We Are THAT Family: WFMW: Homework Center

4-5PM finds us in the kitchen on weekdays during the school year.

My kids, still in elementary school, enjoy doing their homework at the kitchen table, the hub of our home.

I like it too.

While I start preparations for dinner, they work on spelling words and vocabulary definitions. I'm there to prod and answer quick questions. Unless it's math. There are tears with math. And my kids sometimes cry too. We leave math to Dad.

Last year, we were always scrounging up pencils, digging for paper and losing markers. I decided a homework center was a necessity.

I found an amazing shelf 1/2 price at Marshalls for $20. It asked to come home with me and since I'm nice, I obliged. I fell in love with it's smart cubbies and practical shelf.

We covered cardboard oatmeal containers in fun scrapbook paper:

And filled them with learning goodies:

This old tin tray I found at a yard sale, serves as a perfect message center for projects and important reminders. I used magnetic clips to attach to the tray:

The little shelf even had placards for my kid's names:

I added some rulers and a paperweight my toddler made and it's ready to go!

It didn't take my kids long...

I think this project gets an A+. Don't you?

What works for you?

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32 comments:

~Beth~ said...: What a great idea to include the kids in the creation of their homework center. Hope your hw sessions go smoother this year!; September 8, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Hoosier Homemade said...: I have a box that the boys use. It makes it nice to have it all in one location.
Thanks for hosting!
~Liz; September 8, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...: You are such a fun mom...and I keep picking up those trays at yard sales as well. I keep thinking I am going to spraypain, decoupage or do something cool with them. I haven't. :)And thus my clutter problem.; September 8, 2009 at 10:22 PM
Free Template said...: it's nice blog content sucess and GBU; September 8, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Amber @ Classic Housewife said...: Love the shelf - but I still adore that while table and red chair! =); September 8, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Laryssa Herbert said...: Great ideas!; September 8, 2009 at 11:10 PM
Heather @ Marine Corps Nomads said...: That turned out really well. It looks like the kids had a great time creatively helping achieve the end result. :); September 8, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Monica said...: What a cute idea!! And I love the way you have it decorated. I'm saving containers to decoupage to hold some of our supplies as well. And I think I have a great little cupboard for our supplies if I can just find a place for the things that are in it now.; September 9, 2009 at 12:07 AM
Moore Minutes said...: A homework station is a fabulous idea! I'm going to do one too. :) Thank you!; September 9, 2009 at 12:19 AM
se7en said...: Love the organized look of the cans!!! Way cool, a quick and easy and organized project... Who could ask for more!!!; September 9, 2009 at 2:10 AM
se7en said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; September 9, 2009 at 2:10 AM
se7en said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; September 9, 2009 at 2:10 AM
Becky @ Our Sweet Peas said...: Great idea! Love it.; September 9, 2009 at 4:32 AM
Valencia Jones-Edwards said...: What a great idea! I don't home school, but this will be perfect for a craft area that I so desperately need in my home right now...lol; September 9, 2009 at 6:30 AM
Erin @ Closing Time said...: What a cute shelf, and a great idea!! :); September 9, 2009 at 7:08 AM
The Activity Mom said...: Great homework station! I just hate when things ASK to go home with me at the store. =); September 9, 2009 at 7:19 AM
mama hall said...: K- you can come repurpose stuff at my house ANY DAY! when i try, it doesn't turn out so pretty. so come on over & work your magic making unusable old things new and purposeful again. i think i'm a 4 hr drive from you. can i entice you with sweet tea? :)

great homework center!
-E; September 9, 2009 at 7:22 AM
Stephanie said...: What a great idea...heehee. We have a homework station too. I guess great minds think alike. However, unlike your pretty homework station, mine is...not so pretty. Organized, but not pretty. So you have inspired me to work on that. And I love that shelf. What a great find. Sure does make homework easier, or at least calmer to have everything in one spot!; September 9, 2009 at 8:33 AM
bridget {bake at 350} said...: I love this homework center! Will you come next door and set up an entire school center? ;)

So glad you comments are back up and running...couldn't seem to get in last night. :); September 9, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Cheryl@SomewhatCrunchy said...: What a great station! You could be a homeschooling mom, no problem :)

My WFMW is about sorting laundry...and my past OCD tendencies.; September 9, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Raise Them Up said...: What a wonderful way to get kids excited about diving into homework! A special place with a special can is a great idea! Looks inviting, too!; September 9, 2009 at 9:37 AM
Rachel R. said...: Did you redo your blog, or is my computer doing something weird with it today? It's showing up in dark grey text on a black background, and it's really hard to read. It looks like maybe a background box is missing or something. But maybe you've redecorated, and it looks like that on purpose?; September 9, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Jenny86753oh9 said...: You always have great ideas, but this one is a MUST DO for my house. I have a hutch that is being abused with homework materials. Now...what to use in place of that shelf....; September 9, 2009 at 10:51 AM
Jenn @ A Heart For Home Sweet Home said...: I love the personal bins/tins. What a great idea! Ooo, and chalkboard paint would be cool on the inside of that tray too. That way, you could write assignments/notes? I swear, all of these creative/DIY blogs I'm reading lately have my wheels turning! LOL; September 9, 2009 at 11:53 AM
Liz said...: I have 4 little ones in school. I do need to be more creative when it comes to setting up a homework station. I will need to find time to do this! Thanks and have a blessed day~ Liz; September 9, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Julie said...: This homework center is great. I love finding uses for oatmeal containers.; September 9, 2009 at 12:50 PM
EnviroBecca said...: A+! Your homework center is really neat! And I bet it makes it easier to get the kids to clean up when it's time to eat!; September 9, 2009 at 3:11 PM
Lisa Anne said...: That's a great idea. I love it. I think it's great they all do the homework at the kitchen table. Soon they'll be helping each other doing the homework. I cry at math too and I'm an Accountant. Gotta love the adding machine.; September 9, 2009 at 3:43 PM
Carol said...: Hey, I've been wondering, I won a t-shirt on your blog a while back...was wondering what happened to it?.....; September 9, 2009 at 4:29 PM
Lynn said...: I love your idea! Even cooler, to me, is that I inherited a set of those exact same trays from my Nana. Here's a pic with one of them in the background: http://dlnc365.blogspot.com/2009/04/100365-dads-hangout.html

I didn't use mine in a smart way like you did though...just a dust catcher, LOL.; September 9, 2009 at 7:31 PM
Anonymous said...: That is a great idea! I will have to try it when my kiddos get older.; September 9, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Diann @ The Thrifty Groove said...: What a great idea! And it looks so cute and neat!; September 9, 2009 at 11:08 PM

We Are THAT Family

Wednesday

WFMW: Homework Center

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