How to Make the Perfect Charlotte Mason Homeschool Schedule

Let’s talk about the best way to easily create your own Charlotte Mason homeschool schedule that is guaranteed to make your week stress-free and enjoyable.
For many years, my homeschool days were simply a checklist of different subjects that I needed to cover with my children. This approach brought about a lot of stress and, truth be told, lacked any real sense of enjoyment.
All along, I had dreamed of creating a homeschool day that would flow perfectly – one where subjects could be completed within the right amount of time. A day that would not only allow time for my children’s favorite subjects but also leave ample time for plenty of other things, including other enriching activities.
It was paramount to me that our Charlotte Mason education didn’t become a rushed and tense experience but retained its intended essence of joy and tranquility.
At the end of the previous year, I resolved, for the first time ever, that the following year would be different. I was determined to craft a schedule that would make Miss Mason herself proud, dedicating specific time slots to each of our subjects.
And now, as we approach the end of this year, I can wholeheartedly say that our efforts were successful! This has truly been a school year that I have loved. Both my kids and I agree that it has been our most relaxed and enjoyable year ever.
So…to all my fellow Charlotte Mason homeschoolers out there, I’m excited to share how simple it is to plan out each day of the week, empowering you to also have an amazing homeschooling year!

The Basics of a Charlotte Mason Schedule
When creating your schedule, it is essential to highlight a few important principles of the Charlotte Mason method.
Subjects for a CM Education
So much of a Charlotte Mason education is a feast of beautiful enriching subjects. The first thing that you need to do before planning when to teach the subjects is to decide which subjects and topics you are going to teach for the year.
The typical subjects of a Charlotte Mason Curriculum and the number of days Ms. Mason recommends teaching them are as follows:
Daily Subjects | 2-4 Days/ Week | 1 Day/Week |
---|---|---|
Math | History | Nature |
Literature Book Read Aloud | Bible | Poetry |
Scripture | Geography | Hymn |
Language Arts (vary topics taught throughout the week) | Science | Picture Study |
Foreign Language | Composer Study | |
Handicrafts/Art Projects |
Step by Step Weekly Schedule Planning
“Do not let the days slip past without some thought upon their planning and ordering. A life mapped out in definite duties and a strict course of studies is a very much happier and a far more successful life than the one into which we float with no particular plan and let lead as they will.” ~Charlotte Mason
Formation of Character, Volume 5
Now that you have determined the subjects you will teach during the days of the week, it’s time to plan your schedule.
This is the exciting part!
It is important to decide which days each subject will be taught and establish the order in which they will be covered while remembering to alternate harder and easier subjects.
Personally, the best kind of schedule for my homeschool is one where I time block. Instead of assigning specific times for each lesson, I find it considerably more convenient to arrange the subjects in a particular order.
Time blocking has helped us to create the perfect daily routine and allows us to get off to a strong start every single day.
There are a few different ways to do this. But I will show you the way that works best for me and my homeschool.

Scheduling Cards
The easiest and most efficient way that I have found to create a daily schedule is by making scheduling cards. I create mine on index cards. I use the big 4×6 size cards and cut them down into thirds. Then I label them (the more colorful the better) and laminate them so that they can be used year after year.
If you are not interested in DIYing them, these free ones from Simply Charlotte Mason work perfectly.

Charlotte Mason Homeschool Planner Worksheet
Once I have established a schedule that I like, I then write it out on my scheduling worksheet.
You can get my free scheduling printable here.
If you prefer to skip the scheduling cards and just go straight to the homeschool scheduling worksheet that’s fine too. You can just simply fill in each of the subjects in the appropriate time slot for the week until every subject has been covered.

Here are some tips:
I like to make a copy of our scheduling worksheet for all of my children to keep in their school folders so that they can use it as a weekly chart and know exactly what subjects we are doing for the day and when they are doing them.
Don’t want to schedule at all, I get it! Check out this post on Charlotte Mason boxed curriculums*, and you can just jump right into your lessons-No schedule required!!
Morning Time
“The child who begins his education with a morning hymn, a family Bible-reading, and a few verses of Scripture to learn by heart, will be in the attitude of a learner and will take with readiness and interest any of the knowledge that is so liberally provided for him.” ~Charlotte Mason
Home Education, Volume 1
The most cherished part of my homeschool day is, by far, our morning lessons. We come together as a family for our daily circle time. Even my younger children (who are not of school age yet) love to join “family time”.
During this time, we start with a simple prayer and read a passage from the Bible, and discuss what we are grateful for for the day. Then we delve into enriching subjects such as poetry, picture study, composer study, hymn appreciation, and our scripture memory work. This special time strengthens our family bond and sets a positive tone for the rest of our learning day.

Extra Tips for a Charlotte Mason Homeschool Routine
Combine these tips with your scheduling to create a well-rounded and fulfilling Charlotte Mason homeschool experience for the entire family
Scheduling With a Big Family
Homeschooling a large family comes with its own set of joys and challenges. Here are some of my favorite practical tips to help you create an effective homeschool schedule, ensuring a rewarding learning experience for both older students as well as your younger children.

What My Homeschool Schedule Looks Like
Here is a brief glimpse of what my homeschooling weekly schedule looks like. All of my children have a mostly identical schedule because that is what works best in my homeschool.
Obviously, my 8th grader has a lot more lessons than his 1st, 2nd, and even 4th-grade brothers, but I make it so that most subjects are taught in the same order.
I know some big families find it easier to mix and match subjects. For example, while the younger kids are doing math, the older kids are working independently on grammar, and then vice versa. It just depends on what works best for you and your own family.
My schedule in a nutshell is:
Morning circle time: We start with our family prayer, a bible reading, and then our scripture memory work. Then we will do our Charlotte Mason enrichment lessons. So depending on the day of the week: we do our poetry reading, picture study, hymn lessons, or composer study.
—- Breakfast Break —-
Lessons: Then everyone branches off into their own spots to begin their work on their formal lessons for the day. All of their school lessons are always completed before we eat lunch.
—- Lunch Break —-
After lunch: We will either do our nature walk, with our nature journal, or a handicraft, or my kids will just have free time. I prefer for our free time to be spent outdoors, weather permitting. My kids also know that they are expected to spend time after lunch reading independently.
Before Bed: We choose to do our lIterature read-aloud together at night. Obviously, we are reading living books all during our school time so it is nice to have some more reading reserved for right before bed as well.
Creating a personalized homeschool schedule tailored to your family’s preferences and values can result in a rewarding and enjoyable homeschool year for your children. Embrace enriching activities, allow ample time for exploration, and foster a genuine love for learning, as these elements will pave the way for a successful and fulfilling homeschool journey.
I am a longtime homeschool mom. We jsut completed our 16th year. I am looking at trying to revamp our schedule as much as I can for simplicity. When you talk about being done before lunch, I have to ask…when do you start? I am struggling to get everything done by bed time…muchless lunch. Thank you.
We usually start our homeschool day right after breakfast, usually between 9:30 and 10 am. I hope the ideas in this post are helpful for you.