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DeAnn M
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| Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 8:18am | IP Logged
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Well, our basement is FINALLY very close to being finished. That means I have a clean slate for organizing our learning room. I've never really had a large space for our learning room until now. So....I've already searched the boards for ideas. I found some great ones but, unfortunately, some of the links to the "Loveliness of Learning Rooms" no longer work.
That being said, does anyone have any suggestions for our blank slate? Do you guys organize your rooms according to subject? (e.g. math area, science area, etc.)
We have one long rectangular room to work with. I definitely need a play area for the smaller ones in the room. I was a teacher before I had children so my inclination is to get a huge bulletin board and a huge chalkboard with the alphabet lining the ceiling. I'm having a hard time getting that vision out of my head. I really want it to inspire learning without overstimulating. (The walls are already a bright yellow...kind of an accident, I meant for it to be a soft, soothing yellow, but that's another story. 
Thanks ladies. I look forward to hearing from you.
DeAnn
Still a Newbie. 
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acystay
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| Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 11:16am | IP Logged
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Go with bookshelves. I got mine from IKEA. I got the 3 shelves units and am going back to get the taller shelf unit to go on the side.
I also have this long shelf side table thing from there too. On top we do our nature center and the bottom shelves are for my 2 year old practical life and block work. I have the 2 small shelves (crammed right now reason getting more) and have them divided for art, math, science topic we are doing, geography. Another shelf I have holds moveable alphabet and phonics work, reading books and eventually writing b/c I'm getting other shelves. I have baskets to hold 3 part cards, shells, writing utensils, rugs for work, and beads.
I know there is a blog of someone's learning room. I do'thave the link right now. On the laptop doing this and it doens't have it all. I do know she did include a practicle life area (kitchen and table) and it looks awesome!
I too was a teacher, but hated the whole bulletin boards. I do have them put things on the walls (oh I have 2 big maps on the wall too). Our today song is on there too. I do want something to write on,but I realize too I can do that with paper. It makes a little more personal for me.
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 12:49pm | IP Logged
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IF you have a bulletin board, use it for feast day projects or display of your children's best work! We got a cork board this year so that it wasn't difficult to make the communion of saints chart using laminated pictures and push pins. This way, I have the laminated pictures for next year - but if someone dies or is baptised, etc. or we have some additional favorite saints, well, we still don't have to redo everything.
Edited to add - I'm not sure what ages your children are, but we needed to have some sort of space where some of the children could spread out on tables for project type work and some places where folks could be assured of reasonable quiet. Work tables and bookshelves are our biggest assets. You could certainly use short bookshelves to mark off a play area but I wouldn't have any noisy toys in there - only learning type quiet toys. Do you plan to snuggle and read in this room - then have one comfy couch and make sure you have really good lighting.
Janet
Janet
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 19 2007 at 6:33pm | IP Logged
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Well I had a long rectangular room in our previous house ( I do miss having a learning room) mine was lined with bookcases of course and I had a long low cupboard for toys and educational materials. When I design a room again  I plan on having a floor to ceiling cupboard with doors to lock, where the educational games, craft supplies, stationary etc go. I also have a big white board up which is most useful and I'd like to have a large cork board.
A lounge is a must for reading time I'm not sure of your children's ages but we found that a couple of 'kitchen' tables good.
I'd love to set up according to 'subject areas' but I didn't have the room before and now...  I'd love to see your pictures when finished.
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Erin
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hereinantwerp
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| Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 1:24am | IP Logged
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I like cabinets with doors that close.
It makes me feel more sane .
It makes a huge difference when things are easy to put away.
My "dream room" would have:
bookshelves for books and cabinets/drawers for games, crafts supplies, etc.
a couch or loveseat to snuggle and read together
a rectangular table/chairs for doing crafts, projects
a computer station
a play area and rug for the little ones, with toys organized in bins on low shelves
a cd/tape player for music and audio tapes
a place to display nature finds, little pets/terrariums and things
if the bookshelves are lower, you can use the tops to display stuff, and it doesn't look so crowded visually.
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Angela Nelson
Mother to Simon (13), Calvin (9), and Lyddie Rose (3)
my blog: live and learn
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Cheryl
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| Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 7:18am | IP Logged
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DeAnn,
When I built our school room I had originally imagined I'd have things out on shelves for different subjects, but I found that it doesn't work for me with a toddler around. I'd suggest everything that Erin and Angela said above.
I'd also suggest a daily pick-up time. (I don't have this and my room is getting trashed regularly.)
I don't have a bulletin board, chalkboard or alphabet on the walls, but I'm sure those would work out fine. We have maps, art prints, a timeline, children's artwork and a pocket calendar that my dc love. I give my dd 1 the date and she runs to the calendar with it.
Our school room is divided in half with a reading section and a drawing/writing/crafting section and this has been working for us.
I'd love to see pictures of your room when it's finished too!
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Cheryl
Wife to Bob ('97)
Mom to Matthew 13, Joseph 11, Sarah 10, Rachel 6, Hannah almost 4 and Mary 1
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DeAnn M
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| Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 7:51am | IP Logged
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Hi Ladies,
Thanks for the wonderful suggestions. I definitely have an extra sofa that I'm going to throw a slipcover over and place in the room for snuggling and reading. Also, cabinets with doors are a great suggestion! I'm sure I can find a relatively inexpensive one at IKEA. I better go soon before all of shopping craze begins!
My dad built some great shelves for us so we should have plenty of bookshelves.
A daily pick-up time is a great idea too. My fear is that this room will get overtaken with toys and papers and books. I need some sort of peace and order so that I won't go crazy.
I think I would like to put up art prints and frame some of the kids' art to hang on the wall. I kind of like the idea of a small bulletin board for seasonal pictures/prayers, or saints for the month or something like that.
Oh boy am I babbling. I just have one more question. Supplies seem to be an issue with us. Do your kids have their own boxes/drawers or do you have a community area with pencils, scissors, etc. Now that I have a chance to reorganize, it would not be difficult to change the way we do things a little.
God Bless,
DeAnn
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ALmom
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| Posted: Nov 20 2007 at 9:34am | IP Logged
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At the beginning of one school year, we purchased a reasonable supply of art paper, binders (color coded for the child), notebook paper (or the primary type lined paper for those learning to write), crayons, and pencils,colored pencils, pens and paintbrushes, scissors (handle matched the color of their binder) and a ruler (same color as their binder) for each child along with a box (we got the box at Hobby Lobby). This box is the storage place for their personal supplies and it is stored on their desk. They each decorated this box with paints and stickers according to their own tastes - so I know whose box is whose at a glance. They were made to understand that I expected them to take care of these supplies as we would not be repurchasing every year and if they lost or destroyed their stuff, I wasn't replacing it. Now the toddler proceeded to pretty much lose everything rather quickly (some of it he melted using a desk lamp in order to get wax coatings for paper airplanes - imitating brothers who used other sources of wax or old crayons that I had trashed due to size too small to write with - not their personal crayons). The toddler no longer has his own stuff except scissors and ruler, but he knew from the start that these were the consequences and has lived with it. In a few years it will be normal time to replace due to normal use and then he will get another chance.
However, I do have a locked supply cabinet where I store lots of supplies. I have tons of writing paper and drawing paper in here, as well as markers, dry erase markers, chalk, extra crayons (these are leftovers or stuff that came in bags from others or the crayons that didn't get put away and were left on the floor (stuff left on the floor becomes mine), construction paper, nice set of oil pastel pencils, really nice colored pencils and a bucket of all the leftovers over the years. I have the key for this room on my key chain and children have to ask for supplies here - this means I can monitor this a bit and know when they have pulled things out so I can verify that they actually do put something back - and who to get to come get it if they haven't. It also means the toddler doesn't go through this like a dumper while I'm intensely involved with older child on Algebra or something. Now, I have a 5 yo and not a toddler so that aspect isn't as important anymore but it does mean I also prevent the use of expensive paper for making 3,000 paper airplanes in a day. They can still make 3,000 paper airplanes - they just have to use scrap paper like computer misprints, papers with scratch outs, etc.
Anyways, this is how we do it and it seems to work for us and the variety of ages we have.
I do not have my paints locked up - they are in the laundry room near the table we use for crafts but behind closed doors so that youngers have to ask for assistance while olders (who know how to clean up and work neatly) could access them without me. They do, at least, ask to use them so I know when they are out.
Janet
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dizzylaurel
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| Posted: Nov 27 2007 at 7:34pm | IP Logged
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Errr.....am I the only one WITHOUT a learning room? All of a sudden I feel rather inadequate Our "organization" system involves two bookshelves that are MOSTLY organized for homeschooling items, and then assorted piles on the dining room table (which also doubles as our "class" room....and sometimes a dining room! 
If we ever hit the lottery, though, you've all given me some GREAT ideas!
God bless,
Laurel in cluttered PA
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ahappyheart
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DeAnn,
I like the idea of the long white/chalk board. It really helps me organize who does what when I have space to write it out. I would do that, whether schoolish or not, to me it's just good organization.
I use our pantry door for seasonal things/art work and I love having that. I think a cork board, you know those stick on cork squares in a long rectangle shape would work great for the calendar and the saints of the month etc...
A space for the time line and a space for the world map/USA map would be great too.
I also like a long desk where I can keep the baskets I use for the kids work supplies. I have them keep them on my desk so we can find it all the next day. I found that giving each kiddo a cup for them to put their colored pencils, ruler, scissors in, which then goes in their basket works great for us for supplies.
Have fun with your room!
Susan Marie
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Erin
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| Posted: Nov 27 2007 at 9:34pm | IP Logged
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dizzylaurel wrote:
| Errr.....am I the only one WITHOUT a learning room? All of a sudden I feel rather inadequate |
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Laurel
I DID have learning room, now I have a room that can be crossed with seven steps, my dc's formal education takes place at the dining room table and we have ONE small cupboard for all our stationary, craft and art supplies. The spare floor space is three steps by three steps for seven children to play in. Fortunately I have managed to line the walls of the girls' bedroom with bookcases. So half our books are available. That is the hardest part, only having half the books available. The children's maths and notebooks sit on top of the TV unit in magazine folders. We have managed pretty well I think. But.. if we ever build again I have lots of ideas
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Mary Chris
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We are very fortunate to have a learning space in our home. It is half of the basement, the other half holds the toys. Here are some things we did
For the dry-erase board we went to Lowe's and bought a $10.00 piece of tile board, the board is huge, maybe 43 feet by 6 feet. Dh put molding around it to make it look nice, I'm pretty sure the molding cost more than the board. Lowe's also has dry erase boards that you can buy with out trim, but they are smaller than what I wanted.
We have a counter with shelves above it that I was using as my stamping/scrapbooking area but I recently moved that upstairs.
Dh put up
4 rain gutter bookshelves on one wall. I love them, I keep all our supplemental books there.
We have a big bookcase from Ikea. There website is rather difficult to navigate and I have not found the one we have. Anyway it is a big square with 4 cubbies up and 4 across. I keep books and games there, it is nice having all the math books in one spot. Around the corner from that bookcase I have three more full of our picture books and chapter books.
We have our old dining room table and a table I bought from Childcraft plus a counter for work space. I also have my computer desk and two small cheap bookcases with paper and my stuff on them.
I love our learning area, I just wish we got more work done down here.
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mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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hereinantwerp
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| Posted: Nov 28 2007 at 10:36pm | IP Logged
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DeAnn M wrote:
I just have one more question. Supplies seem to be an issue with us. Do your kids have their own boxes/drawers or do you have a community area with pencils, scissors, etc. Now that I have a chance to reorganize, it would not be difficult to change the way we do things a little.
God Bless,
DeAnn
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For us each boy has a cheap plastic "milk crate" for their current schoolbooks, workbooks and notebooks. For the 12 year old it is up in his room, for the 8 year old it is in between the kitchen table and the LR couch. I reorganize them for each 12 week "term".
I bought massive quantities of pencils, pens, scissors, tape, etc. and I have them stocked in different places, including their bedrooms, by the kitchen table, & in the study/computer room. I also have a couple of pencil sharpeners wherever we have pencils (lots of garbage cans are another thing!). I absolutely hate things being delayed b/c you have to run upstairs or whatever to find stuff, so I just have the stuff in every place we use it. In the study I have a craft/art drawer (big drawers, they are built in), and below that a craft/fabric drawer. They are often a shambles because my 8 year old raids them constantly--but at least they are being used!! When I had beautiful supplies up on high shelves they didn't. And though it is messy----I can just close the drawer, and not see it! I designated another deep empty drawer for his "creations".
I also moved all our puzzles & educational games to low shelves (again, thankfully with doors that close!). They are also getting much more use, though the 2 year old makes a mess of them sometimes. But, it keeps her entertained for up to an hour at times so I can live with the picking up. (Great practice "sorting" for the kids, LOL!). I have things in there like a shoebox of magnetic stuff, marbles, cuisenaire rods, things the toddler can casually learn with. (disclaimer, you wouldn't want to do this if your child puts stuff in his/her mouth, or you could use a child-lock!)
Also on a high kitchen shelf I have some cans of playdough, some bubbles, etc. for emergency "distract the toddler" need.
It's kind of a balance between having the stuff where kids will really use it, yet keeping it organized too.
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Angela Nelson
Mother to Simon (13), Calvin (9), and Lyddie Rose (3)
my blog: live and learn
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Tips for Learning Room Organization
