Posted on August 19, 2010 - by Megan
The Homework Box: a solution for doing homework on the go
Maybe it’s a sign of our times, but much of our life happens in the car. We drive about 45-60 minutes to school each way, depending on traffic, so there is a lot of time that needs redeeming. All this time in the car cuts down on our family time and playtime at home, so we make the most of drive in every way we can.
This week, I decided to try having the kids do most of their homework in the car. They are in 2nd and 3rd grades, so they typically have about half an hour of homework each day—a reasonable amount to complete on the way home from school. In the past, I’ve tried this, but found we didn’t have the necessary supplies, like crayons or scissors, to complete an assignment. Or, when they need to practice writing, we might not have a good surface or the proper paper to do it on.
I built a Homework Box for both of my kids, filled with all the necessary items they would need to complete their homework in the car. When I pick the kids up, we spend about 10-15 minutes talking about their day, eating a snack, and decompressing. After they get settled, I put some soft music on (I like the Nightnoise station on Pandora) and we begin homework. I ask the kids to be quiet during this time, except when they need to ask me a question. This helps them concentrate and avoid distracting each other.
After a little trial and error, I realized the small items needed to be contained in a Ziploc bag or pencil bag in order to facilitate easy opening and repacking. (Everything fits pretty tightly in the box.) The box and contents cost me about $22.00. I highly recommend giving one to each child, rather than having them share.
I purchased my items at Office Max, but you can also purchase them below using the links provided.
Everything fits neatly in the box without too much room for things to rattle around. We keep the boxes in between the captain’s chairs in our minivan.
The Homework Box is also a great solution for homeschooling parents, especially those with children of different ages who may do their schoolwork while big brother or little sister is at a lesson, tutoring session, or co-op. The nifty handle on this particular box makes carrying easy in these situations.
Packing List
Snapware Smart Store box
Pack of mechanical pencils
Glue stick
Safety scissors (not shown)
24-pack Crayons
Clipboard
Writing paper (I purchased the 2nd-3rd grade version.)
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My name is Megan Hyatt Miller. I'm a little Emmilou Harris, a little Bonnie Rait, and a dash of Paula Dean—mostly because I identify with her unbridled use of butter and ample hips. I am passionate about living and telling a good story. I'm a wife, a stepmom and and an adoptive mom. I am passionate about adoption, racial reconciliation, and creating beauty and a sense belonging for those I love. To learn more, click here. Thanks for stopping by.
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August 19, 2010
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Gail Hyatt said:
Fantastic!! If the car is small and there’s no room to put the box to the side, then a box with a flat lid could be used for the writing surface.
I remember making boxes like these for vacation/road trips. I used 13 x 9 aluminum cake boxes with sliding lids.
I remember putting a box of bandaids in there—random (I must have thot “kids love bandaids, that’ll keep em busy”), a little flashlight (another kid favorite) and a wet sponge (in a ziploc) Q-tips and a paint-by-water book.
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August 19, 2010
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Shelley said:
Wow, this is a great idea! Something else you could add to it would be (depending on the size) a book or two for them to read when they finish. That would help with practicing reading. Obviously the books would have to be changed from time to time. You could also help them practice by having them read out loud to you in the car.
In many grades, kids are assigned so many minutes of reading per night (especially in the younger grades), so that could also be accomplished on the ride home. If there is more than one child, they could take turns reading out loud for a bit.
I know not all kids (or parents) would go for this, but it’s something else to consider. I’m not a parent, but I am a supply teacher (hoping to get my own classroom), and reading is very important to me. I really don’t know if that is something that would work, but it would be worth a try…so long as they weren’t too distracting to the driver!
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August 19, 2010
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Megan said:
I love the idea of putting a couple of books in the box as well. My kids usually bring home books from the school library that they are working on, but in case that isn’t the case with other people, this is a perfect idea.
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August 19, 2010
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Laura Hamm said:
Great idea – Did you get the box at Office Max too? We use small pencil boxes BUT that box is a better size – Gail forgot to mention silly bands – a staple these days!
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August 19, 2010
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Megan said:
Laura,
I did get the boxes at Office Max, but you can also click the link at the bottom of the post to order from Amazon. (They were almost out of clear one, so I linked to the same box, only it’s opaque white and green.)
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August 19, 2010
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Mary Graham said:
You are a genius. I want to hire a Mom to do the driving and have you make me a homework box. This should not just be a blog. Your father should have this published in every format.
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August 19, 2010
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Tom Hoffman said:
This is great. We are all about portability. With one of these for supplies and a few textbooks in a milk crate, we have been able to homeschool on the road for over a week at a time.
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August 19, 2010
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Tonya McNutt said:
I did this idea as well for my 2nd grader. I like the closed box idea better than mine, thanks for that great tip. I’ll have to get to my local Office Max to get me one too. Also, my 2nd grader has spelling words and bible verses to learn each week. So, I’m using flash cards this year and it’s working out great. And, they have those cheap plastic pocket holders for index cards now too.
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August 19, 2010
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Megan said:
Tonya, great idea! I thought about including flash cards as well. It’s great to hear from you.