In this video I explain step-by-step how to make crate seats that can double as lap desks with dry erase boards. This turns these DIY crates into a multi-purpose item for the classroom.
Great seating options! I am an elementary school principal and really appreciate teachers getting the students out of the desks. Somethings we have learned making seating like this: edge the white board part with duct tape before adhering it to the seat (protects the edges, eliminates splinters) and wrap the wood and egg crate with quilt batting (softens the wood edge which can fray the material). Keep up the videos with great teacher ideas!
This is why I love teachers!! Thinking about your students and using your OWN $$ !!! Amazing job and thank you on behalf of parents and students everywhere.
ipd2346 Very well said. It never seems to amaze me how admirable some teachers can be. The teachers that truly love their job go out of the way to make it work in the class room. Always thinking about the student.
Agreed on the thinking about your students and using your own Bank! Amazing video (especially for your first one) great job on the crate seat/lap desk. Two thumbs up 👍👍 keep up the great work and the winning attitude!
This is the best crate seat tutorial I've come across!! I've been stalling on making one because I didn't want to measure/cut the wood. I love your tip to have the store do that part. And adding the whiteboard is genius. Thank you so much for sharing.
Just a couple of things to mention. when the vid went to high speed, it doubled in volume! scared me to death! Might want to check into that. Also, it would be a good idea to file around the edges of the white board so it's not abrasive to the kid's skin. Now....the best for last. What a considerate teacher you are, making these for your students! Kudos to you. Also, your instruction was very straightforward and simple, a good tutorial! Am subscribing. Best to you.
I agree, the only other thing I can say is being carefull of speaking while stapling/hammering, can be difficult to understand over the (inherently) loud noises. Awesome vid!
What a great idea. Wish I had teachers like you when I was in school. I think I'm going to make several laptop desks for grand kids in their favorite colors. You can pick up the quilt blocks at any fabric store any color or pattern, endless possibilities. Thank you.
I love this my son teacher asked the parents to help her redo the class , and I was going to make bean bag but since I saw your video I will be making this ,thank you so much ☺
This is great!!!! I homeschool two teen boys and they use laptops this would be amazing to go outside in the grass , do school work and get some fresh air too! Love this idea! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
What a great idea!! I homeschool my 4 boys so I think I may make these for each of them and myself as well to use as lap desks. I may even get a few of those crates to store their school books and use as seating as well. Thanks for sharing.
Good job! I need one of these and knew I'd find a tutorial here on YT. Your class kids are so lucky to have you for a teacher. You explain things well. Don't hesitate to make more videos for any good ideas you have!
Thank you for your very thorough tutorial. I'll use some old jeans and new elastic strips (to hold a device), with my grandgirls. This is very doable. You were marvelous 👏👏👏
I absolutely LOVE the lap desk twist!! I teach middle school (ESE) students. I have never made crate chairs because I have always thought that my students would be too heavy to sit in them. However, the lap desk could be very useful. Thanks for the idea.
Well done! It's obvious you're a teacher (though you mention it). Your adherence to methods coursework in college--I bet you were good then, too! As a former teacher, I can see you've had a lot experience instructing. You're very organized, very skilled at breaking the "lesson" down to exceptional preparation, introduction, explanation, demonstration, and final product. I bet you're an excellent teacher!!!!
Stay with teaching, our "kids" need good teachers!!!!!! My granddaughter's going to be in fifth grade next year, I'd love it if you were her teacher. You watch, after this series, you're going to have parents vying for their kids to be in your classroom. Just you watch! And, respond to this message if this happens (I just know it will)!!!!
Fantastic! I showed your video to all the Sunday school workers and we are going to have a craft day and make some for our classes and youth classes. also going to make some for our vacation bible school and it will be a gift for the kids to take home at the end. Thanks so much. I use cricut cutter so I will make iron-owns for the classes with the year on them. thank you!
I have been a Christian long enough (i'm 51)to know that I do have discernment and I am mature enough to know that I am not influenced by clutter in the background. I don't waste my time looking for things I don't agree with or controversial things, just so I can get self righteous and angry and spout off my negativity. I leave judgment to my God, I try to find information on things that are useful in my life and do NOT go to the internet for my study of Christianity or learning the ways of my religion. take information you need and use your "discernment" to have a happier life don't let things on the net make your day crappy.. thanks and have a better day.
Jean Lee: I agree with you. It's funny that some people choose to see evil and negativity where there is none. I see no negativity in the wall art; in fact, it's each piece appears to be a statement against violence. :)
Jean Lee Amen! I love this video and will make a couple with my grandgirls. I think that I'll use old denim jeans for the fabric. May try to work in some elastic strips to hold a device. I also need to make me one for my bible study at home. I LOVE your idea of gifting these to the VBS students. Bravo.
Great job and great tutorial. One suggestion...purchase the hand pumped hun for the liquid nails. You will get a better, more even coverage without too many lumps. Also, possibly look into oil cloth or even a vinyl table cloth, as they are wipeable. I made similar "sit-upons" with my Girl Scouts and we used the vinyl tablecloths. Inexpensive and easy to clean. 👍🏻😁
Your video was very helpful and I liked the idea of thinking of the use for more than one use in a classroom! The idea for white boards is great! Your student are blessed to have you and I will use this idea in my own classroom:) Thank you!
Awesome tutorial. Think I'm going to make this for my son's dorm room. He can use it as extra seating/storage and the top for a lapdesk for his laptop.
so neat to see this. my mom made these for my kids years ago when they were little,so they had their own seats.. she made herself footstools as well. love it!.nice video☺
i had no trouble hearing you on my phone and I have hearing problems. You forgot to show the mattress cover piece in your materials. Thank you for holding it up after each step. I use closed caption and it covers what you're doing at the bottom of the screen. This could also be a great art project for the kids to make. Keep on keepin' on; I loved it!
Great idea! I can see a few ways to make it a little easier than even that, but overall really good. I think I would figure out a way to put a pocket hanging on the side, for pencils and pens and other things. It could even replace one or more of the loops. Good job!
I think I will be making these for everyone in my house to store their stuff in ~ Also I might make a few for a raffle and add games and or kids items inside - Thanks for the video
What a great idea!!!! But, was anyone else annoyed by the music? I was only because I LOVE that song, and at some points it was maybe 3 seconds long. Lol.
JustCallMeKeebler It appears that the music is played when the video is in fast forward mode and music during video would be a distraction to the tutorial. she did a GREAT job.
In case you’re at a fabric store, those fabric squares are called a “fat quarter” and they’re cheaper at fabric shops and knitting mills than big box, especially in the clearance bin.
I want to make a lap desk similar to this but make it into a messenger bag with straps and between the pillow and the desk, have a spot for notebooks, laptop, or iPad, and pens and pencils! There’s nothing out there like that, but thnx bc maybe I ca:sue some of your suggestions to start! Thanks!
Wow! I love this! What thickness of wood are you using? Also, I'm excited to be able to create a flexible seating classroom for the first time this year in grades 5-8. Do you have any advice for what I should look for when I choose my crates? Size? Quality? Any you care to link? Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to make some. :)
i love this idea it would be so good using blackboard paint instead of whiteboards and the toddlers could use it be a good way for the young ones to learn and it would be could for family fun nights eg quiz night, pictionary etc just gotta use the imagination but so would be awesome to have thank you for your idea
I've used the panel boards before cut from shower lining. Could you also use a pre-made white board? It seems the edges would be rounded and might be a little safer?
You should have a crate seat with the panel board for each kid, and have miscellaneous items in each crate for the kids, especially if you guys have a day where you want to work outside... I used to love doing class outside when I was a kid.
Great idea but they look more like a lap table. When you call it a crate seat, is it sitting on top of an actual crate behind you? Those are terrific by the way and I agreed the music was obnoxious and scared the crap out of me LOL and for the future I would put a microphone next to you connected to your phone or device you're recording from so we can hear you better but other than that a terrific presentation step by step!
Hi, Loved your video/tutorial! Where do you get the white boards from? And the wood cut so precisely? Did you do that or have it done at someplace like Home Depot?
Great idea! May try doing something similar for a kneeling pad for the garden. Thank you. Knowing this is your first video, your speaking is not always loud enough to hear, but the music is overwhelming at times.
Great video...great project! Kudos! I have a lap desk thingy that bugs me so much I never use it. I might just have to make my own now...I like the white board idea, even tho I would likely never (or at least hardly ever) use it for that purpose. I like the idea of it being an option. ;o) Plus, it looks nice. That sound tho......
Excellent! My partner made a bunch of these for her class! I'm going to try them next school year. Also do the tops still fit properly on the crate when you add the white board? Thank you!
Great seating options! I am an elementary school principal and really appreciate teachers getting the students out of the desks.
Somethings we have learned making seating like this: edge the white board part with duct tape before adhering it to the seat (protects the edges, eliminates splinters) and wrap the wood and egg crate with quilt batting (softens the wood edge which can fray the material). Keep up the videos with great teacher ideas!
For my own personal lap desk I would add a ruler to one of the long sides as a pencil stop. This is an excellent tutorial!!!
This is why I love teachers!! Thinking about your students and using your OWN $$ !!! Amazing job and thank you on behalf of parents and students everywhere.
ipd2346 Very well said. It never seems to amaze me how admirable some teachers can be. The teachers that truly love their job go out of the way to make it work in the class room. Always thinking about the student.
The is awesome.
ipd2346 00
Agreed on the thinking about your students and using your own Bank! Amazing video (especially for your first one) great job on the crate seat/lap desk. Two thumbs up 👍👍 keep up the great work and the winning attitude!
This is the best crate seat tutorial I've come across!! I've been stalling on making one because I didn't want to measure/cut the wood. I love your tip to have the store do that part. And adding the whiteboard is genius. Thank you so much for sharing.
Just a couple of things to mention. when the vid went to high speed, it doubled in volume! scared me to death! Might want to check into that. Also, it would be a good idea to file around the edges of the white board so it's not abrasive to the kid's skin. Now....the best for last. What a considerate teacher you are, making these for your students! Kudos to you. Also, your instruction was very straightforward and simple, a good tutorial! Am subscribing. Best to you.
Thanks for the volume warning. I still jumped! LOL
I agree, the only other thing I can say is being carefull of speaking while stapling/hammering, can be difficult to understand over the (inherently) loud noises. Awesome vid!
What a great tutorial. I can see them also being used in a special needs classroom for kids who can't sit on the floor. Love it!!!!!!
What a great idea. Wish I had teachers like you when I was in school. I think I'm going to make several laptop desks for grand kids in their favorite colors. You can pick up the quilt blocks at any fabric store any color or pattern, endless possibilities. Thank you.
Linda Cardoza h
I love this my son teacher asked the parents to help her redo the class , and I was going to make bean bag but since I saw your video I will be making this ,thank you so much ☺
brilliant , I wish I had had a teacher like you. Your lovely and very thoughtful. lucky children. 😊
This is great!!!! I homeschool two teen boys and they use laptops this would be amazing to go outside in the grass , do school work and get some fresh air too! Love this idea! Thank you so much for sharing!!!
What a great idea!! I homeschool my 4 boys so I think I may make these for each of them and myself as well to use as lap desks. I may even get a few of those crates to store their school books and use as seating as well. Thanks for sharing.
We homeschool as well and I am considering making these for our girls!
Planning on doing the same!
Good job! I need one of these and knew I'd find a tutorial here on YT. Your class kids are so lucky to have you for a teacher. You explain things well. Don't hesitate to make more videos for any good ideas you have!
Why doesnt this have more likes? Awesome video
Thank you for your very thorough tutorial. I'll use some old jeans and new elastic strips (to hold a device), with my grandgirls. This is very doable.
You were marvelous 👏👏👏
Loved this! plus will make my son super excited about not having to always use a conventional desk. Thumbs up
Terrific! Your students are fortunate to have you as their teacher. Go 5th grade!
ur so obviously a teacher!😊 Love the detailed instructions and super cute project
Hi great job. I can 't believe this is your first video. You are natural at it. Keep making more videos.
I absolutely LOVE the lap desk twist!! I teach middle school (ESE) students. I have never made crate chairs because I have always thought that my students would be too heavy to sit in them. However, the lap desk could be very useful. Thanks for the idea.
Smart idea to make the seats into lap desks, too! Thanks for sharing!
This is awesome! I think I'm going to make a few for my kids room. So cute btw! Great job.
Brilliant! you are awesome, and your school and students are fortunate to have you!
Well done! It's obvious you're a teacher (though you mention it). Your adherence to methods coursework in college--I bet you were good then, too! As a former teacher, I can see you've had a lot experience instructing. You're very organized, very skilled at breaking the "lesson" down to exceptional preparation, introduction, explanation, demonstration, and final product. I bet you're an excellent teacher!!!!
Stay with teaching, our "kids" need good teachers!!!!!! My granddaughter's going to be in fifth grade next year, I'd love it if you were her teacher. You watch, after this series, you're going to have parents vying for their kids to be in your classroom. Just you watch! And, respond to this message if this happens (I just know it will)!!!!
Fantastic! I showed your video to all the Sunday school workers and we are going to have a craft day and make some for our classes and youth classes. also going to make some for our vacation bible school and it will be a gift for the kids to take home at the end. Thanks so much. I use cricut cutter so I will make iron-owns for the classes with the year on them. thank you!
I have been a Christian long enough (i'm 51)to know that I do have discernment and I am mature enough to know that I am not influenced by clutter in the background. I don't waste my time looking for things I don't agree with or controversial things, just so I can get self righteous and angry and spout off my negativity. I leave judgment to my God, I try to find information on things that are useful in my life and do NOT go to the internet for my study of Christianity or learning the ways of my religion. take information you need and use your "discernment" to have a happier life don't let things on the net make your day crappy.. thanks and have a better day.
Jean Lee: I agree with you. It's funny that some people choose to see evil and negativity where there is none. I see no negativity in the wall art; in fact, it's each piece appears to be a statement against violence. :)
Jean Lee Amen! I love this video and will make a couple with my grandgirls. I think that I'll use old denim jeans for the fabric. May try to work in some elastic strips to hold a device. I also need to make me one for my bible study at home.
I LOVE your idea of gifting these to the VBS students. Bravo.
Medicinal Healing Herbs Jesus Christ, lady...get a life! LOL!!!
Great job and great tutorial. One suggestion...purchase the hand pumped hun for the liquid nails. You will get a better, more even coverage without too many lumps. Also, possibly look into oil cloth or even a vinyl table cloth, as they are wipeable. I made similar "sit-upons" with my Girl Scouts and we used the vinyl tablecloths. Inexpensive and easy to clean. 👍🏻😁
Your video was very helpful and I liked the idea of thinking of the use for more than one use in a classroom! The idea for white boards is great! Your student are blessed to have you and I will use this idea in my own classroom:) Thank you!
Awesome tutorial. Think I'm going to make this for my son's dorm room. He can use it as extra seating/storage and the top for a lapdesk for his laptop.
Your a great teacher and I'm so going to use this idea! Great Job!!!
Thanks so thoughtful! I am adding the shower board to the bottom of my crate cushions for double duty!! So smart! 👍🏼
so neat to see this. my mom made these for my kids years ago when they were little,so they had their own seats.. she made herself footstools as well. love it!.nice video☺
i had no trouble hearing you on my phone and I have hearing problems. You forgot to show the mattress cover piece in your materials. Thank you for holding it up after each step. I use closed caption and it covers what you're doing at the bottom of the screen. This could also be a great art project for the kids to make. Keep on keepin' on; I loved it!
Thank you for this video and caring for your students.. you are a wonderful educator.
This is flippin genius!
I loved it!! your video is wonderful! your explanations are one of the best I have ever listened and seen. Go for it!
Excellent instructions. I cantle you are an excellent teacher. Thanks, I will make these for my classroom.
Great idea! I can see a few ways to make it a little easier than even that, but overall really good. I think I would figure out a way to put a pocket hanging on the side, for pencils and pens and other things. It could even replace one or more of the loops. Good job!
Love love the idea the only thing missing is a groove at the bottom so that you could put a pencil or iPad so it won’t slip off work idea!
This is genious!!! I love it!!! Teachers are awesome!!!
I think I will be making these for everyone in my house to store their stuff in ~ Also I might make a few for a raffle and add games and or kids items inside - Thanks for the video
Great job i,m going to make my grandson and grand daughter a couple for there room. Many multi uses. Thx for sharing.
This is great!!! you did a fantastic job of it. Thanks for sharing :)
Great idea and wonderful instructions I can't wait to see more
Your wall art is pretty! Neat idea!
Great tutorial! Thank you!!!
You got it Girl, Landy.
I love your paintings!! 😍 lol
Love it, will come in handy in my class
Outstanding video very helpful tips thank u for the video
I LOVE YOUR IDEAS!!!!! Thank you for sharing!!!
What a great idea!!!! But, was anyone else annoyed by the music? I was only because I LOVE that song, and at some points it was maybe 3 seconds long. Lol.
JustCallMeKeebler It appears that the music is played when the video is in fast forward mode and music during video would be a distraction to the tutorial. she did a GREAT job.
In case you’re at a fabric store, those fabric squares are called a “fat quarter” and they’re cheaper at fabric shops and knitting mills than big box, especially in the clearance bin.
such a great idea I am going to make some for my grandsons.
Great. Better than most!
Really Nice Video... and cool ideal!! 👍👍👍
Oil cloth table clothes would make these washable
Hey there! How much did you pay for panel boards? I love that added idea!
Great idea! I think I want one for myself! THANX!!
Was the white panel board at Home Depot also? Love this idea!!!
Great Idea! Thank you!
I want to make a lap desk similar to this but make it into a messenger bag with straps and between the pillow and the desk, have a spot for notebooks, laptop, or iPad, and pens and pencils! There’s nothing out there like that, but thnx bc maybe I ca:sue some of your suggestions to start! Thanks!
Love this idea!! You did great for your first video 😀
Thank you for an amazing idea,,,,,and you are an awesome teacher.....and the thought of where to buy the products is very helpful.👍🌺🤗🌸🌼🎃😇🌞🇮🇹🇺🇸
love it, my boys would love this
Wow! I love this! What thickness of wood are you using? Also, I'm excited to be able to create a flexible seating classroom for the first time this year in grades 5-8. Do you have any advice for what I should look for when I choose my crates? Size? Quality? Any you care to link? Thanks for sharing! I can't wait to make some. :)
i love this idea it would be so good using blackboard paint instead of whiteboards and the toddlers could use it be a good way for the young ones to learn and it would be could for family fun nights eg quiz night, pictionary etc just gotta use the imagination but so would be awesome to have thank you for your idea
Didn't get to see the end product and there's no info or link to you blog post
I like your rainbow shirt.
TFS great I deal, I hope your students like the lap desk you made. good luck.
Awesome idea!
Thumbs up👍 for Teachers!
love love love!!!! awesome
I've used the panel boards before cut from shower lining. Could you also use a pre-made white board? It seems the edges would be rounded and might be a little safer?
Love this idea. Wonder if you can add vinyl fabric or something that you can wipe down🤔
You should have a crate seat with the panel board for each kid, and have miscellaneous items in each crate for the kids, especially if you guys have a day where you want to work outside... I used to love doing class outside when I was a kid.
are you gonna put more videos up?maybe like how to re- cover kitchen chairs?
wow this is a great idea .
hi sweetie I'm going to make one for me for my lap top I'm always using mine in bed at night and great job for your first video....
Good! Thank you for educating us.👍🏽🌹🤗
So cute an perfect for kids...
Brilliant job well done.
So cute how you made them
Excellent!!
Does anyone know the blog name? Searching Miss Chmura blog gets nothing. Thanks!
This is a great idea. IThanks for sharing!
Great idea but they look more like a lap table. When you call it a crate seat, is it sitting on top of an actual crate behind you? Those are terrific by the way and I agreed the music was obnoxious and scared the crap out of me LOL and for the future I would put a microphone next to you connected to your phone or device you're recording from so we can hear you better but other than that a terrific presentation step by step!
I would make one more small loop for a dry erase marker pen
Good idea thx u for the tutorial very nicely explain for the first video
Thanks for sharing I love your videos
What staple gun did you get? You make it look so easy to use!
try using a cheap flannel backed table cloth to make them waterproof for outside
Hi, Loved your video/tutorial! Where do you get the white boards from? And the wood cut so precisely? Did you do that or have it done at someplace like Home Depot?
Great idea! May try doing something similar for a kneeling pad for the garden. Thank you.
Knowing this is your first video, your speaking is not always loud enough to hear, but the music is overwhelming at times.
I just saw your video love it, I will try to make some.
Great video...great project! Kudos! I have a lap desk thingy that bugs me so much I never use it. I might just have to make my own now...I like the white board idea, even tho I would likely never (or at least hardly ever) use it for that purpose. I like the idea of it being an option. ;o) Plus, it looks nice.
That sound tho......
Great job give us more ideas!!!
Awesome nice video
Thanks so much 👍
You could cover the back of the wood with white fabric
Oh now I see what you did
Love this, thank you for the video
Excellent! My partner made a bunch of these for her class! I'm going to try them next school year. Also do the tops still fit properly on the crate when you add the white board? Thank you!