Why and How to Have Quiet Time in Homeschool

Written By: The Good and the Beautiful Published On:

Finding some quiet time for yourself can be challenging as a homeschool parent. Spending lots of time with our children is a blessing, but sometimes we need a break. In this short video and blog post, Jenny Phillips shares something that has worked wonders in her homeschool.

Finding Quiet Time

One of the struggles of homeschooling for a parent can be finding some quiet, peaceful time for yourself. Our homeschooled kids are with us a lot, which is such a blessing, but sometimes parents need a break. 

When I had younger children, there were times when I felt like I was going to go crazy without a break and a little quiet in our home, so I found a solution—and this is something I love about homeschooling. It really teaches us the skill of problem-solving. 

Pray and Problem-Solve

When we pray and seek solutions and work on those things, and consistently re-evaluate and make adjustments as needed, we will always find a way to make things better. Don’t give up when things get hard. Problem-solve instead.

Today, I’ll be sharing something that has worked wonders for me when I had several toddlers and younger children that I was homeschooling. I called it “quiet time.” This was simply a 30- to 60-minute period where my kids were in their rooms or a different designated safe space where they had a list of things they could do that were quiet. 

For example, they could take a nap, read, or listen to audiobooks. They could draw; write in their journals; do activity books, sticker books, or puzzles; play with blocks, write stories, play with LEGOs or toys, and so on. 

With gentleness and love, you can teach your children, your younger children, to stay in their room during quiet time unless they need to use the restroom or have an emergency. 

Why Your Family Needs Quiet Time

This will give you a noise break and some quiet time or alone time so that you can feel renewed and refreshed. But it also is really good for children to have time where they are calm and focusing on learning how to entertain themselves through gentle activities. You’ll want to make sure that they have plenty of activities or books available to them to help the time pass pleasantly.

What can children do during quiet time?

  • Nap
  • Read
  • Listen to audiobooks
  • Draw
  • Journal
  • Do activity books
  • Do puzzles
  • Build with blocks
Young child having quiet time building with blocks and listening to music on headphones | The Good and the Beautiful Blog

I had a timer in each of my children’s rooms so they could see how much time was left, and when the timer went off, they could come out of their rooms. Sometimes I would have different bins of toys that we would rotate during quiet time. I would allow them to choose a bin each day, so they had some things that were different from the last few days. Then I would put the bin away again after quiet time. 

  • We also had some special times where I would let a child wander the yard, spend time looking at nature, or read outside during quiet time. Reading by the fireplace was another treat that my children enjoyed during this time, especially during winter. It was really such a wonderful blessing to my family.

  • Young child using magnifying glass to look closely at bush in nature | The Good and the Beautiful Blog
  • Young mother holding baby smiling | The Good and the Beautiful Blog

  • Obviously, if you have a baby or a small toddler, or other circumstances, you might not be able to get a complete break during quiet time, but at least you can get somewhat of a break.

The location and length of quiet time will depend on factors such as your children’s ages and capabilities. Above all, of course, they need to be safe. It may also be helpful to start with a smaller amount of time and build up to the full desired amount.

A Caution About Screen Time

In all honesty, this quiet time idea may not work very well for the kids who are used to large amounts of screen time, video games, and movies. Large amounts of screen time changes the way a child craves interaction and can lead to a constant need for instantly gratifying activities, and can damage their ability to enjoy calm and gentle activities. But you can get there! I have been there, actually, when I erred on the side of too much screen time more than once. So you can change things! I did, and I suggest my video and blog post Tips for Reducing Screen Time to help with this.

Children Learn to Entertain Themselves

I know that children can learn to entertain themselves with calm and gentle things, and I have seen great rewards from working toward that goal. 

It’s the simple things in homeschool that are bundled together over the years that end up making such a difference in your children’s lives. Every beautiful book they read, the precious time they get to spend with gentle learning, hobbies, and interests, and even something as simple as learning to entertain themselves with calm, meaningful activities will deeply bless them throughout their lives. 

In a world that is largely addicted to thrilling, frivolous, instantly gratifying entertainment, you will have given your children a beautiful gift. As you seek to raise your children in light and beauty, you will find direction, ideas, and inspiration for helping your children, and over time it will bear great fruits.

Frequently Asked Questions About How to Have Quiet Time in Your Homeschool Day

Why should I have a quiet time in my homeschool?

It is good for your whole family! Quiet time will give you a noise break and some quiet time or alone time so that you can feel renewed and refreshed. But it also is really good for children to have time where they are calm and focusing on learning how to entertain themselves through gentle activities.

How can I implement quiet time in my homeschool?

  • Set aside a 30– to 60–minute period when your kids go in their rooms or a different designated safe space where they have a list of quiet activities they can choose to do. You can also set up bins of quiet activities that are only available during quiet time. Rotate the bins to keep the activities fresh.
  • Give each child a timer so they can see how much time is left. When the timer goes off, they can come out of their rooms.

What can my kids do during quiet time?

Here are some ideas for things your kids can do during quiet time:

  • Nap
  • Read
  • Listen to audiobooks
  • Draw
  • Journal
  • Do activity books
  • Do puzzles
  • Build with blocks 

Should I let my children use screens during quiet time?

I would not recommend using screens during quiet time. In a world that is largely addicted to thrilling, frivolous, instantly gratifying entertainment, encouraging gentle entertainment other than screens will give your children a beautiful gift. As you seek to raise your children in light and beauty, you will find direction, ideas, and inspiration for helping your children, and over time screen-free quiet time will bear great fruits.

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