rethinking things to school with a preschooler and toddler around

I'm so excited to have figured out how we're going to run things this year. For now at least! I've been thinking about it a lot after I realized Esther was preschool age this year and would need something to do. Not necessarily something "preschool", but that if she wasn't busy with something good, she would be getting into trouble. I'm not as worried about Becca since we can do a lot when she naps and when she isn't napping, I'll just figure it out as we go.

So here's what I've decided to do...

Once Becca's down for a nap,

Chores (A) - Chores (H) - Violin (E)
Language Arts (A) - Saxon Math (H) - Independent Activity (E)
Saxon Math (A) - ETC & SW then mentoring E (H)
with E (A) - Language Arts (H)

LUNCH

Art (group)
History/Science (group)
PE

Not sure where we'll put foreign language (Muzzy), but they love it so maybe they'll do the independent parts before morning cartoons and then we'll review throughout the day.

Here's the breakdown of this year's curriculum:

(A)
Learning Language Arts Through Literature
Writing Strands 3
Spelling Workout C
Saxon Math 3
Muzzy German Level 1
Story of the World, Ancient Times
Apologia, Exploring Creation with Anatomy and Physiology
Art with Anything (MaryAnn Kohl)
PE

(H)
The Ordinary Parent's Guide to Reading
First Language Lessons for the Well-trained Mind
Explode the Code
Spelling Workout
Saxon Math 1
same History, Science, Art & PE

For Esther, I've decided to make a goal of three activities a day for her. Two focusing on motor skills or the alphabet, and one doing something independent (like listening to a book recording while looking at the book).

To make things really simple for the activities, each day will be a category:
Monday - Gross Motor
Tuesday - Alphabet
Wednesday - Fine Motor
Thursday - Craft (likely alphabet themed!)
Friday - Game

And most of these will be listed on index cards for the girls to pull from with instructions so that they can help her with whatever she's doing.

I'm excited!