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Homework in the early grades

How you treat homework for young children, from opting out to doing it lightly to treating it as a firm habit.

Should young children have homework?

In short: Parents choose between 4 main approaches: Opt out or advocate for none; Do it lightly; Non-negotiable habit; Add extra work. Evidence: evidence leans one way. Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational. Best settled: school age.

Evidence
Evidence leans one way
Best settled
School age
Part of
Learning & the wider world

Homework in the early grades: what are the options?

Parents usually land on one of these 4 approaches.

  1. 1. Opt out or advocate for none

    The child does not do it, or you ask the school to drop it.

  2. 2. Do it lightly

    The child does it without much pressure.

  3. 3. Non-negotiable habit

    Homework is done every day, no exceptions.

  4. 4. Add extra work

    You give the child more work than the school sets.

Homework in the early grades: what does the evidence say?

Evidence leans one way. Research or guidance points in a direction, but it's thin, small or correlational.

Almost no relationship with achievement in grades 1-5

Sources

What else is worth knowing?

Research finds little academic benefit from homework in the early elementary years, apart from reading. Some families see it as building habits; others would rather protect play and family time. Schools vary in how much they set.

Questions to ask each other

  • How do we feel about homework for young children?
  • Would we talk to the teacher if it were too much?
  • What matters more, the routine or the content?

More in School and academics

First published 2026-10-03. Last updated 2026-10-05. General information, not medical advice.