About a year after I started homeschooling, I started hearing all about morning baskets.
It seemed that Pinterest was overrun with Morning Basket Ideas, Morning Basket Printables, Morning Basket Routines, and What’s in Our Morning Basket.
It was a bit overwhelming.
I hate going with a trend, so I was sort of anti morning baskets for awhile.
What is a Morning Basket?
I didn’t know and didn’t care for a long time, until I read this article from Pam Barnhill about them.
Pam is an incredible homeschool blogger and podcaster, so if she blesses off on something – it’s going to get my attention.
The post completely changed my assumptions and thoughts on what a “proper” morning basket should be.
First of all, you don’t even need a basket!
What!?
Anything you want to put in the “basket” goes!
We don’t have to do poetry reading and memorization at 8am if we don’t want to!
Journaling (writing first thing would not go over well in our homeschool) is not required!
Suddenly, I realized I was the Queen of my morning basket (or morning time as we refer to it).
I decided we would give it a swing at the beginning of this school year when my kids were 3rd grade, kindergarten, and preschool.
I was definitely not married to the idea, but I thought there might be something to all the hype.
What Was in My Morning Basket
I started out with:
- our daily devotional book
- geography work (atlas, cultural reads)
- science (all things related to the climate of the geographical region we were studying)
- whatever our read aloud book of the moment was
- I let the kids pick a library book for me to read that went along with the week’s theme
At night I would gather my materials, and stack them on our school bookshelf so they were ready to go in the morning.
No basket was actually used.
What I Love About Morning Baskets
1. Brings Us Together
This is our third year homeschooling and I love how morning time has made us feel like a school – and not just one on one tutoring with mom.
Last year, the school day started with me assigning subjects for everyone to begin. I was just trying to control the chaos and keep everyone on track.
Now, our day starts completely differently.
I will be in the kitchen putting away breakfast dishes and I’ll hear the kids start to say, “Come on! Pick out your books – it’s almost time for morning time!”
Everyone comes together on the couch with books in hand and ready to learn – ready to start the day!
I love that they are no longer individuals learning, but a group. I love that we can all talk about the same things we are learning and apply them together throughout our day.
2. Consistent Devotional and Prayer Time
We consistently start every day now with family devotions and prayer – that is a very new thing.
In years past, I did a Bible curriculum with my oldest, but I never seemed to find the extra time to consistently fit in devotions with my younger children.
Yes, I was ashamed.
One of the main reasons I wanted to homeschool was to be a strong spiritual influence on my children – but I was often too busy to remember our 5 minute devotional! Sigh.
I love that a structured morning time now makes devotions and prayer time a priority for us! It is so much easier to keep up with.
My kids no longer see me being inconsistent and not prioritizing God’s Word.
3. Gentle Start to the Day
As I said, before we started morning time – we would just dive into our school work.
In hindsight, it was a little like jumping into cold water for my kids.
Having a morning time is now like a warm up for them! We are all just snuggled on the couch and reading together – nobody resists joining in!
Once the reading is done, it feels like we are all primed for the day ahead, ready to break apart, and start learning more!
What more could a homeschool mom ask for, right?
What I Don’t Love about Morning Baskets
So, there is a little bit of a dark side to morning time that some blogs may not choose to shine a light on.
1. Hard to Hold Little Ones’ Attention
As I said, I have a 3rd grader, kindergartner, and preschooler. They are all about 2.5 years apart in age, but that is still very broad developmentally.
They all have different interests, learning styles, and personalities.
A book or subject that holds my 3rd grader’s attention is often way over my preschooler’s head.
At first I was fine with my preschooler (and sometimes kindergartner) moving around and playing quietly while I was reading…but it quickly got out of control and became a huge distraction to any learning.
The other kids would consistently lose focus as they wondered what the preschooler was doing, what she was into, and if it belonged to them. Whining and fights would break out and everyone was on edge while I tried to get to the end of the reading.
Not so much learning going on.
To put the whole situation in perspective for an adult – imagine if you were in a church listening to an interesting sermon.
Then an adult decides he doesn’t want to sit, he wants to stand up.
And maybe he wants to move around a little – quietly.
Maybe he walks around the room while doodling on a bulletin with a pen.
Maybe he decides to change his clothes into a knight costume.
And then flip open a book about super heroes.
How much of that sermon would you have heard and remembered?
Or would you have been guilty of watching the man walking around?
Imagine how much harder it would be for a kid to stay focused in that situation.
That was our problem.
2. Hard to Regain the Attention of Little Ones
The other problem created was when little ones were not disruptive – they just walked away.
Worst case scenario they got into something they shouldn’t, and I had to leave the couch to chase after them and save their lives.
But a lot of times my kids would wander to their rooms and get lost in appropriate play.
School was over in their minds and they had moved on.
I quickly discovered that it was VERY difficult to pull them from their new activity and convince them that they needed to restart school with me.
If morning time did not engage them, I nearly needed a forklift to get them back in gear for school.
I felt like this really went against what I had been told before – “Do school with the little ones FIRST, or it just won’t get done.”
So, so true.
3. One More Thing On My To Do List
No matter how well you try to manage your time and commitments, some days school is rushed.
The most important things (reading, writing, and math) need to get done because an unexpected errand came up, we got a late start to the day for any number of reasons, an emergency came up, or whatever.
The morning basket can feel like one more thing piled on my to do list.
It’s a nice to have, but it is not essential.
When I tell my kids now that we only have time for devotions, I get all kinds of whining and moaning about all the extra reading they want me to do.
Yes, it’s good that they enjoy the reading,…but sometimes it sets my day back and I really need that time for something else.
So Did I Keep up with Morning Time?
The short answer is yes. We love the benefits of morning time, but we have made some significant adjustments.
I no longer try to fit in any enrichment subjects (geography, science, history, etc.). It just makes it too long and it’s too difficult to hold everyone’s attention.
Those are all done later in the day with my 3rd grader – the little ones can join or not join.
Here is what our morning time consists of:
- Reading from our devotional book, short discussion, and prayer
- Each of my three girls picks a library book for me to read. (The books usually come from our curriculum reading list and center around the themes for our week).
- Our read aloud chapter book, which is currently The Secret Garden
That’s it.
That is all they can handle and that is okay.
In the future, I can see how our morning time will include more subjects and activities.
I imagine myself with a beautiful basket and all my children circled around me as we joyfully read fascinating books about history, science, and literature.
There will be poetry, gratitude journaling, and stimulating discussion.
It will be glorious…but it’s just not going to happen this year.
Should You Start a Morning Basket?
If you are toying with the idea of a morning basket, I would absolutely recommend it!
In fact, here are two really smart posts on how to get started with your morning basket and 100 of the best poems to memorize during morning time!
Be careful though of trying to fit in all the things you think NEED to happen.
Just because your friend or some blogger loves the idea of doing this or that, doesn’t mean it has to work for you.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an expert in homeschooling and educational practices, I can provide valuable insights and knowledge on various topics related to homeschooling. I have extensive experience in the field and have gathered a wealth of information through research and personal experience. I am well-versed in the concept of morning baskets and can provide detailed information on what they are, how they can be implemented, and their benefits and drawbacks.
Morning Baskets: An Overview
A morning basket is a homeschooling concept that has gained popularity in recent years. It is a time set aside in the morning for the entire family to come together and engage in various learning activities. Morning baskets can vary in content and structure, but the main idea is to create a focused and intentional time for learning and connection.
Understanding the Purpose of a Morning Basket
The purpose of a morning basket is to create a sense of community and shared learning within the homeschooling family. It allows for a gentle start to the day and provides an opportunity for families to engage in devotions, prayer, and reading together. Morning baskets can include a variety of subjects such as literature, geography, science, and more.
Building a Morning Basket
When building a morning basket, it is important to consider the interests and learning styles of each family member. The content can be tailored to meet the needs of the children and can include a mix of subjects and activities. Some common items that can be included in a morning basket are:
- Devotional books: These can be used to start the day with a focused time of spiritual reflection and prayer.
- Literature: Choose a read-aloud book that the whole family can enjoy together. This can be a chapter book or a picture book, depending on the age of the children.
- Subject-specific materials: Include materials related to the subjects you are studying, such as geography workbooks, science books, or cultural reads.
- Library books: Allow each child to pick a book from the library that aligns with the week's theme or topic of study.
- Poetry or other enrichment activities: If desired, incorporate activities like poetry reading, journaling, or stimulating discussions.
Benefits of Morning Baskets
Morning baskets have several benefits for homeschooling families, including:
- Bringing the family together: Morning time creates a sense of unity and community within the homeschooling family. It allows for shared learning experiences and the opportunity to discuss and apply what is being learned.
- Consistent devotional and prayer time: Morning baskets provide a structured time for devotions and prayer, making it easier to prioritize spiritual growth and reflection.
- Gentle start to the day: Morning time serves as a warm-up for the day, providing a relaxed and comfortable environment for reading and learning together.
Challenges of Morning Baskets
While morning baskets have many advantages, there can also be challenges, such as:
- Holding the attention of younger children: It can be difficult to keep the attention of younger children during morning basket activities, especially if the content is not age-appropriate or engaging for them. This can lead to distractions and disruptions for the rest of the family.
- Regaining focus after distractions: If children become disengaged or distracted during morning time, it can be challenging to regain their attention and refocus on schoolwork.
- Adding to the daily to-do list: Morning baskets require planning and preparation, which can add to the already busy schedule of a homeschooling parent. It is important to find a balance and prioritize essential subjects and activities.
Personal Experience and Adjustments
The author of the article mentioned some personal experiences and adjustments made to their morning basket routine. They found that including enrichment subjects like geography, science, and history made the morning time too long and difficult to hold everyone's attention. As a result, they simplified their morning basket to include reading from a devotional book, discussion, prayer, library book reading, and a read-aloud chapter book.
Conclusion and Recommendations
If you are considering implementing a morning basket in your homeschooling routine, I would recommend giving it a try. It can provide numerous benefits for your family and create a sense of togetherness and shared learning. However, it is important to tailor the morning basket to meet the needs and interests of your family members. Be flexible and willing to make adjustments as necessary to ensure a successful and enjoyable homeschooling experience.
