Homeschool Morning Time Menu

Today I want to share with you our homeschool morning time menu! With back to school just around the corner, I have been working hard on updating them and getting them ready for use. I hope this post will give you an understanding of what a morning menu is and how we use it in our homeschool.

What is a Morning Menu?

A morning time menu is pretty much exactly what is sounds like! It is a menu of our rhythm/activities that we work through in the morning before we start our schoolwork for the day. We literally use a clear, multiple page menu cover that you would see in a restaurant. I found them on Amazon here and they work perfect for our needs! We use them like a dry erase board. You can write directly on the cover, and then erase right off each day! If you choose to go this route, and incorporate a morning menu, you can customize it to whatever you and your child need! The following is what we have chosen to use in our menus for the upcoming school year:

Menu Cover

For the front of our Morning Menu’s, I created a cover for each of my boys. On the cover I have each boys’ names, a sunshine graphic, and a bible verse. I like to have their names on the front so that they don’t grab each other’s menus. “This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24.

Our Homeschool Rhythm

When my boys first open their morning menu, the first thing they see is a copy of our daily homeschool rhythm. Each of my boy’s menu’s is customized to them. Graham’s (5) has our morning routine, his school subjects that we aim to do each day, as well as the subjects we do on a loop schedule. Beckett’s (3) has his routine outlined and is filled in with his alphabet/number activity practice. I like them to have this visual because both my boys really thrive on a routine or ”rhythm” and it helps them know what is coming next throughout our homeschool day.

Calendar

Next, I have two pages of Calendar work for each boy. In the past I have found printable’s online, but this year I wanted them to be very simple and straight to the point, so I made my own. The first page is a large monthly calendar where they trace the month and then trace/circle the day that we are on.

The next page of calendar work has a space for my boys to circle the actual day of the week, the month we are in, the season, and the weather! We usually sing our days of the week/ months of the year and a cute weather song during this time as well. Doing this everyday really helps us ease into our homeschool day.

After the calendar section, the boy’s morning menu’s differ depending on each boys ages/needs!

Graham (5)

Scripture Memorization

This semester we are going to work on memorizing Genesis 1:1-27. I have the entire scripture printed out and a few graphics that go along with it. This came from our Co-Op resource center, so unfortunately, I cannot share the exact one we are using. However, you could easily make this yourself in a Word document. We are taking it verse by verse and will move on once each verse is memorized.

Sight Words

This next part is literally a blank page of paper with “sight word practice” at the top. Here we usually do one of two things. If we are reviewing, I will give him 5-10 sight words to practice spelling/writing. Sometimes he wants to do more, so we will keep going if he asks! If he is learning a new sight word, I will have him write that specific word several times. I will also let him watch a quick song on Youtube introducing the new word at this time.

USA Map

The last page I have on Graham’s Menu is a graphic of the United States Map. I have this in here from last year where we sang the Fifty Nifty United States song every day for memorization. I am not sure if this is something we will get to everyday, but it’s there if we decide to do it. I put this back in for this year keeping in mind that it will probably be replaced. Once we start our Classical Conversations Co-Op, I might replace it with some of our memory work. The back of Graham’s menu was also left blank for CC related material for once I get a feel for how the semester goes and what all he needs to be practicing.

Beckett (3)

Name Tracing

Beckett’s next page in his Morning Menu is an enlarged name tracing printable that I found for free online! You can edit it and print it yourself. The website also offers different fonts you can use and you can choose how many times you want the child to trace their name. I chose the largest version one time because of Beckett’s age. He loves doing this and really takes his time tracing his name.

Shapes, Alphabet, Numbers 1-20

The last three pages of Beckett’s menu are a shape, alphabet, and numbers 1-20 printable! This is very casual learning for Beckett. He will usually do his own thing, and circle all the shapes, and go through and circle all the number/letters. I will usually ask him to “point to a circle” or “trace a triangle.” This is nothing serious, he just does it while I finish up sight word practice with Graham.

And there you have it! This is what we have so far as we start our next homeschool year! It will more than likely change throughout the year, and I’m okay with that! That is the benefit of the menu being interchangeable and dry erase. I hope this gives you some inspiration on how to incorporate your own morning menu into your homeschool routine! I would love to hear what you have in yours in the comments!

PRODUCTS WE USE WITH MORNING MENU

Menu Cover ( 2 Pack)

Dry Erase Markers

Dry Erase Markers

Dry Erase Markers

Dry Erase Eraser

Toddler Learning Folder Pre-School Prep ( Alphabet & Number Printables)

Name Tracing Printable

WANT TO KEEP THIS HOMESCHOOL MORNING TIME MENU RESOURCE HANDY? PIN THE IMAGE BELOW FOR LATER OR SHARE WITH A FRIEND!

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