10 Things From Around Your House to Use in Your Homeschool
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You’ve decided to homeschool for the 2020-2021 school year! Congrats!
You’re starting school virtually for the 2020-2021 school year! Congrats!
No matter your circumstances, if you need to have an area in your house dedicated to learning, here are some items to collect from around the house to include in your classroom.
Small table
Kids write best when they can have their feet on the ground. While the kitchen table might be more feasible, if you can get a small table, it will help little people control things better. We have this IKEA table and I painted it with regular household paint.
Tent
This is a trick that I learned from my son’s first year at preschool. When your child is having a tantrum, have them cozy up inside their tent and calm down. A quiet place where they can think about their actions is invaluable.
Chalkboards/Dry Erase Boards
I remember the excitement I used to feel when I got to write on the whiteboards at school. I was a kid in a candy shop! When my guys are not interested in writing with pencil and paper, I whip these out and they are far more interested and likely to participate.
THE IKEA cart
Is there anything this cart can’t do? Right now we are using ours to house educational games and things with a lot of pieces - think Leapfrogs and puzzles. In the future I may use it as a drying rack for artwork or to house our art supplies.
Spill Proof Mat
We will be doing a lot of our messy things on carpet, so I am putting down a mat to help mitigate the mess. I have been eyeing this one by the House of Noa, but right now I just have these letter mats down. A mat meant to go under a highchair would work just as well too! Heck, even a large mat meant for pets - whatever you’ve got!
Book Shelves + Books
Reading is key for little kids so I like to always have books within an arms reach. I also love to use books as decor. You can get an instant splash of color on a wall if you set up some floating bookshelves on which to display books. I ordered these IKEA shelves to do just that.
Here’s some eye candy if you need a little inspiration.
Storage
Just like any classroom, there are a lot of things that you need - teaching materials, pencils, paper, markers, glue, beads, and the list goes on and on. Depending on how you will set up your learning, this storage could be stationery (if you have a room dedicated to learning) or on wheels if you will be learning all over the house. Diana at The Gray Ruby Diaries recommends this cart on wheels to house all the things you may need on the go.
Cushions
I scooped up two cushions from Amazon to keep in our classroom. Having a designated spot for each child to sit when they need to listen is helpful. They are also used in the tent when they need a break. You could grab two large pillows from the living room too!
Corkboard and clothespins for artwork
The pride on a kid’s face when they see their artwork on display is so genuine. I make sure to have some way to showcase all their artwork for the week. I have used a corkboard to do some, but I also just hang a ribbon on the wall using a push pin and hang art on that. Double whammy of decor and art display. The corkboard could also be used to display the days of the week, weather, your schedule, etc.
iPad + Kids cover
Honestly, I don’t view screen time as a bad thing. I view it as a tool. My kids are growing up in an age where there are screens EVERYWHERE. They need to know how to use them properly from go. I have a few learning apps on the iPads that they use and we also use YouTube all the time for yoga videos, dance breaks, and story telling. I recommend getting a kids cover with a handle for your device. The number of times they have to carry it to me because they hit the wrong button is staggering so this helps protect it.
