When schools closed their doors in March to help stop the spread of COVID-19, most of us didn’t anticipate that they would stay closed for the remainder of the school year. Given this, learning at home for our kids was at the dining room table or on the couch—which is okay as we were all figuring things out and adjusting to a new normal!
But as uncertainty remains over if schools will still be closed for the start of the new school year, now is the perfect time to designate a special space in your home for learning. Having a dedicated space is crucial to help reduce distractions and lower your child’s stress levels (think about how good you feel when you can leave work at the office!). Setting up your in-home school space can be a fun and memorable activity for your family to do together!
Here are some tips to help you set up a learning space in your home:
- Make sure the space is inviting and well-lit. Try hanging lights or colorful, homemade decorations. This will help keep your children awake and learning!
- Make it fun! Learning shouldn’t be a chore. Make the space fun and incorporate some of your child’s favorite things. This will help them feel comfortable in the space and be excited to go there to learn.
- Keep in mind the type of learner your child is. If they need quiet to complete their schoolwork and stay focused, select a low-traffic space in your home or try headphones to dull sound. For kids who need to move, try a setting a timer to set intervals for work and breaks.
- Keep the space neat and organized. This will help make learning at home not feel so overwhelming and help you and your children keep track of their learning materials, which assignments they have completed and what still needs to be done.
As you set up a learning space in your home, make sure your children continue learning, too. Research shows that children experience learning loss when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer months. Keeping your children engaged in learning during summer break will help ease the back-to-school transition when the time comes and ensure they start the new school year on track.