Finding Organization, Accomplishment, and Routine at Home in the Midst of Crazy Times (or ANY time)!

Now more than ever, routine, accomplishment, & organization are GOOD for EVERYONE!  If you’re working from home and/or diving into distance learning for your kids and feeling like you don't know how you're going to squeeze it all in (for yourself OR your kids!), this system could be a total game-changer for you! The idea here is that once you have the tasks laid out, people understand and can clearly visualize what they have to do, get it done at their own pace (with minimal reminders or hovering from parents!), and be free to do what they want for the rest of the day (Screen time? FaceTiming friends? You're the boss!). 

Here's our chart all set up, ready to roll!

Here’s how it works:

1. DEFINE THE TASKS: The family works together to clearly define the jobs (you could just talk about it or actually even SHOW kids if you think they’re not 100% clear on it already - like what does it LOOK LIKE to successfully “clean the bathroom” or “clean your room?”

I am in LOVE with these little icons! There's also a blank, editable page so you can add anything else that fits specifically to YOUR family!

2. SET IT UP: Either first thing in the morning or at bedtime the night before, have kids help set up a list of tasks to be done.  What do you want to accomplish?  What needs to get done for home or school or yourself?  Put those tasks on the “to do” side of the chart. You only need to include things that don’t already get done automatically (for example, if your teens are good about showering, don’t put that on their list.  However, if they need reminding, just have them add it to their list.)  Everyone will be able to clearly see what needs to happen before they are “free” to do other things.  Be sure to give your kids some voice in what the day’s tasks should be.  Getting them to buy in and own this whole idea is huge.

3. GET TO WORK: As people work on the tasks, they can move them across the chart : from the “to do” side... to the “working on” space ... to the “done” side!  My 8 year old LOVES this so much that she literally races around, getting all her work done.  Personally, it also really helped ME as an adult to be able to visualize and knock out all the tasks I needed to get done each morning.  It truly is something everyone can use and feel good about.  

One more tip about the work - some parents like to inspect their child’s work before kids can officially move the task to the “done” side. You know your kids best- maybe you need to do that, or maybe not.  Jobs can be done in any order, as long as they all get done.

Options, always lots of options! :)

I hope this idea was helpful to you! If you want even MORE details, an EDITABLE Google Slides copy of everything seen here, and info on what magnets we used, etc, you can grab this helpful resource in my TPT store HERE!  Take care & be well, everyone!

Resources to Help Your Students LEARN from Home!

What a crazy couple of days, huh?!  If your school hasn't started thinking about an extended "Spring Break" or taking a little time off to keep the germs away, it may be happening soon!  I know it's hard to look at resources on TPT and figure out, "Is this something my kids could do without me at home??"  So I thought I'd help you out and do a little round-up of some things I could imagine sending home for my kids!  Click the any pic to be linked to the resource.

1.  At Home Learning Choice Boards

These are brand new and I LOVE THEM.  3 unique choice boards are included on Google Slides. Each board is already filled in with 16 thoughtfully selected tasks that are age-appropriate for Kindergarten (give or take a year).

I feel like each board could be a week’s worth of “homework.” You may also send other supplementary learning or some books or worksheets, but depending on what you need, this may be enough right here.

If you have older students or want to change anything about the tasks, you can EDIT EVERYTHING on each of the boards to reflect what your class is learning and what you want them to work on.

You can also edit the directions (Do you want families to complete a certain number of tasks per day? Should parents initial the boxes their student does? Should they snap a photo of the completed board and send it to you?). You’re the boss!

2.  Super Speedy Sight Word Reading Challenge

This is an EXCELLENT "game" kids can play on their own (or with an adult) to help build their reading fluency and sight word knowledge.  One paper lasts an entire week!  There are two ways to play (for a time goal or a # of words goal) and the object of either game is to get FASTER!  Word lists and tables are completely editable on Google Slides!

3. Roll, Write, and Race!

Have you signed up for my newsletter and gotten this HUGE FREEBIE on Google Slides yet?  This game is perfect for practicing spelling or sight words.  It comes with 28 EDITABLE options you can add all your own words to.  Kids think it's so exciting to see which word will get to the top first!!  Read all about it HERE!

4. Story Journals

There are several super fun options here!  I'd do a packet/resource per week and assign a page per day (each resource has MANY page options and I do one page per story/day).

Each resource has a theme like: 

• Gingerbread stories
• Pigeon by Mo Willems stories
• Goldilocks stories
• 3 Little Pigs stories 

 

You could easily give your kids a link to the stories on Youtube (I don't provide those, but if you just search them up, I know all of the stories are out there- many with SEVERAL options to choose from!).  Kids could watch/listen to the story and then complete the info.  Gingerbread, Goldilocks, and Three Pigs all follow the same template each day so kids will get familiar with it.  The Pigeon packet has more variety, but it's SO FUN and definitely a favorite of mine to teach!  

5. Writing Journals

I have a couple options here!  If you want to whip up some blank journals with cute covers, try these:

 If you want an April journal with pre-typed prompts, try this:

I know many of us are into "How To" writing this time of year so you also might like to send a handful of these home for kids.  My class LOVES them and begs to be allowed to write even during choice and rest time because they love writing in them so much. :

Hope these links give you some great ideas! Stay well!