Wednesday

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!

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

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.

Free Template said...

it's nice blog content sucess and GBU

Amber @ Classic Housewife said...

Love the shelf - but I still adore that while table and red chair! =)

Laryssa Herbert said...

Great ideas!

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. :)

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.

Moore Minutes said...

A homework station is a fabulous idea! I'm going to do one too. :) Thank you!

se7en said...

Love the organized look of the cans!!! Way cool, a quick and easy and organized project... Who could ask for more!!!

se7en said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
se7en said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Becky @ Our Sweet Peas said...

Great idea! Love it.

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

Erin @ Closing Time said...

What a cute shelf, and a great idea!! :)

The Activity Mom said...

Great homework station! I just hate when things ASK to go home with me at the store. =)

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

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!

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. :)

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.

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!

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?

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....

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

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

Julie said...

This homework center is great. I love finding uses for oatmeal containers.

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!

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.

Carol said...

Hey, I've been wondering, I won a t-shirt on your blog a while back...was wondering what happened to it?.....

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.

Unknown said...

That is a great idea! I will have to try it when my kiddos get older.

Diann @ The Thrifty Groove said...

What a great idea! And it looks so cute and neat!