DIY Homework Station: More Worth than its Work

With “back to school” in full swing, I propose that before the grind of daily homework, early bedtimes, and the added complication of extracurricular activities, you consider incorporating a station complete with all the materials your little ones need to start the year off on the right foot. A homework station made from a shower caddy and/ or rolling utility cart is a great option to keep all of your children’s supplies together to make cleaning up compact and effective. Utilize all the space and nooks of the bin. It also helps to set the mood for homework time—when the bin comes out, they know that it’s work time! This is what I filled my homework station with:

·       A cute tape dispenser, stapler and extra staples.

·       Crayons and markers—let them pick out their favorites.

·       Mechanical pencils. Don’t forget to include extra lead, this will help derail excuses.

     Calculator. Get your kids their own so they aren’t distracted by your iPhone.

·       Pens (if they are allowed to use them in their classroom).

·       Scissors

·       Don’t forget post-its!!

·       Card games—optional. Sometimes homework drags on and on and they need a break. Let them take a 15 minute break when they get frustrated before they come back to their work. I like card games over video games and they seem easier to pull them away from in order to get back on task. They also allow them to culminate creativity with ease—it relaxes them and lets them really rest their brain.

For your storage system, I also really like the tiered units! Find a good use for the top tier, make sure it’s filled with something you access often and need handy on a daily basis. The second tier is great for books, coloring books, and activities to make homework breakdowns less frequent. Remember that switching back and forth from right brain to left brain really helps to keep them engaged, especially when homework hours get long. The bottom tier of your unit can be used for blank scratch paper or doodling paper.

School starts this week for most of us so all of these supplies are on great deals! Add them to your list and build a functioning homework station. It will make homework hours so much more organized productive. Leave a comment if you have any other suggestions to add!