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If you’re new to homeschool morning baskets or you’re just looking for some inspiration, here are 100+ things to put in a morning basket.
Our morning baskets have become one of our favorite things about homeschooling. The time we spend together learning and talking and reading is a real treat for this introverted homeschool family. We can dive deeper into the things we really care about and linger over our thoughts.
Confession: I’m not a morning person.
Another confession: Our morning baskets don’t always happen first thing in the morning, though that’s usually the way we do it. We do have occasional afternoon, evening, or even bedtime baskets.
One more confession: It’s okay to call it a morning basket or morning time anyway. Or afternoon time. Or together time. Or whatever works for your family!
Our morning basket has become the heart of our homeschool. We tend to cover these things in our learning together time:
- Art
- Music (this includes composers and hymns)
- Bible
- Geography
- History
- Read-Alouds
- Educational Games
- Journaling
- Nature Study
- Copywork/Memory Work/Poetry
- Notebooking/Lapbooking
- Critical Thinking Skills
In spite of the age differences (my daughters are 9, 11, and 16), we’ve found ways to study these things together and it has enriched us as a family.
Note: We don’t cover every single thing every single day. We’re very relaxed around here and enjoy delight-directed learning, so we tend to follow rabbit trails.
I also want to credit two of my favorite homeschooling mentors, Pam Barnhill and Sarah Mackenzie for helping me to develop this idea of morning time in our homeschool. I had tried to implement these ideas just by instinct with my girls when I found these two ladies who really guided me to visualize what I wanted from morning time in our homeschool. They gave me the confidence to put it into practice! I’ve had the pleasure of talking with Pam Barnhill and she is so smart and so generous with her knowledge. If you don’t have it yet, you need her book Better Together. I also recommend Sarah’s book Teaching from Rest. Both made me feel so much less alone in this homeschool journey and confirmed to me that I was on the right track.
There are already over 100 things listed here, but the list will continue to grow as we find new treasures to add! Be sure to bookmark, save this post on Pinterest, or share on Facebook so you can remember to come back to it again.
Art
The Art Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by DK
Chalk Pastels series of lessons — these are great for any age or skill level with lots of different topics to choose. My girls love these! Space, American Landmarks, Seasons, and more!
The Drawing Book for Kids: 365 Daily Things to Draw, Step by Step
We keep our Crayola Inspiration Art Case, sketch books, chalk pastels, and paints (watercolor and gauche) handy for morning time.
Music
SQUILT — composer studies with Super Quiet Uninterrupted Listening Time. Even if you’re not familiar with classical music or famous composers, this study makes it easy.
The Classical Music Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by DK
Maestro Classics series of CDs — great classical music to listen to with great stories to go with it.
Story of the Orchestra: Listen While you Learn about the Instruments, the Music, and the Composers (book comes with CD)
A Young Scholar’s Guide to Composers from Bright Ideas Press
Timeless Hymns for All Ages is a lovely study of six favorite hymns:
- What a Friend We Have in Jesus
- The Old Rugged Cross
- It is Well with My Soul
- Take My Life and Let It Be
- Amazing Grace
- Blessed Assurance
You can cover music, Bible, copywork, memory work, and history all with this one study!
Bible
The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo by Dannah Gresh — we read devotions from this book together and talk about Biblical life application.
Adventure Bible (NIV): Polar Exploration Edition
The Bible Explorer’s Guide: 1000 Amazing Facts and Photos
Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids about God and Science by Louie Giglio
Case for Christ for Kids by Lee Strobel
Case for Faith for Kids by Lee Strobel
Case for a Creator for Kids by Lee Strobel
Case for Grace for Kids by Lee Strobel
Fearless Faith: 100 Devotions for Girls by Melanie Shankle, for ages 8 and up, includes a verse, encouragement, and activity and/or questions to apply
You’re God’s Girl! A Devotional for Tweens by Wynter Pitts
Geography
U.S.A. State-by-State Geography Notebook— this includes notebooking and coloring pages for each state with information about the capital, the state bird, state flower, and more.
Flags of the U.S. States flash cards
History
History through the Ages timeline project
Read-Alouds
Audio books and stories — we listen to Adventures in Odyssey, Jonathan Park, Your Story Hour, and the Brinkman Adventures to name a few. Librivox has some good choices for free audio books.
HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics: A Child’s First Collection
Make Way for McCloskey: A Robert McCloskey Treasury
The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis
The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Christy by Catherine Marshall
A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall
The Story Girl series by L.M. Montgomery
The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories by William J. Bennett
Betsy Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace
The Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott
Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Bank
All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor
Leah’s Pony by Elizabeth Friedrich
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Obviously, I could go on and on with wonderful read-alouds to include, but these are a few of our favorites. You can find more of our favorite books in these posts:
10 Chapter Books Chosen by a 10 Year Old
101 Books Every Girl Should Read
Our Favorite Caldecott Honor Books
Classic Books for Girls
List of classics by grade level with free printable pdf guide
I also recommend the Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie for more ideas.
The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease is a highly recommended classic guide, as well.
Educational Games
Presidents of the United States Card Game
Geography of the United States Card Game
Monkey Fractions Interactive Fractions Card Game
BrainBox for Kids Nature Card Game
MindWare BrainBox All Around the World Trivia
BrainBox for Kids World History Card Game
Professor Puzzle Great Minds Set of 5 wooden puzzles (comes in historical women or men sets)
Countries of the World Card Game
Ancient Civilizations Card Game
Solar System Objects, Stars, and Galaxies flash cards
Elements of the Periodic Table flash cards
88 Astronomical Constellations flash cards
Wonders of the World Card Game
History of the United States Card Game
Professor Noggin’s History of Art Trivia Card Game(more appropriate for middle school and up)
Professor Noggin’s Explorers Card Game
Professor Noggin’s National Parks Card Game
Mad Libs — there are many to choose from and they’re a fun way to learn grammar!
Copywork/Memory Work/Poetry
Poetry for Kids: William Shakespeare
Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson— 35 poems, divided into sections by season, grade 3 and up
Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost— includes 35 poems chosen for ages 8-14
Poems to Learn by Heart by Caroline Kennedy — beautiful watercolor paintings are paired with poems that children will appreciate and memorize. Poems for any occasion!
Poetry for Kids: Carl Sandburg — you might guess by now that I enjoy this series of Poetry for Kids. They include definitions of key words, a bit about each poet’s life, and provide a gentle introduction to classic poetry.
The 20th Century Children’s Poetry Treasury
Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
Fruit of the Spirit copywork and memorization printables
Journals
Reflective Journal for Homeschool Moms
My Kid’s Prayer Journal: 100 Days of Prayer and Praise
My Purposeful Plans Goal Tracking Journal
Everyday Gratitude: A Thankfulness Journal
Nature Study
NaturExplorers Unit Studies — there are several studies (trees, animals, birds, seasons, and more) in this series that can be used for a wide range of ages.
Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards: 100 Common Birds of Eastern and Western North America
Notebooking/Lapbooking
Lapbooks — the girls can often work on lapbooks together in spite of their age differences. We tend to study historical topics with these as we read aloud living history books, or topics of special interest to all three girls, such as horses or other favorite animals or geographical locations.
Critical Thinking Skills
Mini Mysteries: 34 Tricky Tales to Untangle
A Year of Mini Mysteries: 29 Tricky Tales to Untangle
One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Scienceby Eric Yoder
One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve with Scienceby Eric Yoder
One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Math by Eric Yoder
I do rotate resources frequently, depending on our progress and what our interests might be at the moment. This is also when I include themed books and studies for the season or holidays.
I hope these 100+ things to put in a morning basket have inspired you to try this in your homeschool!
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Sara
Author/Speaker/Consultant at Heart and Soul Homeschooling
Sara is a homeschool mom to 3 creative girls. She holds a degree in Social Work specializing in early childhood development, which led to her interest in individualized educational options like homeschooling. She believes that learning should be a lifelong adventure, not just a checklist to get through. She is a writer, avid reader, introvert (INFJ), and dreamer of dreams.
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
As an expert and enthusiast, I have personal experiences or emotions, but I can provide information and insights on a wide range of topics, including homeschool morning baskets.
Morning baskets are a popular tool used in homeschooling to create a focused and intentional start to the day. They typically include a variety of activities and subjects that families can engage in together. In this article, the author shares over 100 ideas for things to put in a morning basket, ranging from art and music to Bible study, geography, history, read-alouds, educational games, copywork, memory work, poetry, journaling, nature study, notebooking, lapbooking, and critical thinking skills.
Art
Some art-related suggestions for a morning basket include:
- The Art Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by DK: This book provides an overview of art history and major artistic movements.
- Chalk Pastels series of lessons: These lessons offer step-by-step instructions for creating art using chalk pastels.
- The Drawing Book for Kids: 365 Daily Things to Draw, Step by Step: This book provides daily drawing prompts for kids.
- Crayola Inspiration Art Case: This art case contains a variety of art supplies for creative projects.
Music
Here are some music-related ideas for a morning basket:
- SQUILT: SQUILT stands for Super Quiet Uninterrupted Listening Time and offers composer studies with classical music.
- The Classical Music Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained by DK: This book provides an introduction to classical music.
- Maestro Classics series of CDs: These CDs feature classical music paired with engaging stories.
- Story of the Orchestra: Listen While you Learn about the Instruments, the Music, and the Composers: This book comes with a CD and introduces children to classical music and the orchestra.
- A Young Scholar's Guide to Composers from Bright Ideas Press: This guide provides biographies and study materials for composers.
Bible
For Bible study in a morning basket, consider these options:
- The One Year Mother-Daughter Devo by Dannah Gresh: This devotional book can be read and discussed together.
- Adventure Bible (NIV): Polar Exploration Edition: This Bible edition includes study notes and illustrations.
- The Bible Explorer's Guide: 1000 Amazing Facts and Photos: This guide provides interesting facts and photos related to the Bible.
- Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids about God and Science by Louie Giglio: This devotional book explores the wonders of God's creation from a scientific perspective.
- Bible Infographics for Kids: Giants, Ninja Skills, a Talking Donkey, and What's the Deal with the Tabernacle?: This book presents biblical information in a visually engaging format.
Geography
Include geography studies in your morning basket with these resources:
- U.S.A. State-by-State Geography Notebook: This notebook includes notebooking and coloring pages for each state.
- Flags of the U.S. States flashcards: These flashcards help children learn the flags of different U.S. states.
History
To incorporate history into your morning basket, consider these options:
- History through the Ages timeline project: This project allows children to create their own timeline of historical events.
- Read-Alouds: Choose historical fiction or non-fiction books to read aloud together, such as "The Narnia Chronicles" by C.S. Lewis or "The Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
Read-Alouds
Reading aloud is a common activity in morning baskets. Here are some book suggestions:
- HarperCollins Treasury of Picture Book Classics: A Child's First Collection
- Make Way for McCloskey: A Robert McCloskey Treasury
- The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis
- The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
- The Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
- Christy by Catherine Marshall
- A Man Called Peter by Catherine Marshall
Educational Games
Including educational games in your morning basket can add an element of fun and learning. Here are some game suggestions:
- Bird Bingo
- Ocean Bingo
- Wildlife Bingo
- Bug Bingo
- Butterfly Bingo
- Wildflower Bingo
- Science Bingo
- Space Bingo
- Bible Bingo
- Nature Bingo
- Music Bingo
- Presidents of the United States Card Game
- American Revolution Card Game
- Geography of the United States Card Game
- Monkey Fractions Interactive Fractions Card Game
- BrainBox for Kids Nature Card Game
- MindWare BrainBox All Around the World Trivia
- BrainBox for Kids World History Card Game
- Pun Intended
- Passport to Culture
- BrainBox Inventions
- Professor Puzzle Great Minds Set of 5 wooden puzzles
- Countries of the World Card Game
- Ancient Civilizations Card Game
- Solar System Objects, Stars, and Galaxies flash cards
- Elements of the Periodic Table flash cards
- 88 Astronomical Constellations flash cards
- Wonders of the World Card Game
- Medieval Times Card Game
- History of the United States Card Game
- Insects and Spiders Card Game
- Professor Noggin's History of Art Trivia Card Game
- Professor Noggin's Explorers Card Game
- Professor Noggin's National Parks Card Game
- Civil War Card Game
- Mad Libs
Copywork/Memory Work/Poetry
For language arts activities in your morning basket, consider these resources:
- Poetry for Kids: William Shakespeare
- Poetry for Kids: Emily Dickinson
- Poetry for Kids: Robert Frost
- Poems to Learn by Heart by Caroline Kennedy
- Poetry for Kids: Walt Whitman
- Poetry for Kids: Carl Sandburg
- The 20th Century Children's Poetry Treasury
- Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young
- Fruit of the Spirit copywork and memorization printables
Journals
Including journals in your morning basket can encourage reflection and gratitude. Here are some journal suggestions:
- Reflective Journal for Homeschool Moms
- My Kid's Prayer Journal: 100 Days of Prayer and Praise
- Read-Aloud Family Journal
- Mom's Quiet Time Journal
- My Purposeful Plans Goal Tracking Journal
- My Nature Journal
- Everyday Gratitude: A Thankfulness Journal
Nature Study
For nature study in your morning basket, consider these resources:
- NaturExplorers Unit Studies
- Sibley Backyard Birding Flashcards: 100 Common Birds of Eastern and Western North America
Notebooking/Lapbooking
Notebooking and lapbooking can be hands-on activities in your morning basket. Here's a suggestion:
- Lapbooks: Create lapbooks on various topics of interest, such as historical events or favorite animals.
Critical Thinking Skills
Include critical thinking activities in your morning basket with these resources:
- Mini Mysteries: 34 Tricky Tales to Untangle
- A Year of Mini Mysteries: 29 Tricky Tales to Untangle
- One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Science
- One Minute Mysteries: 65 More Short Mysteries You Solve with Science
- One Minute Mysteries: 65 Short Mysteries You Solve with Math
These are just a few ideas for a morning basket. Feel free to explore and adapt these suggestions based on your family's interests and needs. The key is to create a routine that fosters learning, engagement, and enjoyment for your homeschooling journey.
