Having an after school routine is so important and pivotal to how well my house functions during the school year. We aren’t strict with this and some days call for a more lenient approach, but I found my children thrive with routine.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Get my full disclosure here.
3:30-3:45pm Unload Backpacks and Lunchboxes/ Get Changed
Unloading backpacks and lunchboxes is of great importance in our house; especially on Fridays because there is nothing worse than find the lunchbox on Monday and it is all kinds of disgusting. I also like my kids to completely empty their backpacks so we don’t miss papers or homework assignments.
My children go to private school and as a result the wear uniforms and so some of those uniform pieces are very expensive. That is why my children go right upstairs and get changed into play clothes.
3:45-4:30pm Eat a Healthy Snack/ Play Outside/ Free Time
I try to make sure my kids have a healthy snack after school waiting for them. It doesn’t happen every day, but it is definitely the goal. Our snacks are usually fruit, popcorn, veggies, cheese, etc.
If the weather is nice, they go outside and play. If the weather is poor, sometimes I’ll allow them them to watch a show or they just get free reign to play. I do find this time important for my kids because they have structured desk time all day and now they just need time to decompress.
During this time, I take the opportunity to look through my children’s agenda books from school. I write down all of their homework using this weekly tear-off planner so I know what needs to be completed and when their tests are as well. I write the assignments down and then highlight my daughter’s in pink, J’s in green, and A’s in blue. This is also when I (as a little extra) make flashcards of all of their memorization work for easy repetition. It has been a game changer for us. Our school focuses on a classical education so my children have to memorize assignments in Poetry, Spelling, Catechism, Phonics, and Dictation.
4:30-5:30pm Homework/ Quiet Play
At the school my children attend, homework is only mandatory once they get to 3rd grade. This year is the first year that we really need to be firm on completing homework. So far an hour has been sufficient, but as my kids get older I know they will probably need more time for homework.
The way I keep my other younger children (first grade, kindergarten, and 3yo) occupied is having “Homework” folders and assignments for them to do as long as they don’t have their own work to complete. I have coloring sheets, coloring books, sticker by number books, and other activities books for each of them according to their age and ability. They are also able to go listen to an audiobook with the Yoto player (which is amazing!).
5:30-6:15pm Dinner Preparation/ Dinner Chores
This is time is set aside for me to finish getting dinner ready, for the kids to do a 10 minute tidy with this visual timer that my kids love and they help me get the table set and ready for dinner. If my oldest needs more time for homework he can continue to finish that work during this time as well. I also will use this time to grab those flashcards and go over the memory work while I’m cooking. It has been awesome.
6:15-7:15pm Dinner time/ Family Time
This is the only time during the school week that my kids have time with their dad. It is a very important part of our after school routine. After dinner, my kids clear their plates and then they play with their dad while I clean up the dinner dishes and kitchen. Most nights I’ll find my husband in the living room rough housing or wrestling the kids and they are having a blast.
7:15pm Bedtime Routine
This is when we start our bedtime routine. Our bed time routine usually lasts about 30-40 minutes and my husband does most of it. We say a family Rosary, read books, takes showers, take our medicines/vitamins, brush teeth and say our night prayers.
Conclusion
Is this what everyday after school looks like? Mostly, yes, but sometimes no. My son has baseball practice 2 school nights a week and so we shift some things and make adjustments, but overall, this after school routine has proven to be pretty great for my family. The best part about having a routine is that my kids know what to expect. They know what they should be doing. I don’t get bombarded with a million questions of what to do.