Almost all of us parents are starting out the school year with our kids in distance learning, so here are my best tips for setting up your child’s distance learning space.
1. The desk is the most important part of your child’s homeschool room, so let’s start there. I find most kids do best with a desk that’s about 4 feet wide and no more than 2 feet deep. This width gives enough room for a laptop, an open book or notebook, and both elbows on the desk. The depth means kids can reach the back of the desk so nothing is out of reach.
2. Kids will also need a spot for textbooks and school supplies. I like the Ikea RASKOG cart because it can be wheeled up to the desk when needed and tucked away on the weekends. Textbooks can fit on the top shelf, and school supplies can be categorized on the lower shelves. If you have the space, get one cart per child so they can separate out (and take responsibility for) their own books, supplies, papers and school projects.
3. Some kids care about how their room looks on Zoom (and a lot of teachers are mandating that cameras stay on the whole time), so pay attention to what is on the opposite wall of the desk. Remove piles of clutter and unwanted posters and art.
4. How is the lighting in your homeschool room? Do you need a desk lamp, an additional floor lamp or brighter bulbs in your overhead light fixture?
5. Would the kids benefit from the addition of a comfy armchair so they have a place to do their reading?
6. Finally, get your kids in the habit of spending 5 minutes at the end of each school day cleaning off their desk and putting their books and supplies away. It makes starting the next day so much nicer when there is a tidy workspace to come back to.
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