Displaying Books for Preschoolers

"So please, oh PLEASE, we beg, we pray, Go throw your TV set away, And in its place you can install, A lovely bookshelf on the wall."

                                                                                           — Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

You may not throw the TV away, but there's no reason you shouldn't have a book display. One of the easiest ways to get your preschooler interested in books and reading is to create a display for books. This is an essential in any preschool classroom but takes a little effort  in your home or home day care.

1. Find a some-what secluded area. 
2. Gather as many different kinds of books as you can.
3. Store them on a small shelf, shoe rack, or crate facing forward. 
   If you have to use a crate leave enough space so the fronts of the books are visible. 
4. Provide books related to the season, theme or event in the child(ren)s life. 
5. Change out books accordingly, leave the favorite books to be read again and again.

      
After I wrote this post one of my Anonymous readers suggested I check out book slings.
If you're feeling pretty crafty you should check out "book slings" too. They seem fairly easy, fun and you can customize them too.

Head over to Penny Carnival to get instructions on making a book sling.

I also found some great display ideas at

  Chic & Cheap Nursery. 

Preschool Oatmeal Box Craft

I've always seen projects using oatmeal containers. Teachers usually make drums for toddlers, Easter baskets, Halloween baskets, Valentines collectors and so much more! My family rarely eats enough oatmeal that  I can take advantage of these awesome projects. But yesterday, after making breakfast, to my surprise there was no more oatmeal! Oh boy! I couldn't wait to pull out craft supplies and decorate that treasured container. Here's what I did...

First, I shook out all the loose bits of remaining oatmeal, and admired the container upright. 

Yes, it is a preschool teachers treasure.

Next, I found some pretty wrapping paper that one of my kids received on a birthday present last year. We had folded it nicely and stored it with our scrap booking supplies. It wasn't in the best shape for this project but I figured I could make it work.

There was left-over paper gathered at the top, I folded it gently inside the top of the container.

Then, I pulled out the felt. I used it to cut out a circle bigger than the circumference of the container top and secured the felt on the top with my hot glue gun. 

Last, I took put a ribbon around the entire top and tied it neatly in a bow. 

How fabulous! 

Didn't you just love this?

Here are more awesome oatmeal container projects. 

Check out this drum featured on 

Hot Glue Gun Crafts by Craftzilla

And this nature can by Anna Satler on DIY life. It's perfect for collecting rocks, leaves, flowers and maybe even 

creeping, crawling, creatures. 

And who wouldn't fall in love with this adorable Valentiene Mailbox box? 

You can find this on the allkidsnetwork.com.

Sure, Halloween is a long ways away, that means you can start collecting 

now to make this precious pumpkin turned jack-o-lantern. 

See Dim Sum, Bagels, and Crawfish for instructions.

And I couldn't forget the most wonderful time of the year! Here's 

a oatmeal container craft guaranteed to get you in the Christmas spirit. 

See how Mary Ann makes gift containers from the recycling bin!

Happy Crafting

Hide all

Help! I'm drowning in stuff!

It doesn't matter if you if it's your home or your classroom. Somehow, the accumulation of stuff can be enough to clutter your space and clutter your brain. An early childhood Educator, Michele wrote to me about how parents donate things to her all the time. I can only imagine what her resource closet must look like! For a year I taught in a church part-time and managed resources part-time. Surprisingly, I grew to love sorting through the clutter from teachers and creating a home for craft supplies, construction paper, toys, books, dress up clothes, sand, sensory table toys, dolls, and doll clothes. I found the peace and quiet rewarding after a day in the classroom with busy 3-year olds and then going home to my own children. I must say I'm not sure who began the church's resources system but I've never seen another as detailed since. Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of their resource room to share with you (yet) but here are some resource ideas to keep the clutter under control and allow you to concentrate on the most important part of your day...teaching!


This is how I store my teaching items associated by month. These bins are available at Wal-Mart for $2.


My books are organized by age-appropriate content. The bottom books are board books for babies to 2 years. The next shelf is for 3-5 years. The third highest shelf is for 5 and up. The top shelf are books and resource materials for Mommy and the very top shelf we use for games (I couldn't fit it in the picture).


Here are some other ways I store...the green/red container holds my classroom Christmas tree and ornaments. One notebook hold stickers and the other is for my Centers and Circle Time business. The white crate is used for toys. The cute jar is for pen and pencils. And the pencil case is used for rocks and shells that go in my water table.

Send me your awesome storage ideas and techniques and I'll post them.