Morning Baskets

I wanted to share a bit about Morning baskets, mostly to remind myself as I keep dropping the ball on them and picking it up again. Morning Baskets have been a steady part of our homeschooling rhythm—even before I officially declared myself a homeschooler. I’ve stopped using them several times, thinking we didn’t have the time, but I always end up bringing it back. For me it is a way to have a fun way to begin the day and set a happy tone for the day. It is a great way to start the day giving my toddler at lot of fun play with us before my older daughter and I sit down for school.

In our basket I usually keep instruments, books, games, and anything I think might give us a little spark if we need energy. Sometimes I add things that connect to our current units, and I always include a hand puppet who “talks” and joins in for songs and games. The ritual has gone through many different versions, but in one way or another, I always return to it.

During times when nothing else seems to work, the morning basket is the anchor I can hold onto. We might sing a few songs, Mathilde reads something, I read aloud from a book, and then maybe we play a quick math or spelling game. Even if I’m sick with the flu, the house is a mess, or we’re eager to run outside into the sun—doing our basket means we’ve still read, sung, and learned a little together that day.

It is such a great way to begin the day with a toddler before I sit down with my older kid and do more intense school work, and it is also a way to get a bit of reading in everyday as I always have my bigger kid read aloud.

How do you guys use morning baskets? I would love to hear!

Happy Morning, Maja Sofie