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Over the past month, I have been working on developing a work/play area for my 4 younger children. Though it isn’t quite finished yet, it is functional and is helping me develop a daily routine with my younger kids.
This is actually in the laundry room, but was an essential first-step in developing a routine. I had to plan out our week. With 7 children and several of them taking outside/online classes, I needed to know where I needed to be and when! I had this written out on paper but in order for me to really remember, I needed to see it! Someone on my Facebook page suggested painting a wall with dry-erase paint and making a big schedule. It was the perfect solution for me! I can see where I need to be and what needs to be done during the day. I don’t necessarily stick to the time schedule (except for when I have to drive a kid somewhere) but this schedule allows me to see how to fit in everyone’ s subjects during the week.
My goal is to work with my younger girls (ages 7, 5, & 2) first thing in the morning. In order to help develop a morning routine, I purchased a pocket calendar and a place value chart (counting and bundling straws). My girls know that is the first thing we do during our morning time.
Now is this necessary? No. Last year I printed out calendar time books. We started off strong then fizzled. Books got lost. Books were out of sight and I forgot. So this year, probably more for me than my girls, I need the big pocket calendar! 
It is a reminder to start our morning time. Each day we sing the Days of the Week song, move the stick, add straws and talk about what we have planned for the day. My oldest daughter still has a calendar time book that she uses after our morning meeting. It reinforces what we just went over plus has a few more activities that she can do independently.
We also read Leading Little Ones to God, go over our Virtue of the Week from We Choose Virtues, sing some songs, do some work from our continent boxes (more on that later) and end with a read-aloud. One to two days a week (depending on the week) we do a formal science lesson as a group.
Working on an All About Reading Lesson
After our morning time, I work with my 7yr. old on any work she needs to complete for the day. (Yes, we really need to get a correct size table for her.
Not pictured is the other side of the room. There is a play kitchen and a doll area set up. I have a few more ideas I hope to implement but I thought that I’d share what we have for now.
What I’m hoping to implement and share in the near future:
Science trays/observation baskets
baby learning centers
art center
Though these pictures might make you believe I have all my stuff in order— but I don’t. I still function mostly by winging-it. I’m an organized wing-it person. I wrote the article pictured below several years ago and it still applies to me today! I struggle greatly with keeping a schedule but I am working on it!
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