Well, This should be the LAST of my shift from my regular content. BUT, Everyone is going through uncertain times. When I said I cried in my last post. It was because of the school closure announcement here in Canada. It’s been heavy on my heart to home school and now I know why.
As a Home and Garden blogger a big part of my home is my family. I do have an Education background, as I worked as an EA for 5 years. It’s definitely impacted how I do things at home especially for my family.
I have a kid in Grade 2, 4 year old whose registered for kindergarten next year and a almost 2 year old.
I noticed a MASSIVE shift online since the announcement. Everyone is sharing their best at home websites. Lots of FREE content etc.
However, not everyone is set up for helping educate their kids at home!
Zones
Let’s be real here. It’s NOT my goal to enforce what my son would be missing if he was at school. It’s just to keep his mind active with the basics. So yesterday we transformed our spare bedroom into a learning room with “zones”.
I made signs for each zone that my son colored and made with old picture frames. My son LOVES art and was hoping around and singing as he made these. Fully in his happy place.
Here’s the FREE Home School Zones
Homework
My son already has been playing Math games and writing in his Journal. All on his own. Without me prompting him. I hope this little “Homework is Awesome” sign keeps him in a positive place about homework for years to come.
The sign is in a picture frame that stays by our kitchen table. Computer time is done in a public space in our home.
All OTHER activities are SCREEN FREE
Reading
In our Spare Bedroom I pushed the Queen Sized bed into the corner. My boys had a blast yesterday grabbing all the stuffed animals and blankets and books to add to this space.
It’s also a great spot for all my kids to be in while the others are doing art or playing Lego.
Art
This is a BIG part of our home. This is MY art from Grade 8, I used to have all 3 in the kids nursery.
I used to have a “Ready Set Go” Set up that I wrote about in my Spring Break Ideas for Kids last year. BUT my kitchen table was becoming a fight to get it cleaned up all the time.
So I took out the dresser in this room and set up our outdoor camping table. Then I found a shelf in our house we weren’t really using and had installed.
Lego
Yes, an important part of our kids lives, LEGO.
We used to Host International Students for about 7 years. This was once their bedroom. This desk got taken over by Lego in the past year. It has been called “the Lego room” for months now.
I’m still letting my kids have their freedom and treating “Spring Break” as much fun as possible EVEN THOUGH they can’t play with anyone else but family and be at home. We still walk our dog and get outside in our big backyard as much as the weather permits.
Now to go plant my seeds.
I love my kids, but my way of dealing with stress is Gardening!!!
Hope this little home school transformation was helpful!
Notefull Living 