Teaching Children of Different Ages Together

You can certainly school your children together. It is a challenge in planning, but it can be done and is an excellent experience for everyone.

First, enlist your nine year old, especially, but also your 7 year old to help with simple instructional tasks with the younger ones. This can include playing learning games, reading to them ... They can receive credit for this as well. We learn better when we teach to others.

Second, plan skill related subjects separately and other subjects such as literature, science, and history together. The subjects you plan to do together will need varied assignments for the varied ages. Those who are older can handle more in depth assignments. [All literature should be read aloud anyway. The subject of reading is handled separately in the Bible as Reader curriculum]

Science experiments are so fun to do together as a family. You can pick up books on simple experiments at any bookstore that has a children's section. Focus on the Family has a devotional book that includes experiments in their Family Night series. This is great because it can involve your husband. Dr. Wile, the author of the Apologia series of science curriculum, advises keeping science fun and to one or two days a week until Jr. High grades 7 and 8. At that point your oldest child could take over the experiments for the younger ones as part of his science work.