Our Classroom
I have been excited to share with you our classroom space since we moved into our new home. Having a space for our children to learn and grow is awesome. We have moved around so much over the course of our children’s lives that our classroom has morphed often. At first it was just a couple baskets on the floor. Now we purposefully bought this house, for this room, just so our children could have a designated classroom. We want learning to be apart of life and this classroom adds to our goal to create life long learners!
So step right in and let’s look around.
We have a set of beautiful glass french doors that opens up to our classroom. The first shelf in our classroom is a practical life shelf. Both Samuel (4) and Avalyn (2) work with all the activities on this shelf, but I do have a couple specific works for each child.
Top left is a DIY dressing frame with small buttons. Samuel has easily mastered the larger buttons after I created a button snake for him during his potty training days. This dressing frame helps him with the trickier buttons found on dress shirts. (Check Mama’s Happy Hive for DIY dressing frame ideas.)
Top middle is a Melissa and Doug set of large lacing beads with shoestrings. Both of my children use this often. Avalyn likes to stack the beads and uses them for color recognition. Samuel will thread the beads and work on patterns.
Top right is a dust pan and brush. I found this at the Target dollar spot. Always helpful for any messes that may arise.
Middle left is a folding activity for Samuel. Here is practices folding our cloth napkins. He also practices this practical life activity during our laundry folding time.
Middle right is a fine motor skill work for Avalyn. This is a dollar store shaker bottle and a bowl of toothpicks. She loves this activity and will work with it often. Samuel is also very fond of it.
The bottom left is a transfer work for Avalyn. I found a mini muffin tin at a yard sale and use it often for different works. In this activity, Avalyn uses ice tongs to move small gems from a bowl to the muffin tin. The gems are specifically three of each of the four color gems to make twelve total. I did this for Samuel to help with patterns and counting by threes.
Bottom middle work is a set of nesting cups. We have used these for many years! There are four of each color and they are numbered from one to twelve. They stack well within each other and can be used for color recognition, counting, and to build towers.
Bottom right is a set of color tiles from For Small Hands. They are transparent and are a lot of fun. Along with color recognition, the kids like to look through the tiles to notice how things change colors. We have beautiful sun that shines in right on this shelf in the morning. The transparent color tiles create beautiful rainbows on our floor while the kids work with them. We all need a little Reggio in our life.
Behind our practical life shelf, I set up a small art station for the kids. We have an easel from Ikea, the portfolio books the kids started to compile their art projects, and one of our favorite art books, Math-terpieces: The Art of Problem-Solving by Greg Tang.
This little space produces a lot of creativity. Currently, the kids are working with the chalk board, but we can turn the easel around and have a white board or add a roll of art paper and paint and color. Such an amazing use of a small little corner!
In this corner we added a mirror at child height. This mirror is a regular mirror we bought from Lowes Home Improvement. A lot of people ask about child safe mirrors. There are lot out there, but we never had a problem with this mirror. Our children have banged on this with spoons and hands and it has had plenty of loving kisses without issue. We have always made sure to have a good set of mirror anchors for this mirror to be sure it doesn’t slide.
I added a basket of pretend play clothes. Our children love to dress the part when we are reading stories or listening to children’s music so we keep different items in this basket as the need arises.
Beside the mirror is metal drip pan. Yep, just like one you put under your car. We found this at an auto parts store, but it was NEVER used for our cars. This is for any magnets we have to study letters or numbers.
Beside our metal drip pan is a set of shelves I saved from the dumpster. I love FREE! I love the way I can stack them in different formations as we add different projects to our classroom. This set of shelves is where I like to keep our math, language, and a little geography.
On the right side of the shelf is the math work for the children. On the top, is a basket with a set of large dice. It’s a little game Samuel likes to play to add number together. To the right of that is a tray with a set of Melissa and Doug magnetic numbers, and a set of DIY Colored Beads I made from Montessori Mischief tutorial . Samuel uses the magnetic numbers on the metal tray to create easy addition problems and use the colored beads to solve his problems. (The things kids come up with on their own is just AMAZING!)
The other works both kids use: a Melissa and Doug cube puzzle I found at a second hand store, a Melissa and Doug numbers puzzle, a sensorial work I found long ago with graduated stacking shapes, Ikeas stacking rings, a set of shape domino cards, and the orange box is our Imaginets.
On the left side of the shelf is more language work and couple left over math works. Top left is the CD player and the current book on CD from the library. We typically turn this on while we are working in our classroom, but not during lessons times. To the right of that is a box of beginning word sounds with the miniature objects. If you would like to set up your own set inexpensively, here is a good place to start. Then we have our DIY spindles.
Middle shelf: Melissa and Doug See & Spell word puzzle, Find it! USA geography puzzle, and a set of plain wooden blocks.
Bottom shelf: alphabet puzzle from Costco, Alphabooks, and then you see our Imaginets again.
This is a much loved section in our shelves. Most of the time we work the USA puzzle together and talk through the names of the states.
This little poster is a bulletin board boarder set I taped together to create a cursive poster. It’s nice to have this where the kids can trace the letters.
I love natural light. This rooms has amazing windows and we love to let the light come while we work in our classroom.
Trillium Montessori is a local Montessori school here. While I was visiting there one day, Seemi gave me a couple boxes of unused Montessori items. The pink tower and brown stairs were headed to Goodwill before I snatched them! Make sure to check with your local Montessori school for any items they are phasing out of their classrooms.
Our much loved table is from Ikea. This is actually a drawing table with extendable legs. Right now it is lowered so the kids can use it easily, but as they grow it will grow with us. I’m in love with it! Easy to clean and plenty of wonderful place. The white stools are also Ikea. The end chairs are from my mother-in-laws stash of goodies. They are very sturdy and usually where I perch since they are a bit lower.
This is our reading corner. The shelf is our old TV stand. It is nice to have the doors that slide back and forth. I store unused teaching books and some of the kids books that are not being used there. I ask the kids to leave those two section of the stand closed so we don’t have an unnecessary amount of books out at one time. The top left of this shelf stores our bible study books. The right is a bamboo plant that has been around way to long for my black thumb. I’m sure it will croak any time now, but until then it is nice to have a station where the kids practice caring for plants. We have a small rag and a bottle of water to water the plant and dust the leaves. To the left of the shelf is a basket with our work mats. Our mats are Ikea bathmats.
I’m so excited to show you around. I hope you find some inspiration and maybe a little motivation for your own classroom space.
Need Organizing Ideas?
Check out one of my top posts: 7 Ways to Organize Montessori Materials
Great Ideas for Back to School
Help your kiddos stay on track this year with these helpful Student Planner Printables on Scattered Squirrel. They can keep track of homework and test dates so they’re prepared.
This Not Back to School Tech Gear Guide for Homeschool Boys will get your boys excited about the new school year. If you grab a few things off THIS list from Brain Power Boy your boys will be learning a ton and having a blast at the same time. Most certainly not your typical back to school list.
Does the thought of packing school lunches for your kids fill you with dread? Don’t worry because the Super Mommy Club has an awesome collection of ideas for you, in fact one whole month’s worth of school lunch ideas… with no repeats!
We Linked Up!
Please send the PDF mentioned above.
Thanks! Looking forward very much to see it!!
Jane Swartz
Thank you for stopping by, Jane. I emailed you the Free PDF. I hope you enjoy. If you have any more questions you are always welcome to ask them here or on our FB page at https://www.facebook.com/ChildLedLife Have a great rest of the week!
This is an amazing space! What lucky kids.
Thank you! We are blessed to have the opportunity to create an amazing space for them. Thank you for stopping by, Jennifer.
Looks great! It is so nice to have a dedicated spot for children to learn and explore!
I completely agree! Thank you for stopping by, Katie.
Your classroom looks wonderful! I love how you organized everything. I like the rug underneath your table too. The environment you created is sure to inspire your children to learn with enthusiasm!
Thank you for stopping by! It is great to have a place to be in a learning environment.
What an awesome space you have set up!! I wish we had a bigger place to be able to do this.
I know how you feel! I have a series going on over at Trillium Montessori with a tour of the one bedroom apartment we lived in while we were waiting to find this house. 🙂 It may give you a little encouragement. http://trilliummontessori.org/small-space-montessori-setup-introduction-and-entryway/ It’s great to have you here, Stacey!
Marie,
How lovely. Your space is so nice. Open and airy yet very comfortable. My son and I enjoyed having a peak into your home.
We were really intrigued with the large metal object and see what a wonderful idea you came up with. Wishing we had thought of that that when my son was young. Awesome!
I really love the name of your new site and look forward to seeing what you build here. I know I will be back 🙂
Sheila
Thank you for stopping by, Sheila! Always a pleasure to have you visit. 🙂
Marie, I love your classroom and the beautiful windows for natural light! I am sure your children will grow up to have very fond memories of this beautiful space and your loving presence guiding them to learn. 🙂
Thank you, Vanessa! I’m so glad you stopped by. 🙂
Will be great to see all the learning that comes from this space!
I agree, Laura! Thank you for stopping by!
Your classroom looks fantastic! I love the ABC shelf.
Thank you, Alicia! I love the way it has turned out. Glad you stopped by. 🙂
Hi Marie,
What a wonderful environment you’ve created for you children. I am absolutely in love with the drip pan turned magnet board, I think I see a trip to an auto parts store in our future. I wish we had a room in our home that I could turn into a classroom of sorts, even though we don’t really homeschool, I would love to have a space dedicated to learning activities. Might have to add that to my to do list.
Alli
PS: I am in love with your windows and shutters, and totally jealous of that view you have.
Hi Alli! Thank you for stopping by. I know your organizational skills you can recreate any space in your home for your kiddos! I am also in love with the windows in this house. So glad we bought it!
Your classroom is just lovely! So neat and fun to see all the Montessori items. It has to be a wonderful place for you guys to learn.
Thank you, Pam! It has been fun putting together a Montessori inspired home on a budget. So many great activities can be put together easily with what you already have at home. 🙂 Great to have you here!
Wow, if I homeschooled my kids, this is what I would want. How awesome for them!
Thank you, Jennifer. This room has become a place full of happy memories. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
What a cozy space. I love the practical learning shelf, and also the idea about the car pan for magnets – genius!
Thank you, Amanda! I put together a post of the practical life shelf as apart of #30daystoMontessori at StudyAtHomeMama.ca. You will love her stuff as well. Great to have you here. 🙂
Your classroom is lovely. I especially love all of the bright natural light that you have coming into your room 🙂
Thank you, Jill. I love this house just because of our beautiful windows. I’ll do a tour of more areas in our home that also have beautiful high windows! Thank you for stopping by!
I love your classroom! Such an inspiration. Will pin this one 🙂
Thank you, Jae! I love hearing I can bring a little inspiration. So glad you stopped by. 🙂
We love Greg Tang books, too! This was a great tour of your learning space and I loved how you found those shelves for free!
Thank you, Lisa! I LOVE free. I usually use them until they fall apart too so we get a lot out of all our free finds! Thank you for stopping by!
What a gorgeous classroom you have. Love it! Visiting via The Mommy Club
Thank you, Patricia! I love all the support from The Mommy Club! Great to have you here.
Yup, that’ll do it. You have my apoarcietipn.
Lovely learning room. One of the reasons I chose our house is for my girls to have a creative room with lots of natural light. I love the set up.
Thank you, Natasha! It is great to have a live led by our children, isn’t it? So glad you stopped by. 🙂
How organised are you x x
Thanks for joining in with this week’s parenting pin it party!
Thank you! We love the pinning party, Cass! Can’t wait for the next one. Thank you so much for stopping by. 🙂
Love your classroom space so much! Right now we have a room dedicated to toys and play time but as the kids get older I can see us following some of your ideas to make it a little more educational.
I’m excited to see your children grow! Thank you for stopping by, Clare. 🙂
I love peaking into other people’s classrooms. Someday I hope we have a house large enough to do a space like this. Right now it is just mixed in with other rooms in the house. Love yours!
Heather G. @ Golden Reflections Blog’ last post was: L is for Lion Craft for Spring
I love your school room! We have so many of the same things, so I know your children LOVE it, too.
Dollie @ Teachers of Good Things’ last post was: The Ultimate Spring Bucket List
Thank you! It is a wonderful space. The room is the reason we bought this house. 🙂
Montessori stuff is indeed amazing especially if we can DY it. Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board.
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What a beautiful space. I love that everything is so easy for the kiddos to get out and use. We don’t homeschool, but I took many of your ideas from this post and used them when we recently organized my youngest’s room. We grouped toys on his book shelf by categories that made sense to him, and kept things easy to get out and easy to put back. He’s spent more time playing in room since making the change, than he ever has before.
Alli’ last post was: Getting Ready for Back to School-Student Planner Printables
The space you have carved out in your home for your children to learn is so nice. I like how everything is accessible to them and yet there is plenty of space to move and play and learn.
Sharing!
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