We have homeschooled in various places over the years – at the kitchen table, on the couch, in a playroom while younger siblings played around us – basically throughout the house as kids and learning seasons changed, and even in an apartment last year.  All were wonderful for fostering togetherness and great learning experiences at the time.  Through the years, I have learned that it isn’t necessary to have a dedicated school room.  However, when we moved to a different home late last year, for the very first time, we decided to see if a room might be beneficial.

Come take a quick peek…

Our shelf of curriculum for this school year (also housing three of our five workboxes)…

A poem to keep our focus…

A cozy reading nook (next to a well lit window)…
 

Our white board (which also holds a very simple calendar for our preschooler this year) and hands on ABC center drawers (also for our preschooler – Yes, they are some of the same ones from my Kindergarten teaching days!)

Desks for the oldest girls (which easily transforms into a space for sewing projects, crafts and creative writing that the kids enjoy initiating on their own, etc.), and our wall strips that my dear husband made years ago on which to to hang the kids’ artwork (as well as our ‘Apples of Gratitude’ tree this year)

Our clippable maps, and leveled book baskets…

And, what I think I enjoy the most… a closet to house ALL of the other school related materials (used curriculum and manuals that we plan to use again, sewing/knitting supplies – including two bins of scrap material that were given to us for the girls, and paper/craft supplies)!

All of the items in this room and closet were spread out between various rooms, closets, and even our unfinished storage room at our last house.  By combining our bedrooms to be a girls’ room and a boys’ room (and including all of their toys in their bedrooms for the first time as well), it opened up a room and a closet to house all of these learning materials together. So, we were able to organize this learning environment using only things we had packed and brought with us, repurposing some items to make it work even better in our new home.  =)

Just because we have a ‘school room’ doesn’t mean that we aren’t anywhere else in our home!  We still have couches to snuggle up on for reading, additional tables for kids to spread out and work on that are close in proximity to this room, and, of course, our kitchen table for any painting / messier crafts.  It is working out so well!

I do remember when we first moved into this home almost a year ago though.  Oh, this room was packed with boxes!  As each box was deposited into this room and the stack became larger, I could tell that those who generously offered to help us couldn’t believe it would ever all fit and become a usable room – but, with everything having an organized and dedicated place, it works beautifully and I am so thankful!

Homeschoolers use the spaces they have to make learning happen anywhere and everywhere!  If you desire to glean more ideas, hop on over to the 6th annual “Not” Back-To-School Blog Hop.  It is School Room Week!