Product Review: Sit Spots

I don't get any money for this post; I just had to let you know about my favorite new product! Apparently, I've been living under a rock for the past five years of my teaching career. Who knew?

Because my classroom is multi-age, I have the same students for many years. We get a few new additions, and many of our students no longer need resource room-- but for the most part, we have the same kiddos for a long time (just a little taller each year). If any student is retained, I could have a student for up to seven years. I have to keep it fresh and different, not only for my students, but also for myself and our instructional assistants. This year, I'm giving our classroom a makeover. I'm going from primary colors to a black-and-bright look. I ripped everything down, so there's no turning back now. I'll be crying when I start this project, but oh well!

I've been having problems with my carpet situation. I want my students to have designated spots on the carpet for whole group lessons and read-alouds. I also want my carpet to be pretty. Problem is, I only earn a teacher's salary (i.e., "diddly squat"), and pretty classroom carpets are $100-$500. Pffffft, can I get a big fat NO?! I settled for one of those interlocking puzzle piece carpets, but they always seem to end up dirty (even after weatherproofing), with scuff marks, scratch marks, pencil holes, and I have a couple of kiddos who live to pull them apart. It's one of those choose-your-battles classroom management kinds of things that's just not worth the effort in our emotional support program with kids who love the sensory input of pulling those squares apart, you know? I think that, to my class, my interlocking carpet was like lining the floor with donuts. Too much temptation.

But then... [cue "Hallelujah Chorus"] I came across Sit Spots. Have you heard of these things? If not, you might want to sit down.

I bought my carpet at Walmart for $19, and my Sit Spots were $1.99 each. I bought fifteen, so they only cost $29 and change. My classroom carpet this year was only $50. That's $150 less expensive than the one I wanted! Granted, I have a small group of kids, so I didn't need many. Still, though, for a class of 30 kids, it's still way less expensive than its counterparts.

They don't stick to some carpets, so if you buy a throw rug, try to get one that feels the most like a standard carpet rug. I touched a couple until one felt like what I remembered sitting upon as a child.

These are the cat's pajamas, the bee's knees, the coolest thing since (cinnamon raisin) sliced bread (with icing)! They are basically tiny-but-mighty pieces of Velcro that attach to the carpet. I vacuumed over them, and they stay put. I mean it, they. don't. move. But if you stick them in the wrong spot and need to pull them up, it's easy. They come in a bunch of different colors and shapes. The kids won't pull them off, because they will be sitting on them. Sit Spots are pretty, cheap, temporary, and temptation-free? Is this real life?! I still have to get my yard stick out to measure them, but I just wanted to see if they worked.

Now I have a pretty teacher carpet! I gleefully rolled all over it in my living room, and the Sit Spots didn't budge. My husband looked at me funny for about a second, but then he remembered who he married and continued looking in the fridge (unfortunately, he wasn't looking for butter to add to my cinnamon raisin bread).

Check them out! You can buy them at http://sitspots.com/

Have you used them in your classroom? What are your thoughts? Share in the comments below.