The Learning Room set up in eager anticipation…


I’ve spent a great deal of time in the learning room lately re-arranging, re-organizing, purging, and adding new materials. The shot above is the geography/culture/science area. I’m very pleased especially with how the geography center came out! The science area will need some work. All of my nature materials, and science materials are on the shelf above the wall maps. There is just not enough room here for all of my nature collections. I really need to brainstorm a solution for this area!!!

Here is the geography cabinet with the world map, the 6 continents, and the US map along with the control charts. Below the maps are my continent boxes. I included a box for Antartica even though the only map with Antartica is the world map. The boxes are labeled, and I will have the children color an outline of each continent to laminate to the top of the boxes. We’ll include some plastic animals in our boxes to represent the native animals found on the separate continents, lots of magazine cut-outs of continent flora and fauna, cultural items from the various continents. I purchased boxes that were not large because I wanted them to fit on the lower part of our cabinet – they do…perfectly. On top of the cabinet is our globe, a squishy earth that splits in half to reveal the earth’s core, and a couple of atlases.

Here are the continent boxes up close.

A full view of the geography area. Most of the shelves are empty. I don’t want to overwhelm with too many materials. I will add materials that are currently being stored in my rotation closet as I present throughout the year. The green bin contains a variety of National Geographic cultural maps to be used, and there are some other cultural/geography type reference books. The big blow up globe with the land and water forms is way up high since it tends to be used as a beach ball if it is too accessible.

To the right of the geography center is the math and geography center. There are only a few things out right now for the summer months. I like the clean look! My hanging liturgical year calendar is hanging on my supply closet.


To the right of the supply closet I set up the art and music area. There are a variety of puzzles set out down low for the Peanut right now. And we keep music materials out at all times as well. The art supplies are up higher, out of reach of the Peanut (unless he climbs on a chair.) The shelves to the right of art and music are the language materials. I had no choice but to set out the metal insets since I’m out of storage room in my rotation closet. So far that hasn’t been a problem at all. But, if it becomes too much of a temptation, I may have to find a way to squeeze them into the rotation closet! I set up a work table in front of this area with small chairs for Peanut to fit in. This will be a table that the children can work together on. If they need to work alone, they will be able to use their desk, or spread a rug in the hall.


Here is my nature basket right now. I thought it came out really pretty, so I wanted to include a picture. We’ve been collecting and studying wildflowers since they are out in abundance right now. In the basket on the left I have a collection of our favorite wildflower resource books, a sketch journal for nature journaling, color pencils, and a hand lens. The flower gathering basket is set out with small scissors for cutting flowers. The flower press is below that basket, and my absolute all time favorite nature journal in the whole world, “The Diary of an Edwardian Lady,” is opened to the July page. Though I do not have enough room set up for my nature shelves, I am pleased with the themed basket area. I’ll change this out every month or so as we shift our learning emphasis.

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21 Comments

  1. Wow, Jennifer, this is amazing! Thank you so much for taking the time to share it, and especially for the great pictures!

  2. Fantabulous!!! I love it all! I need those shelves from Target, they are perfect and look so neat and tidy! Bravo for a job well done, thank you so much for sharing it!!

  3. Thank you so much for sharing! This is what I want my learning room to be like- your pictures are very helpful! I love the flower cutting basket, that is a great idea.

  4. ooh….be..au..ti..ful!…deep sigh. I feel so inspired…time to think more about my learning environment. It is shared between the living room and the dining room…unless….…I think my thoughts might make some work for some unawares family members….hehe ;o)we have a “beach ball” too…I keep it as close to the ceiling as possible…LOL

  5. Oh, my! How very beautiful! Who wouldn’t be inspired to learn in such a lovely environment!?! Makes me want to rush home and rearrange furniture!

  6. Simply beautiful. I’m inspired. You’ve done an incredible job…those are lucky children! Would you notice if mine just showed up one day? 🙂

  7. Jennifer, it’s just so gorgeous! I’m very inspired & impressed!! You have so many beautiful things & such a great space. Thanks for sharing. I can only hope we get there one day too. Bravo.

  8. I believe that my learning room is the similar shade of blue! *laughs* Mine isn’t as full of wonderful manipulatives as yours. Should have invited myself over when I was out visiting Janet. 🙂 Perhaps the next time when we visit the space center. I love the room. Full of interesting things yet beautifully and orderly arranged. You’ll have a lovely nesting period with your new wee one. Congrats!Genevieve

  9. That is a gorgeous learning room. I love the blue walls and the white wall shelves! And the Target shelves look very nice as well as seeming really useful. Thanks for the inspiration!!

  10. As I read all these wonderful comments, I suddenly realize something is missing….. A male point of view. Lets take a look, shall we? Let’s start with the adjustable track shelves. For all who have installed them, please think back fondly on your own experiances. Moving next to the multitude of free standing shelves,cabinets,and entertainment centers(functioning as a supply/stereo/printer cabinet), let me just say this…”SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!!!”. Add all this assembly with the help of various children and chaos prevails. This can all be summed up by saying it is a handyman’s dream. For those of you that love to put things together, this is a never ending task. Although it doesn’t alway keep the blood pressure low.Until next time….

  11. That is an incredible learning room – absolutely gorgeous and I can imagine a child walking in and feeling such delight! Several things have inspired me for my own room, so thank you very much for sharing. PS, I love the title of your weblog.

  12. Wowsa!!! Your learning room is just FABulous!!!! May I ask – where did you get your geography cabinet?? I’ve been looking to buy something like that!Thank you!!

  13. Thank you all for your kind words! I am really enjoying having the room done! Pat – I got the geography cabinet from Alison’s Montessori. I just edited my post to put a link in it for you so you can go see it. There are other vendors out there to purchase Geography cabinets from. This one just fit our needs best. If you’d like to know of a few other good places to get a geography cabinet, just leave me another comment.

  14. I bookmarked this entry a few months ago, longing to have a room similar to it. Well…God provided a room for us! It came through a flood in our house, but it will be up and running in just a few short weeks. So now I’m back getting ideas again. Thanks for posting your photos. They really are a help to me.Debhttp://www.AsWeWalk.typepad.com

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