The Workboxes

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Well, the workboxes are just about complete. I just have a few more squares of Velcro to put on the drawers of K’s workboxes and on the help cards.

For those of you who are not already familiar with the workbox organizational method, here is the link where it originally started. And it has taken off like wild fire! I kept seeing posts about workboxes and how everyone had customized them to make them their own. I was finally intrigued enough to do a bit of research. That research led me to what I think is going to be the best system for our school.

Here’s how it’s going to work for us: Each girl will have 12 workboxes (or drawers, in our case). Each drawer will contain something that needs to be completed for the day’s schoolwork. (Contents of the drawers for Day 1 next Tuesday will follow this post.) As each drawer is completed, the numbered ladybug card will be removed and placed on the colored strips. The yellow ones are K’s and the pink ones are H’s. The cards with the ladybug on the flower, which are on a couple of the drawers in the picture, are Mom cards, and they indicate that my help will be needed for that particular task. The will let me know they are starting that drawer and I will teach them the lesson for that drawer. Each child will also have 3 help cards, which are to be used if they need help with one of the tasks that does not have a Mom card. (The purpose of this is to teach them that they should try really hard to complete something on their own before seeking out help. I’m hoping this helps my sanity a bit!) Once they have completed all 12 workboxes, they are done for the morning session. We will be doing science and history in the afternoons as a group, alternating days between the subjects. Music and art will also fall into the afternoons, but we will not be starting them quite yet.

Now that you know what the heck workboxes are, here’s a list of what each girl will have in theirs on Day 1 next week:

K
#1 Math worksheet
#2 Writing assignment (with Mom card)
#3 Reading (with Mom card)
#4 Puzzle
#5 Bible lesson (with Mom card)
#6 Craft items

H
#1 Language Arts (with Mom card)
#2 Pattern blocks
#3 Kumon worksheet
#4 Bible story (with Mom card)
#5 Handwriting
#6 Craft items

We are going to ease into this year, so we will only be using 6 workboxes to begin with. (Notice spelling and grammar are missing from K’s workboxes and math from H’s?) Other items that I plan on adding to the workboxes are snacks, games, Hot Dots, fun activities, and anything else I can think of adding.

6 thoughts on “The Workboxes”
  1. Thanks for sharing this. I wonder if this might make F. easier to deal with and motivate him to work more on his own if he can choose what to start with and continue with each day? I will talk to A. tonight to see what he thinks about this. At least maybe this can help free up time for the other children.

  2. Your workboxes are beautiful! Great job. I still have not gone down that path but am tempted in order to get my 6 yr old to be more independent.
    It looks like you guys are starting off strong.

    -bbsweetpea on WTM

  3. Thanks for all of the compliments! I really like the workbox idea, and hope that it will be just what we need to stay on track this year. I've struggled with so many different organizational methods in the past. This one just seems to make sense for us.

  4. The set up looks great. We use a system similar to work boxes ( I add write a subject/activity on pieces of paper then put them in a jar on their desks. Then they choose a piece of paper from their jars and complete the task. They love the surprise of not knowing what they will pull out of their jar next)

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