Good Morning & Happy Monday!
On my last Instagram poll (@maestraehlert) the overwhelming winner for my next blog post was the top 10 places I find quality inexpensive flexible seating options for my classroom! (Classroom tour coming soon) Here are my top 10 favorite places in no particular order! They are all linked to their website as well if they have one. :) If you have any specific questions on a specific place, please use the chat feature and let me know.
Where should I look for flexible seating options?
1. Five Below: This is one of my favorites lately! EVERYTHING in the store is no more than five dollars. My latest buy was a yoga mat! I let students lay on them during FVR (free voluntary reading) time.
2. Dollar Tree: We all know and love Dollar Tree as teachers. I was amazed at what I was able to find that I could incorporate as flexible seating! My latest buy was some pillows to add to my reading nook corner.
3. Amazon: I am a complete Amazon teacher! I usually will look here before I look anywhere else. Sometimes it takes a little bit of searching, but you can find some amazing deals! My latest buy was a couch for my classroom for only $25!!
4. Facebook Market Place: Do you have a Facebook account? Have you tried out the marketplace? You can find SO many furniture deals in your own community for sale! My latest buy was a rustic gray coffee table for $40. Many of the sellers will also bargain with you on their selling price.
5. Michaels: Michaels is a place that can get pricy. My best advice is to ALWAYS look in their sales bins, and use your teacher ID to get their teacher discount. My latest buy from the sale bins were some tea lights. It technically isn't a flexible seating item, but it helps create that ideal classroom environment for your kiddos! I plan on hanging them above my reading nook.
6. Target: Bullseye's Playground: If you're like me, you can spend hours at Target looking for the best deals. You can always find me searching the Bullseye Playground for classroom decor & flexible seating. My latest buy was a inflatable pool floater. My plan is to add it to my reading nook where students can use it as a comfy place to sit.
7. Garage Sales: This is not something I can link, obviously. But, some of my greatest finds for my classroom have been at local garage sales around my community. One of my favorite buys was a nice big rug!
8. Oriental Trading Company: If I am on the hunt for something that is much more durable & long lasting, Oriental Trading Company is where I look! They always have the latest & greatest trends that you will see on your Instagram feed.
9. Etsy: If you are looking for the extra cute factor, this is the place to look! Everything can be very personalized to fit the look & decor of your classroom.
10. DIY: Do it yourself! This is something I am trying to get better at instead of buying everything from a store. Look around your home and see what items you have laying around that could be put to use in your classroom. Could you use it for something else? Could you make something new out of it? It can be such a fun project and you will feel so great afterwards! My latest DIY was a mini bookshelf in my classroom.
Did you find something on this list that will be beneficial for your classroom? Please let me know! I love hearing from my readers. :)
Always,
Maestra Ehlert
