Tina Robertson

Day 5: The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round & ‘Round – So Get Off! And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

August 16, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today is day 5: The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round & ‘Round – So Get Off of the free 31 Day Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers.

You may be eager to jump into topics like curriculum and schedules, but my goal is for you to make better choices when it comes to choosing curriculum that fit your family.

It is hard to do that when public school mentality may still loom.

Many times when new homeschoolers start they do not take time to consider the value of determining what is important to them about education for their family.

Day 5: The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round & 'Round - So Get Off! And New Homeschooler Free Bootcamp

They simply get a deer in the headlight view of curriculum and want to pull the trigger on making those decisions so quickly.

I ask, no beg and plead with you to take time to read through this whole series before you make those decisions.

New to Homeschool

Time is not running away because you have time to get off the public school treadmill.

Sharing secrets of veteran homeschoolers will help you to avoid making the same mistakes

Look at this chart, how would you fill it out? I jotted down my thoughts in the second column

Chart Public School vs. Homeschool Questions

These are just a few of the preconceived ideas that new homeschoolers have and oh yes even seasoned veterans can still think this way.

To enjoy your journey and determine what is best for your family, it is important that you resolve early on in your journey the path you will take.

Many homeschoolers jump to choosing curriculum only to regret later that they wished they had more on homeschooling approaches. That post is coming too.

I don’t want you to think I am pulling the rug out from under you.

But beginning to homeschool without getting off the public school bus can breed homeschool resistance.

If what you are doing now is not working, why would you only want to replicate that at home?

On the other hand, it does not mean abandoning all caution to the wind.

Too, I’m going to switch gears here on you.

Who is Tina Robertson

But before you can appreciate how I can help you here are are a few things about me. Sure, this free new homeschooler boot camp is all about you.

However, you need to know that I’m not new to the homeschool world.

It has been several years since I wrote this series and I want to update you on my successes. And I’ve helped HUNDREDS get on the road to homeschooling.

Too, I have 3 homeschooled grads. So I’m well past having my oldest kid being 10 years old.

But the best part is that what I have for you works.

Also, look at a few other things about me.

I am the author of the book Homeschooling 31 Day Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers: When You Don’t Know Where to Begin

And I have a detailed self-paced online homeschool Kickstarter course. It is a detailed comprehensive course for first time homeschoolers.

That is enough about me.

This new homeschoolers free boot camp is about you. I’ve not only been helping new homeschoolers in person, but here at my site for years.

New Homeschooler

If something from public school works for you now, then it is okay to mimic it. Just decide IF it works for you.

I shared in Day 3 What is NOT Homeschooling how a school room helped my boys to have routine their days.

No, we did not spend every waking learning minute in our school room, but corralling the clutter to one room helped me to not be overwhelmed.

Too, not all children do well with testing and I will talk about that on Day 7. You will need to educate yourself on “why” or if you will want to follow any methods of public school.

It is much easier to focus on your three, four or more kids than to worry about what 30 kids in one classroom are doing.

Don’t blindly follow the masses when you come home to school. Abandon the preconceived ideas of how school should be and focus on what YOUR children need.

What are some things you will not bring to your school at home? What are some things you will implement that are new?

Days 1 – 4 of the 31 Free Boot Camp for New Homeschoolers

Day 5. Wheels on the Bus Go Round & Round So Get Off!

Free and Fun Homeschool Planner Stickers Back To School Craft

August 15, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today I have a homeschool planner stickers back to school craft. Whether you do this craft for your homeschool planner or do it as part of your homeschool year, it’s fun.

You can have your children prepare their homeschool planner stickers back to school craft as a first day activity.

There are two ways to create your own homeschool planner stickers for your planners, notebooks, and wherever else you want to put them.

Free and Fun Homeschool Planner Stickers Back To School Craft

First, you or your child can draw them using some fun pens and markers to get a nice watercolor look.

Second, I’m showing you a simple tutorial for creating stickers using free clipart if you prefer not to draw them.

Also, I have a ready made sheet for you which has some basic stickers you can use to dress up your planners or notebooks.

The stickers are perfect for adding color and reminders for things like library trips and co-op meetings.

Choosing the Best Sticker Paper

Before we get started though a quick overview about paper type is needed.

There are several types of sticker paper to choose from and you want to be sure to pick the one that fits best with your intended use.

Look at these different sticker paper types.

Matte Sticker Paper. This is inexpensive and works perfectly for planners and things that won’t get wet or be exposed to much use.

This type of paper is also a better choice if you are going to hand draw your own stickers.

This is what I used for both the hand drawn and printable stickers I’m sharing today..

Second is the Clear Vinyl Sticker Paper.

It’s just a bit more expensive, but these are nice if you want to print stickers and not have the white border around them.

Last is the Waterproof Vinyl Sticker Paper.

It is the cadillac of sticker papers.

This is the type of paper you use if you want waterproof stickers to put on things like water bottles.

I love these and we had so much fun creating them.

Doing a quick google search for watercolor school clip art gave us some great ideas for our stickers.

How to Make Hand Drawn Planner Stickers

One of the best tools to making your own hand drawn stickers are fine line pens.

They give a nice crisp outline for drawing.

They are fantastic to use in your planner or other writing even if you don’t consider yourself an artist. Using these will take your art to a new level.

Next, double ended alcohol markers give your stickers that hand drawn artist look.

Also, the markers give a very saturated water color look when using the brush tip.

Now, look below to look at some of these sticker supplies.

Supplies For Hand Drawn Stickers

You will need:

Use a fine line pen to draw a basic shape, a globe, beaker, apple, whatever you need.

Here you can see how much better of an outline I get with the fine line versus a regular marker with a small tip.

Fill them in with the brush tip of the alcohol marker.

Add labels to identify activities to them if you like, such as co-op, library, science labs, etc.

You can either cut them out around the outline or line them up in rows and use a paper slicer to cut them out in squares.

If you want to just use clip art for your stickers, follow these directions below.

How to Make Clip Art Planner Stickers

Here is the easy list of supplies.

Sticker Paper
Computer and Printer
Scissors or Paper Cutter

Open your word processing program and choose insert from the menu.

From the drop down choose Insert then Image.

And either upload from the computer (if you already have clip art downloaded you would like to use), or search the web.

In the search bar type in keywords you would like to find, either broad like school, homeschool, office, etc. or specific like paint, computer, and so on.

This will bring up clip art right in your side bar like this.

Double click the image you like to insert it on the page.

Resize it and move to the upper left corner.

Copy and paste the image to make as many as you like. Repeat with all images you want to use.

If you want to add words to your stickers go ahead and type directly under each picture before you drop to the next line to insert another row.

Fill your page with stickers, you don’t want to waste space or your sticker paper.

Print on to your chosen sticker paper. Then cut out by hand or slice with the paper cutter if you made your stickers in neat little rows with spacing between.

Now you can make all the planner pages you get here truly YOURS by adding special stickers.

Homeschool Planner Stickers Back to School Craft

Click here to build your unique free 7 Step DIY Homeschool Planner. This is my original planner which has over 450+ free pages and growing every year.
The Ultimate and Beautiful DIY Homeschool Unit Study Planner
A Unique Flexible and Beautiful Preschool Homeschool Planner. A planner which can be used for Prek to 1st grade entitled Early Learner Planner.

Other Back to School Crafts

60 Favorite Top Homeschooling Materials for Kindergarten

August 14, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Beginning to homeschool kindergarten can be daunting. So, having this list of homeschooling materials for kindergarten will start you on the right foot for kindergarten homeschool curriculum.

Beyond homeschool curriculum, you’ll want to set up your home for learning all over.

Too, if you have the right materials or supplies for homeschooling kindergarten, you can just about skip purchasing formal curriculum.

Plus, there are so many hands-on manipulatives, puzzles, books and supplies which can be used to teach in a play-based approach.

60 Favorite Top Homeschooling Materials for Kindergarten

Children this age learn best by play and not necessarily by formal curriculum.

I know it’s not the answer some moms want to hear, but hear my heart when I say there are so many formal years of homeschooling ahead.

Besides, it’s okay to have laid out curriculum because it can give you a birds eye view of how to teach.

Just don’t rush the learning stages at preschool or kindergarten and even into first grade by being overly formal.

So many of these learning materials can be used for years.

Especially if you have younger children or are expecting to grow a family, it’s worth investing in learning materials which will last years.

Get your money’s worth from them.

Kindergarten Homeschool Materials

And beyond what I have organized and listed below, you want to add these things to your collection.

Museum memberships
Some picture books like ones by Beatrix Potter, Curious George, and Five Little Monkeys to name a few.
And don’t forget a library card and
Think about buying secondhand cooking and baking items like measuring cups and bowls so they can be used for measuring or pretend play.
Don’t forget you already have your back yard for exploring or the local park.

Add audio books like The Very Eric Carle Treasury: The Very Busy Spider; The Very Quiet Cricket; The Very Clumsy Click Beetle; and The Very Lonely Firefly to your list.

Next, look at these items and materials to help with fine motor control.

Arts and Crafts for Homeschool Kindergarten

Arts and crafts supplies should make up a good part of your homeschooling materials.

Play-Doh Modeling Compound 10-Pack Case of Color

10 cans of creative fun – kids can get creative with just the right colors.

Dough Tools Set for Kids

45 pieces various shapes of dough tools as picture: rolling pins, pattern molds, cutters, stamps, etc.

Set Creations Tools for Kid with sea Animals

The shape maker and plastic knife are designed for little fingers to easily, pull, push, twist, and press to the sea animals.

Watercolor Paint Set, 48 Colors Non-toxic Watercolor Paint

48 Vivid Colors Best Watercolor Paints Set.

Crayola Giant Fingerpaint Paper

GIANT FINGERPAINT PAPER: Features 25 Sheets of 16” x 12” Coated White Paint Paper conveniently bound into a pad, plus a painting project idea to get kids started

Crayola Ultraclean Broadline Classic Washable Markers

Crayola washable markers are now ultra-clean; Washable from skin, clothing and now from painted walls .

60 PCS Jumbo Washable Bulk Chalk Non-Toxic Sidewalk Chalks

Our Jumbo Colorful Chalks are packaged in 3 boxes and each includes 20 pieces of chalks in 5 colors (Blue, Green, Pink, Orange and Yellow)

Rainbow Colored Duct Tape —No Residue, Tear by Hand & Waterproof — Great for crafts

Vivid Vibrance – Enjoy eye-catching brightness and a full rainbow of color options.

Left and Right Handed Kids Scissors, Safety Blunt Sharp

Multipurpose: kids scissors are ideal for children use in classroom school, office and at home.

Subscription Boxes for Kindergarten

Also, more and more subscription boxes have popped up over the last 10 years and they make teaching kindergarten absolutely fun and painless.

Instead of collecting all the supplies and materials, sometimes you just want to have things premade.

You’ll love some of these ideas below.

Subscription Boxes for Homeschool Kindergarten

If you choose the right subscription box it can bring learning to life with very little effort on your part. And it adds tons of fun.

Raddish - Kids Cooking Subscription Box

A NEW THEME EACH MONTH - Learn about new cultures and cuisines from your kitchen!

Little Passports Science Jr.

In the first month you’ll receive our weddell seals experiment kit, adventure-packed comic, Antarctica board game, and trading cards highlighting fun scientific facts.

Green Kid Crafts - Monthly STEAM Subscription

Each month you'll receive up to 5 experiments and art projects that promote STEAM learning (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).

Little Passports Early Explorers

Explore the world with your preschooler with this fun and educational travel themed subscription box!

Einstein Box Science Experiment Kit For Kids Aged 6

Science Experiment Kit For Kids 6-12

Dear Smart Girl Electrical Engineering STEM Kit for Girls

CREATIVE EXPLORATION: Our STEM DIY headband activity kit for girls is optimized for the highest doses of fun.

We Craft Box: Kids Craft Box Subscription – Monthly Kids Arts and Crafts DIY for 2 Crafters

BE YOUR KIDS HERO: Give them a day of crafting adventures without the stress or prep work!

Also, using manipulative and games for teaching helps learning to stick.

Children should not really tell the difference between playing and learning.

History, Geography, and Hands On Learning Ideas for Homeschool Kindergarten

Children this age love to learn about the world around them, but it doesn't have to be complicated.

World Map Puzzle for Kids -With Continents

World Map Puzzle set is an entertaining educational activity for kids to help stimulate and challenge their minds, and aid in development as they play and learn

United States Puzzle for Kids

United States Puzzle for Kids set is an entertaining educational activity for kids to help stimulate and challenge their minds.

Learning Games and Effective Curriculum for Language Arts and Math for Homeschool Kindergarten

Children this age learn best by games and there is hardly a subject that can't be learned though a game.

The Fidget Game Learn to Read in Weeks Master 220 High-Frequency Dolch Sight Words

The Fidget Game aims to teach curriculum-appropriate Dolch words or sight words from Pre-K to Grade 3 kids.

Learning Resources Time Activity Set - Teaching Clocks for Kids, Telling Time

Telling time, Time matching (analog and digital), Writing time (analog and digital), Problem solving, Fine motor skills, Self-help

Sight CVC Word Games, Montessori Alphabet Letter Puzzle Blocks

Muu MIAO CVC word games toy is a creative toy with high-quality logical puzzle board for learning to spell CVC words.

Wooden Large Hundred Board Educational Math 100 Board

HELP YOUR KIDS WITH EARLY MATH SKILLS: This Montessori multidimensional math toy was designed to your kid a love and confidence in math and numbers

Bob Books, Set 1: Beginning Readers

Bob Books Set 1: Beginning ReadersTeach a child letter sounds with Bob Books Set 1! With four letters in the first story, children can read a whole book

Kindergarten Math With Confidence Bundle: Instructor Guide & Student Workbook

This scripted, open-and-go program leads parents’ step-by-step through teaching all the concepts a kindergartner needs to master: counting to 100, writing numbers, beginning addition and subtraction, shapes and patterns, coins, time, and measurement.

Spin-and-Read Phonetic Reading Blocks and CVC Phonics Wooden Toy Set for Beginner Reader

Learn to Read: New readers will learn how to read and rhyme with our movable CVC word builder blocks

Before Five in a Row

, Before Five in a Row is a rich treasury of creative ideas that help you gently, consistently prepare your children for the lifelong adventure of learning.

Kindergarten Games for Learning Skill Subjects

As I mentioned earlier there is more than enough time for formal learning.

At this age kids learn the skill subjects like language arts and math through games.

As their fine motor control is still developing, you want to strengthen their fine motor control through crafts.

I’ve rounded up things to help strengthen fine motor skills to prepare your child for lifelong writing.

Paper, Fine Motor Skills and Writing for Homeschool Kindergarten

Remember at the kindergarten level it's like writing with your big toe. This is the time to STRENGTHEN the fine motor skills through play, NOT learn how to write.

My First Book of Pencil Control : Practice Pattern Writing (Full Color Pages)

A perfect fun activity book designed for early learners to develop pencil control and motor skills.

Write & Wipe Pen Control

Practice pen control and tracing, then wipe clean and start again!

Crayons in a Rock Shape, 32 Count, Tripod Grip Made for Handwriting Development in Kids

Used by occupational therapists and preschool teachers, they were specifically designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles in young children.

Melissa & Doug Scissor Skills Activity Book With Pair of Child-Safe Scissors

The Melissa & Doug Scissor Skills Activity Book is a paper-cutting project book with 20 pre-printed activity pages.

Construction Paper, 10 Classic Colors

Heavyweight 100% vat-dyed sulphite paper is perfect for any arts and crafts project .

Dry Erase Board, 14” x 11”

This White Framed Dry Erase Board Provides A Compact, Easy-To-Use Writing Surface For Planning, Scheduling, Drawing And More .

Plastic Art Trays,Activity Plastic Tray,Serving Tray for Art and Crafts and Writing in Salt

These art trays are great for painting,color mixing,organizing puzzles,beading,playing with slime and play dough,collaging,science experiments and more.Help to organize and get rid of mixing.

Lower and Capital Case Sandpaper Letters with Boxes

The sandpaper letters guide the hand for writing as the child traces the letter shapes in the style and direction that they are written.

TICONDEROGA My First Pencils, Wood-Cased Soft, Pre-Sharpened

Large size diameter (13/32") is ideal for children in the early stages of their writing development

In addition, besides getting children outdoors, they need plenty of things to help them learn about the fascinating world around them.

Best Science Games, Hands-on Learning and Books For Homeschool Kindergarten

Science should be so fun at this age. Not only should kids get out of doors, but they should have plenty of opportunity to investigate with games and a variety of science materials.

Puzzles for Kids Ages 4-8 Year Old, 100 Piece Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzle

Jigsaw Puzzle is a 100 piece dinosaur puzzle that is easy to assemble and displays beautiful artwork of a prehistoric landscape.

The Young Scientist Ocean Animal Card Games

The Young Scientists Club Ocean Animals Card Game makes learning a fun, interactive experience all while discovering the magic of the ocean!

Ocean Animals Toys Small Realistic Mini Sea Creature

Highly detailed and realistic, these small creature sea animals provide a better way for your kids to know about sea animals world,

Butterfly Garden: Original Habitat and Live Cup of Caterpillars

A cup of 5 baby caterpillars and with all the nutritious food they need to grow into Painted Lady Butterflies

Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Kids Microscope

Discover the world with science & exploration.

POWER YOUR FUN Fun Forts Glow Fort Building Kit for Kids -

GLOW IN THE DARK FORT KIT FOR KIDS: Build endless kids play tent structures, forts for kids, play tunnels, and more.

29" Large Dart Board

Utilizing it for math games with students, points system makes it challenging enough while interesting.

6 PCS Insect Specimen Set, Spider/Scorpion/Cricket/Flower Chafers/Stink Bug/

Real Insect Encased in A Clear Lucite Acrylic Resin Block. Durable,You Can Keep It for A Long Time.

Grow 'N Glow Terrarium Kit for Kids - Science Activities for Kids

Explore the wonder of nature and science with the Creativity for Kids Grow 'N Glow Terrarium; this indoor activity for kids allows you to craft, plant, water and grow

Science Energy Stick – Fun Science Kits for Kids to Learn About Conductors of Electricity

HANDS-ON STEM SCIENCE: The Steve Spangler Science Energy Stick is a one-of-a-kind toy to learn and explore the science of electricity and circuits.

Kids Science Kit with Lab Coat Gift Set - Over 20 Experiments for Kids 4-6

20+ Fun and Fascinating Science Experiments plus real life kids Lab Coat, Scientist ID Tag and play Safety Goggles to create an authentic home laboratory experience, components store perfectly in the re-usable plastic storage box!

Little Kids First Big Book of Reptiles and Amphibians (National Geographic Little Kids First Big Books)

This addition to the hit Little Kids First Big Book series explores the fascinating world of reptiles and amphibians, from slithering snakes and scaly lizards to bumpy frogs and spotty salamanders.

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Dinosaurs (Little Kids First Big Books)

The third title in National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book series, this book is for kids 4- to 8-years-old who LOVE dinos!

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Space (Little Kids First Big Books)

This beautiful book is the latest addition to the National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book series. These colorful pages will introduce young children to the wonders of space,

National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of the Ocean (Little Kids First Big Books)

National Geographic Kids First Big Book of the Ocean is an adorable animal reference that includes the sea's high-interest animals, such as dolphins, sharks, sea otters, and penguins, and introduces kids to some of its lesser-known creatures.

Finally, puzzles train children to mind the details and to develop patience needed for learning.

Best Puzzles for Homeschool Kindergarten

Melissa & Doug Self-Correcting Alphabet Wooden Puzzles With Storage Box

The Melissa & Doug Self-Correcting Alphabet Letter Puzzle set includes 52 durable wooden pieces that help kids learn the ABCs as they match letters to pictures.

Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock

The Melissa & Doug Shape Sorting Clock is an entertaining and educational toy that includes 12 removable pieces for teaching time-telling and more.

Learning Resources Alphabet Puzzle Cards, Kindergarten Readiness

BUILD kindergarten readiness skills with these fun puzzles!

Other Kindergarten Homeschool Curriculum Resources

Fun Upcycled T Shirt Library Tote Back to School Kids Craft

August 13, 2022 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This upcycled t shirt library tote back to school kids craft is so fun and sassy. And learning how to homeschool means we love visiting the library.

It is almost time for public school to ring back into session and for homeschoolers to come out of hiding.

If you are like most homeschooling moms, you make weekly runs to the library for chapter books ,reference books, read aloud books, audio books, and maybe even DVDS.

Fun Upcycled T Shirt Library Tote Back to School Kids Craft

A good way to deal with that is to let everyone carry their own pile, but we aren’t going to run out and buy a bunch of tote bags are we?

Nope, not today. Today we are going to upcycle something you already have around the house.

Not only is this school craft idea inexpensive and easy but it’s cute and washable too.

When it gets dirty just toss it in the wash along with your next load and it’s ready to work again.

23 Favorite Read Aloud Books for Our Library Tote

From t-shirt to upcycled library tote makes a great co-op activity too.

Invite everyone to bring a favorite old t-shirt, supply some scissors, the directions, and everyone ends up with a great school craft idea to take home.

First, I’m sharing 23 favorite read aloud books for your newly created upcycled t-shirt turned library tote. I know you’ll find a favorite or two for your family.

23 Favorite Read Aloud Stories

You'll love adding some of these favorite read aloud stories to your homeschool day.

The Wild Robot

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island

Stuart Little

Stuart Little is no ordinary mouse. Born to a family of humans, he lives in New York City with his parents, his older brother George, and Snowbell the cat.

The Green Ember

Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures.

The One and Only Ivan

Having spent twenty-seven years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to humans watching him.

Anne of Green Gables

Eleven-year-old Anne Shirley has never known a real home.

Little House on the Prairie

Classic tales by Laura Ingalls Wilder about life on the frontier and Americas best-loved pioneer family.

My Side of the Mountain Trilogy

This coming-of-age story about a boy and his falcon went on to win a Newbery Honor, and for the past forty years has enthralled and entertained generations of would-be Sam Gribleys.

The Hobbit: Illustrated Edition

In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins enjoys a comfortable, unambitious life, rarely traveling farther than the pantry of his hobbit-hole in Bag End.

The Indian in the Cupboard

Trying to hide his disappointment, Omri puts the Indian in a metal cupboard and locks the door with a mysterious skeleton key that once belonged to his great-grandmother

Summer of the Monkeys

The last thing fourteen-year-old Jay Berry Lee expects to find while trekking through the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma is a tree full of monkeys

The Borrowers Afield

Driven from their home in the big house, Pod, Homily, and Arrietty take up life in a boot.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy

Soon they are busy discovering the summertime magic of Arundel’s sprawling gardens, treasure-filled attic, tame rabbits, and the cook who makes the best gingerbread in Massachusetts.

Charlotte's Web

Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn.

The Sign of the Beaver

Although he faces responsibility bravely, thirteen-year-old Matt is more than a little apprehensive when his father leaves him alone to guard their new cabin in the wilderness

The Chronicles of Narnia

Fantastic creatures, heroic deeds, epic battles in the war between good and evil.

Mr. Popper's Penguins

It tells the story of a poor house painter named Mr. Popper and his family, who live in the small town of Stillwater in the 1930s.

The Courage of Sarah Noble

In 1707, young Sarah Noble and her father traveled through the wilderness to build a new home for their family.

The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread

A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together,

Frindle

A quirky, imaginative tale about creative thought and the power of words that will have readers inventing their own words.

The Lemonade War

Here is a clever blend of humor, math wizardry, and business know-how. As it captures the one-of-a-kind bond between brother and sister.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

This special edition contains 12 extra poems.

Because of Winn-Dixie

One summer’s day, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni goes down to the local supermarket for some groceries—and comes home with a dog. But Winn-Dixie is no ordinary dog.

The Boxcar Children Fully Illustrated Edition

The classic story of four orphaned siblings, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny, who find an abandoned boxcar in the forest and decide to make it their home.

Read aloud books are such a fun way to bond as a family.

Reading together improves comprehension and vocabulary in children.

Also, they can improve processing skills, increases their attention span, reduces stress, builds listening, communication skills and visualization.

How to Upcycle a T-Shirt

Now, let’s make this adorable library tote and you only need a few things to make this.

a t-shirt
fabric scissors
a bowl to use as a pattern for cutting
fabric chalk

Yes, just things that you already have in your house.

Grab your t-shirt and start by cutting off the sleeves, just inside the seam.

And try to cut as evenly as you can but it’s handmade so if the edges are a bit rough it’s okay.

If younger children are helping or making their own, you will definitely have some uneven cuts and knots but that is the charm of their very own DIY project.

Next, use a large bowl to draw a half circle around the neckline to make the opening larger.

You want the shoulder area to be somewhere between 3”-5” on each side to make it sturdy and comfortable handles.

The handles can be held with hands or looped over your shoulder.

Cut this circle out of both sides of the shirt.

Too, you want to make sure you have a good pair of fabric scissors.

I like these, for most of our crafts because they work well, are comfortable, and are not too expensive.

Measure a line up about 3” from the bottom all the way across and mark it with chalk. The chalk line disappears with just a bit of wiping.

Now cut strips on both sides of the fabric up to this line all the way across the bottom of the shirt.

Make the strips about ¾” wide.

Then, grab your first set of fringes and knot it, repeat with the second set of fringes. Continue all the way across the bottom.

Be sure to tie each knot tightly and securely to make sure that the bottom of your bag is sturdy enough to carry a pile of books.

Other Back to School Craft Ideas

Alternatively, if you don’t want to have your knots showing you can turn the shirt inside out first and make your knots and then turn it inside right so they are hidden inside.

I like the fringe and didn’t want the bulk inside the bag taking up precious book space.

That’s it, your old t-shirt is ready to go live its best new life as a library tote.

This bag is also great to tote whatever you need at a farmers markets, on nature walks, to the beach, co-op meetings, grocery shopping, or on road trips.

Finally, look at more fun activities.

More Back to School Craft Ideas

Clever DIY Dollar Tree Desk Organizer Back to School Craft

August 12, 2022 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

This clever diy Dollar Tree desk organizer back to school craft is just the perfect idea to organize your homeschool places. Besides the dynamics of The Dynamics of How to Homeschool Easily and Smarter means organizing learning areas.

Do you need something simple and inexpensive to help get you or the kids (maybe both) organized for your first day of school?

This craft idea help you to get your workspace tidied up and make everything a little easier to find.

Clever DIY Dollar Tree Desk Organizer Back to School Craft

It looks cute with any decor, is fun to make, and it’s only $6.25 in Dollar Tree items.

This simple craft corrals crayons, pencils, sharpeners, glue, paper clips, whatever you need tidied up.

Join two or three together to make a larger organizing station for your desk, the kids space, or use it elsewhere in the house.

We could all use a little help getting our routine running smoothly.

12 Ways to Use A DIY Desk Organizer

What better way to accomplish this than organizing your most used supplies in a pretty and functional way.

Look at the ways to use your diy desk organizer school craft.

You can store:

Craft paints and brushes
A glue gun and glue sticks
Flashcards
Post it Notes
Needles and thread
Essential oils
Small sticker packs or treats for rewards
In the bathroom for makeup or hair supplies
Scrapbook supplies
Tea Bags and Coffee Pod
Science supplies
Individually wrapped snacks:

And since they’re so cute and easy to make, you’ll want to make several.

You’ll love this list of easy supplies from the Dollar Tree.

Easy Dollar Tree Supplies

Let’s get started on this simple craft.

You will need:

3 unfinished wood crates from Dollar Tree
2 unfinished wood slats -17”x 2” Dollar Tree)
Brown craft paint
Foam brush
E6000 glue
Small clamps from the car department at Dollar Tree
Water
ruler
Paper towels

My unfinished wood pieces were pretty smooth.

But if you find that yours have a few rough spots smooth them down really quick with a small piece of fine sandpaper or a sanding block to keep splinters or scratches form happening.

How to Make a DIY Dollar Tree Desk Organizer

If you already have a stain on hand you can use that.

But you can easily made tour own faux stain by watering down brown paint and add just a smidge of black paint..

The brown pain wasn’t dark enough for the stain finish I wanted to achieve so I added a bit of black.

Paint on your homemade stain, coating all the areas.

Be sure to get in the corners and cracks thoroughly.

I like to work in small sections and immediately wipe off the excess with a paper towel to get that transparent stained look.

Repeat this process with all of your wood pieces on all the sides and bottoms because it will all show in the final except for a few small spots. I used less than ¼ of a 2 .z bottle of craft paint to do all of this.

Allow the paint to dry completely for at least and hour.

It should dry up rather quickly since its a thin coat.

Use a ruler to measure the center of each of your side slats and crates.

Apply a generous amount of e600 glue to one side of the slat at the base and press into the center of the side of the crate.

Make it level across the bottom and this will be your base.

Repeat this step, doing only one side slat with the other two crates, one in the middle and one at the top.

Be generous with the glue and wipe off any excess that squeezes out right away. Attach the slat on the opposite side of the crates.

You can use a hot glue if that is all you have on hand. But I find that it’s thicker and you don’t get as much working time to make adjustments as you do with the e6000. Hold it in place with clamps.

Organization Tips for Your Homeschool Room

I also grabbed these clamps at Dollar Tree in the car/home improvement section to use on crafts.

Let your glue dry completely overnight to be sure that it is set well the remove the clamps.

Additionally, add stickers if you like to personalize it for each child or label what is going into each bin.

You could also make it a totally fun kids craft by letting them paint their own wood pieces whatever color they like.

Finally, look at some other fun back to school crafts.

Tina Robertson

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