A simple, yet very effective homework strategy is color coding your child's books. How many times has your child accidentally brought home the wrong notebook or textbook? After all, when you have several identical black and white marble notebooks it is easy to grab the wrong one. In order to alleviate the problem, designate a particular color for each subject area. For example, Math books and notebooks should be red. Purchase red marble notebooks, red spiral notebooks or red 3 ring binders just for Math. Cover your child's Math textbook with a stretchy fabric book cover in red or in extra sturdy red wrapping paper. Choose the color green for all Science books and purchase all of your Science supplies in that color. Repeat for each subject area choosing basic, easy to find colors. Some schools that employ this strategy will even standardize the color code for subject areas so check first before making your purchases. Try to use same color code year after year since switching subject colors can confuse students who have already mastered the technique.

This strategy can be used for young children who are having difficulty organizing their materials, but it is particularly useful for older students who switch classes and store books in a hall locker. The color system keeps kids organized and makes those quick changes between classes smoother. You may even wish to print up your child's daily schedule in color so that it coordinates with their books.

For additional homework strategies, see Homework Help! at www.littleones.com. 

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