Getting ready for Kindergarten...

Schools are starting back up soon...I know some started this week even!  Little Bit starts in just under 2 weeks.  Needless to say the time to think about going BACK to school is here.  Or maybe your child is just STARTING school this year.  I recently wrote an article for Springfieldmoms.org about getting your child ready for Kindergarten.  You can check it out here. 

Springfieldmoms.org also has a great list of resources to help get you ready for back to school!

If you have any tips on getting ready for back to school, I'd love to hear! 

back to school {organizing}

OMG...school has been in session for 3.5 weeks!  Little Bit is really enjoying it.  She loves riding the bus, eating breakfast at school, her teacher and making new friends!  

With school starting I knew there would be lots of papers to keep track of...bus schedule, specials schedule, word wall words, etc.  I wanted somewhere to keep it all that would be organized and cute at the same time!

So....I was racking my brain as to what I could make, where it would go and so forth.  Then I was sitting in my craft room and looked up from my computer.  I was like duh...repurpose the white board!  It's dry erase and magnetic...perfect.  Right now it was just a random hodgepodge of stuff and a bit of a mess.  Little Bit's desk was a bit of mess as well {it got a good cleaning too}!

I began be removing everything and laying out what I wanted to be displayed.  I chose a handwriting chart, specials schedule and word wall chart and clipped them onto twine that was already strung across the board.

I added a little banner spelling {school} across the top and mounted her bus schedule on some cute paper to help it stand out on the white.  I had some cute thought bubble post it notes that I stuck on the board for jotting quick notes and added a couple photos of Little Bit's first day of school!
 

At the bottom I straightened up her magnet letters and numbers and added 2 magnetic clips to hold artwork that we can change out.  I also love that I can write bible verses we are working on memorizing.

I love how it turned out!  Now my fridge isn't overflowing with papers and Little Bit knows right where to look when she wonders what special class she has each day...{she pretty much has them down now but I need help remembering}!   

Off to {school}

Hooray!  We survived the first day of school!  My little bit headed off to Kindergarten on Wednesday.  It was a very emotional day for me, but I kept myself busy and made it through!  I am so proud of how brave and energetic she is about school.  I hope it stays that way for a long time!

I made a 1st day sign using some black cardstock and a white crayon to get the chalkboard effect. 

She was so excited to get on the bus I almost didn't get a hug goodbye!

One thing that helped prepare her was getting to meet her teacher a couple days before school started.  We were able to attend an open house at her school, take her supplies and meet the teacher.  She was able to explore her classroom and look around the school to see the rooms she would be going to...and we even made a quick stop on the playground!

I put together this little gift to give to her teacher that night.  I took a Ball jar and filled it with pencils, pens, sharpies and dry erase markers.  Then I attached a jar shaped tag with the teachers name on one side and the saying {Can't wait to have a "BALL" with you this year in class!}  I had seen the idea here and just did my own thing with it. 

For more great back to school info check out Springfield Mom's resources here.  {My idea is even featured there!}

{school} mantel

Little Bit starts school tomorrow!  She can't wait!  I'm excited for her but sad to lose my daily companion.  ;)  She got to meet her teacher last night, see her classroom and some of her classmates.  We even got to walk around and explore the different areas of the school she will be using.  

So to celebrate I thought it would be fun to do a school themed mantel. Of course she woke up and said, "why is my beach ball up there".  "Did you use my crayons?" and "Wait a minute, that's my bus!"  But she agreed it was cute and we could leave everything for a few days! 

 

I just worked with what I had and think the end result turned out pretty darn cute!  

It started with the globe beach ball.  I saw it lying on the floor in the living room and I thought hey, wonder what that would look like sitting on the candle holder.  Then I found a pic I had taken of Little Bit from Kindergarten night a few months ago.  I also used a small jar and filled it with brand new crayons!

 

I just made the banner using some red cardstock and cut little flags out.  I hand wrote the letters and attached them to twine with paperclips!  I knew Little Bit had a toy bus, so I added that to my little wooden crate display.  I already had the quote block and love the saying...and the chevron along the edges! 

I finished off the mantel with some buttons in a jar and my favorite....scrabble letters!  I just put ABCDEFG on one of the little holders and there you have it.  I am loving how it turned out!