preparing

People do different things based on their family and circumstances. Some use the dining room table. We do a lot on the couch, with some done at a folding plastic table (not just a tv table) with a chair… A few people do have desks. It is up to you.

I would try the table first, then adjust as needed. No reason to spend money if you don’t have too.

Sometimes I dream about a lovely room – project/painting table on one end, table and maps in the middle, a couch and wall to wall, floor to ceiling bookcases with reading nooks and soft thick carpet with a calming fishtank for looking at while daydreaming and thinking deep thoughts.=) And a door to shut! LOL

My reality is that I need to also do other things in the house, so we are the kitchen table type. I can do my things as needed (cooking, cleaning) and still see what mine are doing. The only draw back for me are projects that we want to leave out.

I have my maps on the wall and bookcases below that are our designated “school spot” for current materials.

We spend most of our time in the living room snuggled together on the couch.  For things like copywork, or really anything to do with writing, and all computer work, we usually do at the kitchen table.   And I agree with potpourri – storage is the only trouble I run into!  We have a bookshelf (a five shelf one) in the living room filled with books we are currently using, a small cabinet for things we will be using or have finished using but I know I’ll need again in the future.  I also keep our maps in that cabinet (we use the placemat ones you can get a Walmart for about a buck).  We used to keep them under the bookshelf, but after a baby spread them out over the floor, I slid on them and gave my daughter a black eye as I went flying across floor and into her, we decided that up and away was a safer spot!!  If you eventually have more children than lap space/side space, we have found “special days” helpful.  We write on the calendar whose special day it is (each of the kids in order, and then it starts all over again), and the person whose special day it is, is allowed to be the one to sit next to me for all of our readings throughout the day.  It has stopped ALL arguements about who gets to sit next to me.  We also used it to end squables over whose turn it was to get the mail, or who got to pick the music/radio show to listen to at night. 

Not only  are all families different, but our homeschool has been very different over the years!  We generally use a large table (not always the kitchen table though).  Right now we have a schoolroom with a folding table and chairs.  I like the children gathered around when they are working on 3Rs.  That way, I’m right there to answer any questions, read their dictation lesson, listen to them read aloud for phonics, help with math, etc.  For read alouds, we often move to a couch (our schoolroom has a couch, but we often move to the living room as it’s more comfortable).  Art and science experiments are usually done at our kitchen table (for easier clean-up).  

In the past, we’ve done it all at the kitchen table, but we are fortunate to have space for a schoolroom.  In our last house, I had a “schoolroom” in our basement, but it was so dreary.  We mainly used it for storage and I brought our supplies and books up as needed.  If we’ve done school in the kitchen, I’ve usually kept a cabinet or microwave stand for holding supplies and books that are used on a daily basis.  

Once you get going, you’ll figure out how to best use your space.

I also put a map under clear table cloth on kitchen table. It works great. I have plenty of wall space right now in our school room but I love maps so I have one on the table too. We will be moving this year and I doubt we will ever have such a nice school room as we do right now. We have an art table with cabinets for supplies, the kids each have a desk to keep their books and we have a computer desk and a couch and a big window and several book shelves. We will be having to get rid of a lot of this when we move.