Ideas for telling AAR & AAS totes apart (multiple kids)

[Ecclecticmum]

This year its already bad, next year it will be even worse.

 

This year:

 

AAR Pre-level Tote with all supplies (Yellow) - This is for all the kids this year (Atlas is following along just cause she wants to)

AAS Tote for Atlas (Blue)

AAR Tote for Atlas (Yellow)

 

Next year it will be:

 

AAR Prelevel Tote (Yellow) Eve

AAS & AAR Totes (Blue and yellow) Atlas

AAS & AAR totes (Blue and Yellow) Chaos

 

So this year I already have two yellow totes and one blue tote. Next year I will have 2 blue totes and 3 yellow totes.

 

What are my options for it looking nice, but being able to tell them apart?

 

- I may think about getting separate totes from elsewhere, in fact this may be the only option, but was just wondering if there were others I hadn't thought of.

- I put them on the high shelf in my teachers closet, so a little tag or sign is not going to be viewable.

 

IF getting OTHER totes is the only option, what would you recommend (I want something nice looking and very sturdy, as those bags sometimes get really heavy)

 

I will end up needing 5-6 separate totes that can be easily identified for each of the kids, I would think thirty-one, but am in Aus, so really need something from Amazon or that is worldwide,

 

Thanks :)

[MerryAtHope]

What does show when they are on your high shelf--the handles, the bottom of the bag, sides, top?

 

An easy solution might be to tie a different colored ribbon around one of the handles of each bag (if your kids already have colors "assigned" for them, use each one's color for his or her bag). If you wanted to further tell the difference from just a glance at the handles--you could use light blue & dark blue for one child, red and pink for another, two shades of green or purple for a third, etc... You could use dark for reading and light for spelling (since at least with level 1, the AAR 1 books are darker blue than the AAS 1 book).

 

Are the shelves markable (do they each have a "spot" where they go)?

 

Do you *need* each child to have a separate tote? 2 levels of books and 2 sets of boxes could easily fit in one bag. I let my kids each pick a sticker for the tops of their boxes, so that it's easy to tell those apart. Perhaps you could have only 1 AAS bag, 1 AAR bag, and 1 bag for Pre-1? Or, perhaps you could have one bag per child?

 

I actually use my bags for school on the go, or for homeschool group meetings, or taking things to a friend's house etc..., rather than for storing items at home. Here's how I've organized AAS for both of my children.

 

Hope you find a good solution! Merry :-)

[Jungle Mama]

I am in Australia (waves hi!) and I bought some great strong canvas bags from LL Bean. They weren't too badly priced and I use our small ones all the time as they are a great kid size and come in a range of coloured straps.

 

I also like that they stand up on their own. We use them for a standing up workbox-type system using plastic envelopes instead.

 

I have included an image to give you an idea of the size of the small tote bag.

 

Best wishes

Jen in Oz

[Ecclecticmum]

Thanks, will look into those options :)

 

The sides are the bit viewable from the shelf, next year I may move them to another room, but they will still be above head height level.

 

I prefer the separate bags for everything, I have to be super organized and everything separated here, elsewise stuff somehow gets intermingled.

[Ecclecticmum]

this is a question about tote bags?

you paid 14$ for a tote bag from AAS?:001_huh:

 

That woman is a marketing genius.

 

Yes, its a question about tote bags.

 

schmeh *shrugs* each to their own. I happen to like her bags, they are big, sturdy, and withstand the knocks and bumps, and don't feel cheap. Considering our Bratz & Cars Polypropelene (sp?) tote cost $6 and they are no where near the quality, I honestly don't have a problem paying for it. They have been more useful then the Jujube bags I used to have and those cost a LOT more LOL. (Jujube a momma/baby bags). I am often seen with all three totes attached to me carting them back and forth across the house. I could probably carry 6-7 of those filled tote with no dramas, where as my tubs I have for manipulatives are a pain, two tubs and your at absolute maximum.

 

The tote bag, for being something simple, I have found it to be better quality than 90% of the available tote bags in my town. The remaining 10% are ones priced at insane prices like $30-50. So, yes, considering the availability and the hassle, I do find the AALP totes easier. I was asking for suggestions, and if not, then recommendations for totes as I don't want to get one then find out its going to rip/tear or feels cheap.

 

I got the deluxe kit, which yes, comes with the tote bags. And gets my children excited about reading and spelling. Which to me is priceless. My youngest (3) happily carries around the tote, and we ended up with an extra lot of review cards & box for the pre-level, so shes taken over that, and its her personal "game".....I'm not sure exactly what the game is, but no-one is allowed to touch that box. And the puppet is amazing, all of them want to sit there hugging ziggy. Considering I don't really spend any money on myself, actually lately none at all, I don't feel guilty in splurging in stuff that will excited my children, no matter how weird it may look to others :)

 

So....in summary, yes, its all about the tote bags :tongue_smilie: :lol:

[MerryAtHope]

Thanks, will look into those options :)

 

The sides are the bit viewable from the shelf, next year I may move them to another room, but they will still be above head height level.

 

I prefer the separate bags for everything, I have to be super organized and everything separated here, elsewise stuff somehow gets intermingled.

 

Do you sew? I wonder if you could sew a colored ribbon/band onto the sides? Or even super-glue if you didn't mind permanently attaching something--you could do a ribbon either width-wise (like where that top seam is on each side) or length-wise (just inside the colored band).

 

Could you see a name written on the side if you either attached a fabric label or wrote right on the side of the bag with a fabric pen?

 

Just some thoughts, can't wait to hear if you come up with a solution! Merry :-)

[Ecclecticmum]

Do you sew? I wonder if you could sew a colored ribbon/band onto the sides? Or even super-glue if you didn't mind permanently attaching something--you could do a ribbon either width-wise (like where that top seam is on each side) or length-wise (just inside the colored band).

 

Could you see a name written on the side if you either attached a fabric label or wrote right on the side of the bag with a fabric pen?

 

Just some thoughts, can't wait to hear if you come up with a solution! Merry :-)

 

I thought about your idea overnight, and I think what I'll do is get the really wide ribbon and tie a bow on the handle at the side of the bag. I already have colour co-ordination for the kids, so I think that should solve it. I don't think theres a colour strip on the side (to tell whether aas or aar) so I may add a little strip ribbon of yellow or light blue into the fatter one. Atlas - Red, Chaos - Navy Blue/Blue. Eve - Green. Thanks for the idea, I really wanted to stay with those tote bags (as I explained its super hard to find nice totes round here) but my brain froze, as far as I got was labels, and I thought they wouldn't be quite viewable (possibly with my glasses on but with my glasses off I need something skin to a giant red stop sign :D ) I may actually get the ribbons when I do the supply shopping on the 15th, as I can get used to them or change the idea over the year if it doesn't work.

 

Thank you so much Merry :)

[Irishmommy]

I have my kids color coordinated too and I think I would go with the ribbon idea, that way you don't have to worry about starting from scratch!

[Dolphin]

this is a question about tote bags?

 

 

you paid 14$ for a tote bag from AAS?:001_huh:

 

That woman is a marketing genius.

 

We can't talk about politics, but I think tote bags are totally fair game for homeschool discussion.:D

 

I also like her tote, I only have one, but it is my favorite tote. It holds my laptop, a binder, and a few teachers manuals, plus it has that great front pocket.

[besroma]

They must be nice.

 

I have noticed that most Deluxe kits people are selling used are missing two things: Ziggy and the tote bag! ;)

[MerryAtHope]

Glad that helped! Merry :-)