How to create the perfect study space for your child
Where your children study can have a big impact on how they study (and for how long). An intentioned and well-designed study space can help make home fun and foster lifelong learning habits. To outfit the perfect space for your aspiring Einstein, follow these simple tips:
- Location, location, location:
Distractions can hinder focus and drag out homework time, so you’ll want to avoid placing their desk in front of a door or window. Instead, place your little scholar’s desk against a wall and decorate that wall with their own calendar or dry erase board. Children in kindergarten through third grade can sometimes struggle working alone in a bedroom[1], so create a space for them at the kitchen counter or dining room table where you’ll be more available to help.
- Stock it up!
Stock up their work space with everything they’ll need to complete assignments, including pens, highlighters, scissors, paper and even glue. Keeping all their supplies in one dedicated drawer means they won’t lose time at the start searching for supplies. You can also put their supplies in a portable caddy or shoebox, allowing them to migrate their workstation to other rooms of the home.
- Create a reading nook
To help foster good reading habits, create a warm, cozy space with good lighting. Outfit it with a bean bag or comfy chair, or even decorate a windowsill seat with comfy pillows. Make it an inviting place to be, and create a rule that all electronic devices must be charging in a separate room.
- A place for everything, and everything in its place
Get organized! Create a dedicated hook for your child’s book bag to help keep it in one place, and save yourself some time in the morning by having him or her pack up their bag as soon as they finish their homework[2]. Color-coded folders are also a great way to keep different subjects organized—preventing wandering piles of loose papers.
- Make it somewhere they want to be
Your child is more likely to build a positive relationship to homework if it happens somewhere they want to be. Tailor and customize their study area to them, utilizing their favorite colors or applying a theme. To help make it feel like “their” space you can even solicit their ideas and suggestions (with a healthy grain of salt—no candy bowls or built-in video game screens).
Source: [1] https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/8-design-tips-your-kids-study-space
[2] https://www.parenting.com/gallery/kids-study-space?page=5