Homeschool burnout is real, and it affects both children and parents. I describe it as a funk or a rut. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, it will happen at some point in your homeschool journey. Homeschool burnout is mental and physical exhaustion from homeschooling, and it normally shows up in the middle of the school year or toward the end. I've been homeschooling since 2012, and not a year goes by that we don't experience it — sometimes it's me, sometimes it's one of the children. When someone is mentally and physically exhausted, we're just not productive. So here are the 10 tips I turn to that help us get out of our funk.
10 tips to overcome homeschool burnout
1. Go outside
Getting some sun, exercise, and observing nature are great ways to get over burnout. While you're outside, have the children draw a picture of what they see, go for nature walks, find different types of leaves and colors in nature, write in a nature journal, see who can do the most jumping jacks, play hide and seek, draw with sidewalk chalk, make a picnic lunch and eat it under a tree, or see who can find the most sticks. Being outside on a sunny day always lifts my spirits and helps shake off the exhaustion.
2. Do a read-aloud
A read-aloud can help with burnout — just pick a funny book or a family favorite (something other than your current read-aloud). To make it fun, all curl up on the couch, put pillows and blankets on the floor, build a fort, let the older kids do the reading, or let the kids act out the story.
3. Take a field trip
Field trips are my favorite part of homeschooling! It's always fun to get out of the house, and they don't have to cost an arm and a leg. Ideas include virtual field trips, museums (many offer homeschool rates on weekdays), the public library, the post office, police and fire departments, city hall, the zoo, nature parks, aquariums, government buildings, historic places, military landmarks, cooking classes, and art and craft stores. We once took a fun trip to Krispy Kreme to see how donuts are made — and of course we had to try some! The more hands-on the kids can be, the more they learn and enjoy it.
4. Bake something
Baking or making something is always fun when the whole family is involved. It's also a sneaky way to work in some fractions, teach the kids to follow step-by-step directions, and work together to accomplish a task. It will leave your kitchen a mess — so take the time to teach another life skill: how to properly clean the kitchen. (Hungry for ideas? Browse the recipes.)
5. Do a 4-day school week with a Fun Friday
We do a four-day school week, and it helps us so much. It gives us a flexible schedule: if I need to take a day off, I can; if we want a field trip, we can; if I need to move our school days around, I can. Once I figured out how to be flexible, it was the best thing for me and the kids — and changing things up has always helped with burnout.
6. Do arts and crafts
I'm not a crafty mom, so this one has been hard for me — but so many moms are wonderful at it. I've found that having children draw, color, paint, or use Play-Doh can make any learning more fun. Changing a lesson just a little can make it more hands-on, which is the best kind of learning for everyone.
7. Take a break
Sometimes taking a break from homeschooling is the best cure for burnout. Whether it's one day or an entire week, take the time you or the kids need to recover from the mental or physical exhaustion. Some families homeschool for six weeks and then take a week off — another great way to build in breaks and fight burnout before it starts.
8. Watch a documentary or educational movie
It's always fun to have a movie day! Make a fort, cover the floor with blankets and pillows, pop some popcorn, and spend the day learning something together. The library, YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Pureflix are just a few of the many resources out there for documentaries, educational videos, and educational movies.
9. Let the kids plan their day
We all learn more easily when we're interested in something, so letting your kids plan their day is a great way to fight burnout. It doesn't have to be complicated. If your child loves cooking, let them plan a menu for the day, buy the supplies, and do the cooking while you supervise. If they're curious about how a video game got started, let them research and learn as much as they can. It's the kids' day — let them enjoy it and learn something new.
10. Do gameschooling
Gameschooling is becoming more and more popular, with companies creating more board games and video games that children can learn from. If you're not sure what it is or which subjects it can teach, check out What Is Gameschooling?
Homeschool burnout is going to happen sometime during the year — but if you're prepared for it, it's so much easier to overcome.
Be kind to yourself
Burnout doesn't mean you're doing it wrong — it means you're human, and so are your kids. Keep these ten ideas in your back pocket, and the next time the funk hits, you'll know exactly how to shake it off. For more encouragement, read 5 Stress-Free Tips for a New Homeschool Mom, and be sure to check out our Russells Loving Life YouTube channel for curriculum flip-throughs, "do a lesson with us" videos, and day-in-the-life videos. Grab the free starter checklist below to keep your year on track.
Free homeschool starter checklist
A simple one-page checklist to keep your homeschool year joyful and on track.
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