The Ultimate Guide to Homeschool Loop Schedules
As homeschooling parents, we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our kids’ education and make the most of every moment. One helpful tool for managing our time and ensuring we accomplish everything we need to is the homeschool loop schedule. Now, you might be thinking, “What the heck is a loop schedule? Is it some sort of fancy workout routine?” Don’t worry my homeschooling friend, I’ve got you covered with all the details.
What is a Homeschool Loop Schedule?
A loop schedule is a flexible approach to homeschool planning that allows you to rotate through a list of subjects or activities without feeling tied to a strict schedule. Here’s how it works. You create a list of all the subjects or activities you want to cover, like math, science, history, art, and so on. Then, instead of scheduling each one for a specific day or time, you order them in a loop.
Benefits of a Homeschool Loop Schedule
The beauty of the loop schedule is that it allows you to be flexible and spontaneous with your homeschooling while still ensuring that everything gets done. You don’t have to worry about falling behind or feeling guilty for not sticking to a strict schedule. If you have extra time in your day, you can work on an extra subject from your loop. If something unexpected comes up, you can easily adjust your schedule without throwing everything off track.
Another benefit of a loop schedule is that it allows you to easily incorporate new subjects or activities into your homeschool routine without having to make major adjustments to your schedule. If you want to start teaching your kids a foreign language or add in a nature study, you can simply add it to your loop and adjust the time allotted for each subject as needed.
How to Create a Homeschool Loop Schedule
First, you need to determine your goals and the subjects and activities you want to cover according to your child’s grade level and interests. Then, list those subjects and activities in a document or planner and divide them into different categories, such as core, elective, extracurricular, and fun activities. Prioritize them based on their importance.
Next, assign a time frame for each subject and activity, depending on its importance and relevance to your child’s learning. For example, you can allocate more time for core subjects like math and language arts.
Once you’ve prioritized your subjects, create a loop starting with the most important ones. For example, if Math and Language Arts are your top priorities, start with those and then rotate through other subjects like Science, History, and Art. The beauty of a loop schedule is that you can adjust it as needed and add or subtract subjects as you see fit.
Start with the first category and do as much as you can within the time frame you set. If you finish everything, congratulations! You can proceed to the next category. If not, no worries, you can resume where you left off next time, or skip it temporarily and move on to the next category.
There may be some subjects such as Math and Language Arts that you want to be sure to complete every school day. These subjects can be addressed in a few different ways. They can either be listed separately from your loop schedule, included multiple times in your loop, or you can use multiple loops. Don’t worry, I’ll give you some examples below of the different ways that you can use loop schedules in your homeschool.
Example of a Basic Loop Schedule
Math
Language Arts
Science
History
Art
If you only had time to complete Math, Language Arts, and Science on Monday, you would start with History on Tuesday and continue your Loop until you are out of time that day.
History
Art
Math
Language Arts
Science
Example of Daily Subjects Separated from Loop Schedule
If you want to be sure to complete Math and Language Arts every school day, you can list these separately as Daily Subjects, and then create a Loop Schedule for your remaining subjects and activities.
DAILY: (these you will complete first every day before beginning your Loop)
Math
Language Arts
LOOP:
Science
History
Art
Music
Example of Loop Schedule with Daily Subjects Listed Multiple Times
Another way to make sure certain subjects are covered daily is to list them multiple times in your Loop Schedule. Here is an example of what this might look like.
Math
Science
Art
Math
History
Music
Math
Typing
Critical Thinking
Example of Using Multiple Loops
Another way to incorporate different subjects and activities into your routine is to create multiple loops. Your schedule might look something like this.
DAILY:
Bible
Math
LANGUAGE ARTS LOOP:
Reading
Creative Writing
Vocabulary
Spelling
Grammar
Handwriting
LOOP 1:
History
Science
LOOP 2:
Art
Music
Typing
Coding
Cooking
In this example, you might choose to complete your daily subjects first, then begin working through your Language Art Loop for the allotted amount of time, picking up where you left off the following day. Then choose one subject from each of your remaining two Loops to complete each day of the week. You would complete 5 subjects each day using this method.
If you want to try out Loop Scheduling, try using a Loop Schedule Planner.
The loop schedule is a flexible, fun, and efficient way to cover your child’s learning needs without stressing yourself out or overloading your child’s brain. By following the tips and examples I shared in this blog post, you can create a homeschool loop schedule that will make your homeschooling journey more enjoyable, organized, and memorable. Happy Looping!
