Back to School looks a little different for everyone this year. We decided to do at home learning for Lily instead of sending her to 3k. All of us were so excited for her to start her school journey so I want to make sure she still has a special experience even if it is at home. We are even creating a first day of school photo experience for her (stay tuned for that later this week). With both Brennan and I working full time we are fortunate to have our nanny and the help of my mom. We will all be working to make sure Lily gets a stimulating experience and learns even if it is a little untraditional. Below I put together some ideas and tips to create a fun and stimulating environment for toddlers and elementary school ages kids who will be learning at home. You can adjust the ideas based on the age of your child. I also threw in a fun DIY project to add to the set-up!
Learning is Fun Foam Board Apple Sign DIY
Materials:
- Foam Board
- Box Cutter/Craft knife
- Hot Glue Gun and Hot Glue (off course I recommend my glue gun)
- Acrylic Paint: Red, Green, Brown
- Black Adhesive Vinyl (if you want to add a message)
- String
- Brush
Setting Up Your At-Home Learning Station
- Create different sections of the room. A book nook, relaxation/break zone, learning area where kids can explore on their own, school work zone with their own desk and creative zone with craft supplies.
- Decorate with fun and bright colors to stimulate your kids and get them excited to be in the space. Michaels Stores has colorful boxes and color world book boxes that are on sale right now!
- Create an area for the adult that will be helping with education to sit and teach from. Make sure that area is close to the work area of your child.
- Create a DIY Bulletin Board that is big enough to grab your kids' attention. Use this to teach big lessons. Michaels Stores has some great classroom inspired posters and bulletin board decorations.
- Make the relaxation zone a reward. You can have a reward box they pick out of when they complete an assignment or learn something new. Fill the area with things your child loves and sprinkle in a few things to make the reward area something they want to work for! Reward also gives the teacher a little break :)
I hope I sparked a few ideas that will help make back to school a little less stressful and a good experience for you and your kids.