Everyone loves a well lit, airy, and organized study nook. And so does your kid. However, creating a comfortable homework space for kids can at times be a challenge when you don’t know where to begin. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Add Light
Just like you and I, kids need to see well when doing their homework or simply studying. A majority of kids do their homework in the evening, so you need to place their desk in a cozy, well-lit area. A nice desk lamp or even good overhead lighting work just fine. You can also place it near a window if your children like to do homework as soon as they get home. The idea is to make sure they don’t bend close to the books, eyes squinted, because of inadequate lighting. Place the homework area where there is sufficient sunlight in the evening hours if your house faces the right direction.
Create a Comfortable Space
Why do you think many kids love to handle those difficult homework questions while seated on the living room rug rather than their study areas? Comfort. They feel more comfortable and capable of working well sometimes even sprawled on the rug. You can recreate the same coziness in their study area by throwing in a few pillows and even a blanket. Have a nice cozy rug where your kid can sit while doing the homework. With a nice rug, they can even take their challenging homework from the floor if they so wish.
Have All the Basics Close at Hand
You most likely remember the frustrations you had to suffer as a kid when you couldn’t find a specific pencil or when you simply couldn’t find that pencil sharpener when you really needed it fast. Don’t let your kids go through the same frustrating experience. Have all the basics ready at hand in your child’s homework station. Basics in this case include anything you would define as stationery, including stacks of writing paper, erasers, pencils, and, yes, plenty of sharpeners just to mention a few.
Store and Organize Books
You definitely need plenty of books around the homework area but how the books are arranged and displayed does matter too. The books need to be neatly organized but kept in the open in a way that invites the young minds to read. What type of books should you have on display? Any topic all children love would do. Find out their favorites and other topics of interest and keep these ones at a close reach. Remember to update the library as the child grows.
Include Important Resources
There are a few resources that every child’s study area should have. These are important things such as:
- A thesaurus
- A good dictionary
- Flashcards
- Scissors
- A ruler
- Poster board
These are things you hardly think about until they are urgently needed.
Add a Kid-Friendly Bulletin Board
Well, not exactly a bulletin board like the one hanging on the wall at your workplace, but a magnetic wipe board or even a chalkboard will do. This will be helpful for posting useful reminders, due dates, and even for hanging their favorite artwork that they made.
The goal when creating a good homework space for kids is to give them a cozier workspace than your living room where distractions such as the TV abound.