| If you are doing preschool at home, or even if you are | | | | If you like to collect preschool craft and activity ideas |
| just doing some extra preschool activities with your | | | | like I do, you probably have a lot of piles of paper that |
| child from time to time, you probably have a lot of | | | | need to be sorted and organized. I purchased several |
| papers and craft supplies taking up space on your | | | | plastic file folder storage boxes for all these papers, |
| countertops and closet shelves. | | | | and they have worked great so far. I sorted my |
| It was hard for me to get excited about doing | | | | papers into categories like Christmas, Thanksgiving, |
| preschool activities without being organized first, so I | | | | spring, animals, alphabet, etc. I combined several |
| set out to go through all of our supplies and set up an | | | | categories together in one container, and then labeled |
| organized storage system that works for me. | | | | each container so I would know exactly what is in it. I |
| Flash Cards and Card Games | | | | also placed all of our workbooks in these containers. |
| I store all of my boys' flash cards and card games in a | | | | It's nice to have a place to put all those miscellaneous |
| small plastic storage container. This container is kept | | | | papers I always seem to run across. If I cut out an |
| up in a closet where only I can get it down for them. It | | | | article from somewhere, or photocopy an idea from a |
| only took one time of me putting all the cards back in | | | | book, I have a place to file it away where I can always |
| the boxes to realize they couldn't handle getting into | | | | find it again. You can put away the containers you |
| this container on their own! | | | | don't currently need and just leave out the ones you |
| Art Supplies | | | | are currently using. |
| Most of our art supplies are stored where my boys | | | | Preschool Manipulatives and Puzzles |
| can get to them. I purchased a three drawer plastic | | | | Hopefully your preschooler has a lot of math |
| storage container that works great for art supplies. | | | | manipulatives and puzzles to play with. These items |
| One drawer holds their crayons, colored pencils, | | | | should be set out where they can just pick up when |
| scissors, and glue. The second drawer stores a | | | | they are bored. All of our puzzles are stored inside of |
| variety of painting supplies. The third drawer stores | | | | benches we have around the table in our kitchen. |
| miscellaneous items, such as felt pieces for the felt | | | | When our boys want to do a puzzle, they can get |
| board and plastic letters for the magnetic board. This | | | | them out themselves. Our math manipulatives are |
| plastic container is kept near the kitchen table where | | | | stored on a shelf in our entertainment center. Again, |
| my boys do their art projects. This keeps it within easy | | | | the kids have easy access to them and often pick |
| reach when they want to color, paint, or do some | | | | them up when they are bored. We have sewing |
| other art project. | | | | cards, patterning and sorting activities, and several |
| Craft Supplies | | | | number, matching, and reading games. I love to see my |
| I have a separate plastic storage container just for | | | | boys reaching for these great learning activities when |
| craft supplies. Most of these supplies aren't used | | | | they want something to do. |
| unless we are doing a special craft project, so the kids | | | | The preschool years are a fun time for you and your |
| don't need to get in there every day. This container | | | | child. Whether you are doing preschool at home or |
| stores things like google eyes, pipe cleaners, crepe | | | | your child attends preschool, make sure you have lots |
| paper, etc. This is also where I store the ink pads I | | | | of stimulating activities for your child at home that are |
| don't want them getting into by themselves. | | | | organized and ready to use when you need them. |
| Worksheets, Workbooks, and Project Instructions | | | | |