phrase for a group gathering time for the family. You could always use is circle time, however, circle time sounds like preschool. Have you tried convincing your teenagers to sit down for circle time? It isn’t going to happen!
Since most families, especially the families who first began writing about this early morning liturgy, sat down first thing in the morning, this group gathering time became quickly became known as morning time.
During this table time, you sit down and cover various subjects as a family. Some families prefer to keep to just a couple of subjects each morning. Other families have a beautiful routine that takes up most of the morning. It’s really up to you and your children which method works best for you.
Why Should You Use Morning Time in Your Homeschool?
Have you noticed that certain subjects are skipped constantly? Often poetry memorization, art, music appreciation are the first to hit the chopping block.
But these are the subjects that add beauty to the homeschool. They teach children there’s value to beauty, not just what’s utilitarian.
And it keeps the family on the same page.
As kids get older, they become more independent. Soon they’re doing all of their studies by themselves. Morning time gives the family a gathering point. A time to learn together. A time to enjoy the finer things in life together.
Sample Subjects and Resources to Use During Morning Time
Almost any subject can be studied during this time.
Read aloud great literature at the table. You’ll be able to read harder material than your children are able to read for themselves. As you read you can discuss characters, plot, setting, and foretelling. Try reading great literature such as The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, A Christmas Carol, or Little House in the Big Woods with your kids.
Memorize poetry together. There are many wonderful poems to memorize such as Song of the Witches, The Little Turtle, and The Eagle.
Discuss writing assignments together. Chat about writing stories, essays, or biographies. Have your children journal for a few minutes every morning at the table or simply complete a few lines of copy work.
Do math and grammar.
Often families pass out math fact sheets or grammar drill sheets to be completed. Usually, these only take a couple of minutes for the children to complete. If your kids are close in age, you can all use the same sheets. If your children’s ages are widespread, then use age-appropriate sheets.
Latin phrases can be memorized or even Latin studied. Memoria Press has a lovely Latin Song curriculum titled Lingua Angelica.
History can be studied with the Story of the World series. Simply read a bit once a day or once a week. Don’t forget to complete the geography work in the activity guides.
Science can be studied through nature study or Marci’s Backyard Science. It’s easy to bring a bit of nature inside to study in the warmth of your home. Encourage the kids to sketch and notebook about what they’re studying.
Art is wonderful to add to the morning. Pull out art supplies.
And don’t forget to study music!
A Quick Guide to Morning Time
The best way to start a morning-time liturgy for your own family is to keep it short and sweet. The long, detailed routines of other families may be where you’d love to end up. But start by creating the habit of sitting down first thing in the morning with a short routine.
Read a chapter of your favorite read-aloud. Pull out chalk pastels so the kids do a bit of artwork while you read. Listen to good music, recite and memorize poetry. The options are yours.
Start with 3 things you find most important. For instance, music appreciation tends to get skipped in my house. So that’s a good one for our morning time routine. Math virtually never gets skipped. So it’s not on my priority list.
So choose a few subjects to start and go from there. Remember that you can also alternate subjects throughout the week. You don’t have to complete memorization, grammar, and science every single day.
Try rotating between history, nature study, music appreciation, and picture study throughout the week.
Make Morning Time Pleasant
Make your gathering time a favorite time of the day for your children. Begin by starting beautiful music or ringing a bell. Light a candle, say a prayer and sing together.
Layout hot chocolate, tea, or cookies as you begin. Dim the lights or pull out art supplies. The goal is to make morning time as pleasant as possible.
Make it a special time of the day.
No, morning time doesn’t HAVE to be in the morning
Just because we always refer to morning time as morning time, it’s just a name, doesn’t mean YOU have to do it in the morning. Did that even make sense?
If your family naturally gathers together in the evenings after dinner, enjoy morning time, group time, special time, or whatever you want to call it, at that point in the day. Light a candle, read good books, enjoy poetry and artwork. Have long discussions about what you’re studying in history. Spend time together pursuing educational pursuits, not for the vocational value, but simply to enjoy learning together.
Morning time isn’t just for the morning!
Learn more about morning time:
Here are some wonderful articles to add to this guide to morning time from around the web.
- What’s in Your Morning Time Basket?
- Morning Time – A Liturgy of Love
- The Morning Basket: A Place for the Good, True, & Beautiful
- Pros and Cons of Morning Time
Have you started a morning time routine for your family?
YES! Morning time can be anytime. We try to stick to the morning but when life gets in the way we do it when we can 🙂
I love how flexible morning time is! You can adapt it to the needs of your homeschool. 🙂