Classroom Set Up 101 or My BEST 3 TIPS for the Beginning of the Year

I know, I know...

We just started summer vacation and I'm already thinking about setting up my classroom.  

Here are the first 3 things I plan to do to set up my classroom:

The room looks so bare and sad.  

Tip # 1:

I can't wait for them to clean the carpet and get rid of my rainbow rug so I can switch to using SitSpots instead.  These colored velcro shapes are amazing.  You can find them by clicking right HERE.  

These SitSpots mark the purple centers in my classroom.

These SitSpots mark the listening center as an orange center.

I have 6 hexagons (that new kindergarten Common Core shape) in each table color.  I plan to place a row of hexagons down in color rows.

Tip # 2:

The tables will also be color coded.  The red table will get red laminated construction paper placemats with the student's name plate taped to it.  These mats help to keep the glue off of the tables.  

Can you tell this is the "blue" table?

And this is the purple table.  The orange sign on the table tells the children
that they may go to an orange center today.

Each table will also have a popsicle tray for crayons.  3 large or 6 small crayons fit perfectly in each of the 8 (Hey, that's how many colors come in a box!) crayons.  The colored table tote will hold pencils, markers, glue sticks, and scissors with handles that match the table color.  

Kids get to practice their sorting skills every day as they put their crayons away. 

Tip # 3:

I picked up a white frame at a flea market last year, attached laminated graphics of crayons, scissors, a glue bottle, lined paper & pencil, and a sign that read:  "My First Day In T.K."  The kids looked so great holding this sign up around their little faces as I took a picture of each one of them.  

The frame worked perfectly at graduation too.

Hope these tips helped.  Stop by again and I'll post about setting up centers so you don't go crazy with messy centers.

See you all tomorrow.

Palma :)