How We Schedule Homeschool Around Therapy Appointments

💬 Intro

Between speech, OT, ABA, and medical appointments, it can feel impossible to fit in homeschooling — but we’ve found a rhythm that works for our family. Here’s how we structure our week to make space for both learning and life while homeschooling around therapy appointments.

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🧩 Step 1: Identify the Fixed Points

Start with the non-negotiables: therapy times, naps, meals, and travel.
Then look for natural gaps — even short 30-minute windows — for quick lessons, audiobooks, or review activities.

🧠 Step 2: Prioritize Core Subjects

Language Arts and Math get top priority. I do these every school day, but the workload varies depending on our appointment schedule. Some families alter days or use a four-day week schedule.
Everything else — history, science, art — can either be assigned a specific day or rotate on a loop schedule (doing one or two subjects each day instead of trying to fit them all in).

If you’re assigning subjects on specific days, pick the day or days and stick to that plan:

📚 Example:

• Monday: Science
• Tuesday: History audio
• Wednesday: Map work

If you’re using a loop schedule, you rotate subjects regardless of the day. The same time block can be reused daily — for instance, a 30-minute period after lunch. You might rotate science, science lab, history, and map work. When the loop finishes, start over again. This method keeps learning balanced, especially when weeks aren’t consistent.

In Charlotte Mason circles, “Beauty Loops” are common — poetry, music, composer study, art study, then repeat. This approach works beautifully for families who value flexibility.

🚗 Step 3: Get Creative with How You Provide School

Appointments = built-in listening time! We use:

• Audiobooks for history or read-alouds while I’m driving. I download MP3 audio files from our history curriculum onto Google Drive, then play that week’s lesson while the kids look at the text or color in their journals. For the rest of the week, we listen to whatever history audiobook we’re currently enjoying. I mostly use Hoopla through our library, and if I can’t find the book there, I’ll sometimes use Audible.
• Quick verbal games — math facts, spelling practice, and phonemic awareness (think alphabet games).
• School in the car (or waiting room) while one child is in therapy. I often do 1-on-1 lessons with the other kiddo during that time.

On days when we’re not eating lunch in the car, I show religious or educational videos while prepping lunch or during mealtime. The educational ones usually come from the YouTube playlists I’ve compiled to match what we’re learning.

🎓 These are part of my Homeschool Study Hub on YouTube, where I group subject-based playlists for easy use during school or car time. Explore our curated playlists for different subjects:

• 🏰 Medieval & Renaissance History for Kids → Watch on YouTube
• 🏛️ Ancient History for Kids (4000 BC – AD 33) → Watch on YouTube
• 🌍 Egypt Unit Study for Kids (K–4) → Watch on YouTube
• 📖 1st Grade Math & Reading Read-Alouds → Watch on YouTube
• ✏️ 2nd Grade Math Read-Alouds → Watch on YouTube

🧘 Step 4: Protect Rest and Downtime

If mornings are your biggest challenge, try our Morning Routine Checklist for Neurodivergent Kids.

Neurodivergent kids need decompression time — it’s an important part of a balanced homeschool schedule. Protect it like a subject.
Quiet play, sensory activities, or outdoor time all count toward learning — it all matters. My kids especially need transition breaks after appointments, between subjects, and at the end of the day.

Popular break-time activities: drawing, leisure reading or listening to audiobooks, outside time, building with blocks, or just running laps around the house!

🪴 Step 5: Give Yourself Grace

Not every week looks the same. Progress happens even in the pauses — and it’s okay to alter plans or switch curriculums that aren’t serving your family. I’m frequently tweaking our school schedules throughout the year, especially during the first few months of a new term. On heavier appointment days I lighten the academic load or we binge audiobooks. We take mental-health days as needed, say yes to playdates, and occasionally have family or project days when my husband is home.

A flexible rhythm keeps your family thriving instead of burning out. 💛

📺 Related Videos

• How We Homeschool With Hours of Appointments Every Week
• Why Loop Schedules Make Homeschooling So Much Easier
• Homeschool Hack: Simple Trick to Fight Fatigue

💬 How do you prevent burnout in your home?

Leave your comments below — I’d love to hear what helps you find balance!