It is, but don’t get caught up in the idea that you have to set up an entire room for your homeschool activities.
It’s simply not true.
If you have the time, energy, space, and finances, then, by all means, create a homeschooling room. But for many people, this just isn’t feasible.
That doesn’t mean, however, that your children will receive any less of an education if they don’t have a ‘special’ room to learn in.
Truth is – learning takes place everywhere. Sometimes you’ll be sitting on the floor with them, at the kitchen table, outside, in the garage/shop, or even in the living room.
And as your children age, their needs will change as well.
Things to keep in mind
If you have toddlers or a baby crawling around, you’ll want to keep the small pieces of Legos and art supplies well out of reach. Depending on the ages of your children it might be best to keep these items under your control at all times.
Older children – teens and tweens – will often be able to work independently. You know your kids best. If this is the case with your family, consider setting up a desk in their rooms for them to study and/or a reading nook as well as a place for science experiments and art projects.
The great thing about setting up your own homeschool is the choices are really all yours…including when and where your kids will spend time on focused learning.
Spend time walking around the house, talk to the kiddos about what they would like, and make a plan. You can change things up if what you’re trying doesn’t work until you’ve put together a plan and a space that suits your kids’ learning styles and your family’s lifestyle.
Organize your curriculum and supplies
Now that you’ve got some ideas about where your kids can focus on their studies it’s time to get organized.
If you’ve already been homeschooling for a while it’s very possible that you have old curriculum, books, etc. that are collecting dust.
Assuming that you don’t need them for your younger children if you belong to a homeschooling group you can offer these up for sale/trade with other families or sell them on craigslist.
However, if you will need them at some point in the future, stack the books, worksheets, etc. in a box, write a list of the contents on a sheet of paper and place it on the top of your stack. Then, mark the box and put in storage.
Make a note on your calendar, or wherever you keep track of your homeschool records so that you don’t buy new curriculum (when you had perfectly good curriculum tucked away in storage).
Now that you’ve cleared out what you don’t need for the current school year it’s time to organize what you have.
Kitchen
Art and/or science experiments can often get messy, so the kitchen is the perfect place for these items.
Find a shelf or cabinet where you can store the books, science project kits, etc. for easy access when it’s time for school to begin. Separate projects by child, using color-coded or labeled boxes, caddies, etc.
Living or family room, individual bedrooms
If you have them, bookshelves can be used to organize your curriculum, again, color-coded by child or by subject, depending on your needs.
Organizing Tools
Metal rolling carts
Simply roll your cart(s) to the location you’re using and you’ve got the perfect “schoolroom on wheels” at your fingertips.
If you have space, keep everything on the cart at all times, otherwise, go with folding metal cart(s) that can be stored when school is not in session.
Backpacks
Good for outdoor activities, road and/or field trips.
Crates (e.g. plastic milk crates)
Use to store your homeschooling curriculum, art supplies, boxes of pens, pencils, etc. at home; toss into the car when you decide to go to the library, on a field trip, etc.
Use vertical space
Use either a corkboard or some hooks and string to hang maps, timelines, artwork, etc. from your walls.
And don’t forget that very useful tool of both the schoolroom and the boardroom…a whiteboard.
Finally, depending on your kids’ ages, you can hang one in each of their bedrooms where they can track what needs to be done each week. Keep a main whiteboard in a central location (e.g. the kitchen) to help you keep track of your plans for the week, month, etc.
If you can relate to this post, you may also appreciate these:
Tips to Help Your Kids Keep Learning When School is Out of Session
