I recently mentioned that I have begun to use a form of Sue Patrick's Workbox System.
I am doing the simple version as my kiddos are very young and I wanted to keep from confusing them in anyway. As they get older I may implament more of what the book recommends.

One of my readers asked me to tell you what I put in the boxes. That is the beauty of this you can put anything in it from school work sheets to snack to puzzles or toys.

I did type out a general 'schedule' for what to put in and when and in what order. {that last sentence sounds real complicated but let me explain - keeping it simple is so important to me}.
Here are some other ideas that I have written up. I just keep penciling in more ideas as they come.
Workbox Ideas
Workbox Ideas

There are two pages posted. Where it says 'book' at the bottom, you may need to click scroll then scroll down to see page two. (still learning Scribd ; ))

Here are some of the things we have done with them so far.

Anything you want to use for an activity you would put in the box. For example we did a fall leave wreath. I put in the box a paper plate with the center already cut out, a glue bottle. I had them go outside and pick up colorful leaves and bring them in. Then they glued them to the paper plate ring.

If I want them to do a math lesson. I put in what that day's lesson needs, pencil, worksheet, abacus, square tiles for pattering.

Just for fun I will add a puzzle or a building toy like blocks.

The first box is always a devotional, bible story or character book.
We also practice our AWANA bible memory.
I printed out this character coloring book - this is great for the 3 year old when the 5 year old is doing 'real school.'

Fall Vocabulary Words that they glue to a page



A Devotional or Character Building Book goes in the first box every day.



Math lesson for the day : couting with the abacus

Landmarks of the World flash cards We will just read through these together.

A fun activity to keep them busy.

Cutting

I have good news ~ for me anyway.


I really struggled for about 4 weeks with how to plan what to do and when. When is a big issues when you have a preschooler and a crawler! Schooling just wasn't fitting in (without babies crawling up in the table and preschoolers throwing temper tantrums).
I had thought about it, scratched out many possible routines but it wasn't happening. I was so discouraged and frustrated by it all. I knew we needed to do something totally different from what we were doing.


Finally I said enough is enough and I got online and ordered

this from Joann Fabric! It has made things so much more fun and we actually get school done.... not just do a little.... I mean we accomplish what I want to accomplish.




For the kids is it just something that fills their day. They are loving the boxes and the fun 'projects' inside!. I kept it real simple and didn't do the whole Sue Patrick's Workbox numbers and cards and valcro. It is just the drawers and I tell them "Go see what is in the blue box" - It helps that they are all different colors - they are learning their colors too!


Oh! You know what was even better? I ordered it online and they had two different prices. On the list of items it was priced at only $33.00! That's a great deal! So I clicked "add to cart" and there it showed up as $66.00 plus $14 shipping. So I called customer service and they gave me the cheapest price listed. And shipping was really only $7.00!  Woooo Whoooo!


(by the way, the 5 year old gets one side and the 3 year old gets the other side.)

If you homeschool and you check out other homeschool blogs I know you have heard of Sue Patrick's Workbox System.
Well, we plan to implement it in some form the fall.... well maybe now.
It is meant to be used for school work but I will be starting the kids with it for assigned activities during the day. I have had enough of the kids wandering around the house making unnecessary messes simply because THEY NEED DIRECTION! (ahem... my fault... guilty.. busted).
The idea goes some thing like this (get the book for a much more accurate way to get started).

You get a shelf or rack of some sort and put out 6- 12 plastic shoe boxes on them. Mom fills the box with one item for the child to work on. Then when he has completed that he moves on to the next box. And so on. Homeschool mom's RAVE about how this system has brought much order to their day. Not to mention that it gets the kids more independent because they know what comes next.

So I am in the process of making a master list of activities the kids can do. I am breaking it down to different categories for example under Music, I will have a list like this to choose from: Crank up the radio and dance!, play musical instruments, play a video game that teaches music or instruments (I have links and cd roms), color to classical music, read a book that is music related and so on. Then we have a games section where I list all of the games in the closet.
The only reason I am categorizing them and making a master list is because I know myself. I will choose the activities they like best instead of MAKING them try something new. They may just like it if they try it! This will also force me to use everything we have.
Here is a great link to see how others have done it.
I am sure you will be seeing more on our set up. I am waiting for hubby to decide on a color printer before I jump in! (hurry up hun!)