5 Reasons We Homeschool Year Round

I’ll admit, deciding to homeschool year round wasn’t an easy decision, but I’m so glad we decided to go ahead and do it!

Growing up, I’d look forward to summer all year long. I was, after all, a public school student and the summer season was one of the only times I could have something of a break. I’ve never really enjoyed the hot weather of the summer, but you can bet I enjoyed that break from the daily stresses of school.

As much as I enjoyed summer break I, even as a child, would notice the bit of educational regression that would occur during the summer. It was somewhat disappointing, you know? To spend September – June working hard only to forget information in the summer.

Now that I’m homeschooling my own kids, though, we’ve decided that it can actually be good to continue homeschooling through the summer.

Deciding to homeschool year round was not a decision we took lightly. A lot of thought and discussion went into it. If you’re considering homeschooling year round, you might have some of the same concerns and see some of the same benefits as we did!

Let’s chat about the reasons we decided to start homeschooling year round, shall we?

What about Breaks?!

Let’s just get this out of the way, m’kay? When I say we’re homeschooling year round, I certainly don’t mean that we homeschool every.single.day. Ha!

That would be completely exhausting and overwhelming, wouldn’t it? We are NOT about that life.

When I say we homeschool year round, I mean that we make a conscious effort to continue learning, even when traditional schools may be “on break.” Our homeschool schedule isn’t like a traditional school schedule, though.

Instead of doing studies for a set number of hours each day for a set number of days each week…for a set number of days each year, we break up the learning. We take breaks when our bodies and minds are tired. We visit museums, we go on field trips, we learn through travel experiences!

Learning All Year Long

No More Regression

Prior to homeschooling, my kids were enrolled in public school. Even though they were only in “the system” for a few years, even they noticed the summer time regression and were frustrated by it. Deciding to homeschool year round means that they’re learning new things every day…even if it’s not on purpose!

Deliberately taking 2-3 months off of consciously making the decision to focus and learn just doesn’t make sense.

Setting the Stage for Success

If you have a job, you are most likely working year round, right? I mean, unless you are a teacher, you probably don’t get to take summers off of work. You probably take a few days off here and there, but not 2 months at a time.

Not that I want to make my kids grow up any faster than they are already, but homeschooling year round does help to prepare them for having jobs later in life.

More Small Breaks

If you follow me on social media, you may have noticed that we do something called “Fun Friday” in our home. Instead of planning homeschooling lessons and such Monday-Friday, we will take Friday “off” for more fun and hands-on experiences.

Because we typically take 1 day “off” per week, it just makes more sense for my kids to continue their homeschool activities throughout the year.

More Travel

We LOVE to travel and, because we homeschool year round, we’re able to take advantage of multiple opportunities to travel throughout the year.

Public school families are typically restricted from travel during the regular school year unless it’s during a holiday weekend or the summer. And, if you ask me, those are the times when I’d rather not travel because places get so crowded!

Homeschooling year round allows us to take time “off” to travel during the “off season.” I’m all for avoiding crowds and taking advantage of lower travel prices!

A Love of Learning

As a public school student myself, you can bet that I was NOT open to any sort of academic activities during the summer months. Sure, I’d participate in summer reading programs, but that was about it. I had already done my time and the summer was my time to relax. Even if it did eventually get boring!

(Did you know Pizza Hut still has their reading program? Sign the kids up so they can earn free pizza, too!)

Homeschooling year round helps my kids (and yours!) to develop a true love of learning. They are often free to complete activities at their (reasonable) pace, aren’t held to any hard deadlines (even adults ask their bosses for project extensions!), and aren’t controlled by the thought of “summer is a break from learning.”

Starting a New School Year

If you’re considering homeschooling year round, I’d love to hear your reasons for doing so! Share your experience in That Homeschool Family Hangout or leave a comment!

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy quality time with your family,