August 4th and August 5th symbolized the first day of 3rd grade and Pre-K for Adrian and Addison. I would be telling a huge tale if I didn’t disclose the fact that I walked Adrian to the bus stop with a smile on my face and and nearly skipped while walking Addison into her classroom for the first day.
I love my children and we had an amazing, action pack filled summer but it is time and I am happy that they are back in the classroom challenging their little minds!
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Once the school bell rings my children know that there is just enough time to get home and take a short break before starting on their homework and whatever worksheets I have for them to do.
Part of the reason I wanted to create the homework space was to give them a nice place where they would enjoy doing their work, as well as get all of that clutter out of my kitchen. I figure if I feel inspired to work in a nice clean, working environment they might feel the same way. To spark their creativity I’ve made the room a very colorful and fun space that will hopefully make them want to stay in there and read, craft, etc.
I plan to slowly fill the space with various learning tools to include books, and maps. Our first addition is the Disney Junior Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Learning Schoolhouse Activity kit that I picked up from Walmart.
There were other Disney Junior #Ready4Preschool options to chose from to include:
I chose the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Activity Kit because it had a mixture of learning activities to include learning time, states, letter sounds and handwriting
…of course Addison’s favorite part is the Mickey Mouse hand pointer
I’m giving them a learning break this last week but plan to start incorporating the lessons in this activity center into Addison’s daily after school learning routine. She is so excited she has been asking me almost everyday if she can get it down from the shelf and play with it. It surely warms my heart that she wants to learn but she can’t play with it unless I’m present lest she loses all of the pieces before the school year starts. I already know, there will be magnetic letters everywhere.
I believe teachers and school are just the beginning of our children’s desire to learn. The hard part is actually done at home with us, and while it may seem so easy to just leave the burden of educating our children on our schools and teachers we are actually just as responsible for their learning and reinforcement of the concepts as teachers are. Finding ways to encourage learning and make it fun at home I believe is the start to a love of learning.
In just six days Addison will definitely be #Ready4Preschool. Let’s hope the fun of this doesn’t wear off!
Are you ready for Back to School? What other learning items do you incorporate into your child’s homework routine.
….sigh. Welp, I know I talked all that noise about being ready for the children to go back to school. While I’m still all #TeamBackToSchool, I just wish they could go back and the activities, homework, social calendars etc. would just hold off for a few more weeks.
We have exactly two weeks until the bell rings and I am running around here like crazy trying to get everything decluttered, painted and in some sort of order. My goal is to have the house done, or rather what I plan on having done completed by the end of this week so that next week I can chill.
This week we didn’t do much, we swam and shopped a little. The baby was in Florida so I think we all just chilled and enjoyed the silence. I went and got her on Friday and the turn up has been in full force ever since.
Speaking of shopping I came across some pretty awesome deals. I was in Michael’s going through their clearance and came across this baby.
The original price was $99. It was marked down by 70% to $30 and then I had an additional coupon for 25% off. I paid $23 for this yellow baby. Isn’t she pretty
Found myself in Walmart picking up some stuff for the Homework Space and came across this. Was minding my business looking at school supplies when the lady came over the PA system and said, ” All items on our clearance rack starting at 1:30 are half off the red sticker price.” *Glances at my watch* Oh, it’s 1:45 let me go see what I can see.
Saw this. Paid half off $55. Now to find me a saw horse so I can really be a certified DIYer. Husband is concerned about my eyes and fingers. Told him I got this.
Amazing we’ve been here nearly a year and are finally getting a move on getting the house together. I’m just about done with the hard part of the Homework Space. Now I’m just going around the house trying to repurpose what I can. I’ve found some shelving, a bookcase and a few other knick knacks that will be reworked. The room currently looks like this. I extended the chalk paint above the line that is there. You’ll see the final reveal in a few weeks.
I finally decided on a color to paint Addison’s room and the Mr. got to work. He can have that one, besides I ‘m trying to get the Homework Space ready. Here is the before. Just awful
Disclaimer: This came with the house. My children know better than to write on any wall in here
Mister got up there, bless his heart and thoroughly dusted and wiped down the ledge. I’ll reveal it later this week but as I type this the black is gone and it already looks glorious in there. A hint…the trim didn’t go white.
Well that’s all I have. Nothing spectacular, but the normal. How was your week?
Last week it dawned on me that we are nearly half way through Summer Vacation and before I know it the school bell will be ringing again. We’re headed to see the “Mouse” in a few weeks and when we return there will only be 3 weeks left to get school shopping and all of those things done.
I won’t say anxiety set in but let’s just say I’m tired of the clutter that comes with school and I need a solution to keep their artwork, school work, permission slips, book bags, markers, pencils, pens, flashcards, paint brushes, paint and folders off my kitchen table. After being in the house nearly a year we I’ve concluded that the workout room will be turned into a homework station /craft space for the children.
This wasn’t an easy decision to make. There is equipment in there that the previous owners left and while I’m not saying we don’t need a space to workout, I’m thinking the wine room will get refitted with less bulky equipment. My husband recently went and got a gym membership, I took that to mean he was throwing in the towel. It’s now time we I make the space useful….cause there are cobwebs forming in there. Wasteful.
Looking from left to right in the room this is what is currently there
I’m not saying it will be completely done before school starts but by the first day I hope to at least have desks, chairs and lamps in there for them. Funds will be low. I did say we are going to see the “Mouse” so there will be some Craigslist’ing, Ikea’ing, Goodwill’ing and DIY’ing going on. I do like the paint color and may leave it just making that entire back wall chalkboard…or maybe everything above the beadboard will get chalkboarded out. We’ll see.
Here are a few inspiration photos:
