I don’t think a lot is needed for a great home learning space, but there are many optional items that can be fun to add to your teaching and learning environment. My main sources are Target Dollar Spot/Bullseye Playground, The Dollar Tree, and Amazon.
Since our classroom is in our living room, my goal was to tie in some items with the artwork above our fireplace, and use nature inspired elements.
What do we have in our homeschool classroom?
Cube Rotation Shelf
This shelf from Amazon has 6 cubbies for thematic learning units.
This is where the hands-on learning activities for the week are set up.
The sections are Literacy, Math, Writing, Creative Play, Science, Social Studies, Art, Reading, and Character (which includes books that match our theme and connect to character development)
For each subject I have in mind the learning standards for the grades my kids are in, and skills I want to encourage. For more details on tools I use for each subject regardless of theme, check out my post titled "Most Used Educational Items" under the blog.
I change the theme every 10-14 days. My children select the theme, and then we go through our books, toys, and other items we already have on hand to bring to the shelf (I might purchase a new book or craft supplies for a theme, but my goal is to use the resources we already own). We also stock up on books from the library.
We are not on any strict schedule. We take each day as it comes and explore these items throughout the week. Sometimes after breakfast, sometimes in the afternoon, usually spread throughout the day. Sometimes one child is into an activity and the other is not (I don’t force it, I just let the other child be in ear shot of what we are doing while they play. This might lead to them joining in but not always, and I’m fine with them just hearing the learning that is going on near them).
Teacher Desk
My globe, CD player (lots of learning songs, movement songs, books on CD to listen to while the kids play, craft, or tidy up) and a bin for my read aloud books.
The read aloud books in this section are all about character, religion, and/or social emotional learning.
On the days we 'do school' (about 3 days a week right now) we look at our calendar, sing our calendar songs, I read a book from that bin, and then we usually pick an activity from the rotation shelf to do on the rug.
Kids' Desk
Washable table cover over a folding children's table
Pencil boxes from Dollar Tree with the typical items- crayons, glue stick, scissors, pencils, sharpener
Name tags from Dollar Spot that have the alphabet, shapes, and numbers. I have printed their names using my best (not great by normal teacher standards) handwriting as an example for them to refer to. The name plates are being held up by little logs designed for weddings. These came in a set and are also a fun way to display picture cards.
Behind-the-chair supply storage bags also from Dollar Tree (thank you sweet cousins), I let them pick something to put in there that doesn't fit in their pencil boxes. Lately they store a Pre-K phonics workbook from Target Dollar Spot (our focus is hands-on learning, but they find it fun to do a workbook page or two every once in a while, and it provides them with some printing practice)
This desk is mostly used for our crafts/art projects and printing practice. Most everything else happens on the rug or outside
Teacher Supply Cart
This is from Home Goods. I have some caddies in there from The Dollar Tree for markers, pencils, and scissors, small white boards, magnetic letters, writing paper, post-its, and other items I like to have on hand.
Ideally I thought this cart would go with us wherever we are in the house or backyard, but in reality I just grab the pencil caddies and their pillow desks, the cart stays put.
The Board
The easel I have been using has a magnetic white board on one side and chalkboard on the other ($40 when I purchased last year on Amazon). It is really sturdy and light weight, but not very pretty, so I covered the black edges with a wood-look tape to soften the feel. I have a crate shaped magnetic pen holder attached to the bottom.
On one side we usually have our magnetic weather chart that I purchased a few years ago on Amazon, our word of the week, and Highlights calendar.
Our magnetic weather chart is very old, it does not go up to 2020, and is missing a few months, but still usable. I like to use this plus the Highlights calendar because that shows the actual boxes per date, and we count up to whatever the date is.
Greg and Steve’s Days of the Week and Months of the Year are the songs we sing
Book Nook: This space makes me happy because it reminds me of my classroom days, and the kids plop down and flip through books throughout the day. Most items are from Amazon.
Magazine rack to display books from Amazon was $35 at the time, it is sold out now of the wide style, but IKEA has some good options for books displays
Leaf print bath mats and log pillows also Amazon
Large pillow cases from Pakistan
In this area the books are fairly random, I just try to rotate a mix of fiction, non-fiction, Highlights magazines, and books with engaging illustrations every 10 days or so.
The other box has decodeable books my kids can read on their own. We started with Bob Books and lower level Learning Dynamics books. I also have a few reading engagement tools (finger pointer stick, highlighter strip from The Dollar Tree, small flashlights, and popsicle pointers the kids made). These are mostly for guided reading with me.
The Walls
Interactive felt maps from Target Dollar Spot
Number chart poster was from a set on Amazon
Alphabet banner from The Dollar Tree (thanks again to my sweet cousins)
Shelf space to display student work coming soon above the plant from Abuelo (I think he got it from Home Depot)
Fireplace Mantel
We have a child-friendly clock here, little LED lights, and a kindness jar. When touring schools in the past, I was drawn to the classrooms that had the soft lighting and pine cones, so I added those to the mantel.
The artwork above the fireplace is really special to me because it took so long for us to find something that felt right. It brings in the feel of nature from the backyard (the reason we fell in love with this house) and then I found out the artist's name is Parvez Taj. Taj is my maternal grandfather's name, and to find a piece made by an artist of Indian ancestry on a mainstream American home decor website was very exciting. This artist is known for his use of eco-friendly ink and reclaimed materials, such as wood siding, as the palette for his artwork.
Other Supplies
My other teaching supplies such as all the phonics games, puzzles, and art materials are in my daughter's closet and laundry room cabinets, currently getting properly organized bit by bit!
Also in my daughter's room is the Ikea flisat table that we use for a lot of sensory play
I do know true learning really takes place outside of this area. I believe they learn a lot more baking banana bread with their dad, helping me assemble a supply cart, making observations on bike rides, and trying to figure out how to play well together. But still I decided, if I'm going to be their teacher, I want a classroom. There will be challenges in this covid era schooling journey, but I am happy that busy schedules and rushed mornings won't take the place of lingering bike rides and lego sessions just yet.