As many parents adapt to their children learning from home, the idea of the ideal workspace for kids is coming up more and more. We take a look at five steps to creating the perfect at-home classroom that will make your child learn, grow and have fun!
1. Ask the student
What inspires your child to their best and get excited about learning? No one knows better than the student themselves! Although you may already know their answer, go ahead and ask what they would like to do while at school. Maybe they like to play outside or bake in the kitchen. You can work those fun activities into your classroom with using baking to learn fractions or using outdoor games to learn new skills. Just like adults, children will want to focus on things more if it’s something they have fun doing at the same time.
2. Provide consistency
It’s important to establish a sense of security and routine during school days. Even though you want them to enjoy their workplace, they also need to know it is meant for learning. Try to set-up a specific spot for backpacks, books and computers so that they know exactly where things are and that the space is similar to their classroom at school. Doing this will also help keep your home organized throughout the day!
3. Make supplies available
Pull out material around your home that fit your child’s age group and place them in the learning area. This gives them easy access to supplies that encourage creativity and engagement. This might be much easier if you have younger children learning from home as they can use more imagination with less items, but you can find plenty of materials that work for all ages just by doing a quick search online or in-store.
4. Natural light
Consider making your classroom by a window or patio doors. As humans, the natural light energizes us and can fuel our creativity and motivation, making it easier to keep the kids learning and not wanting to go watch tv or play video games. This won’t be an easy task for everyone, especially if most of the natural light is located in busy rooms of the home but no worries, just make sure to take breaks and get outside!
5. Be flexible
We have all had to adapt quickly and work efficiently during these times. So don’t be hard on yourself! Not everything is going to go to plan while kids are learning at home just as they don’t in a school building. Providing a safe learning environment and encouraging your children to continue to engage with their teacher is the top priority. All the little things will fall into place.
Learning and working from home can be difficult, but with these tips you can make sure your child or children are making the most of their virtual learning experience.
