When was the last time you were able to ace your work presentation while you were sitting at a gloomy table with too many files and dim lights? Even if you do manage to finish the work, it’s usually subpar, it’s excruciating just to think of it, and we as grown-ups have it easy with formed discipline and strong will-power. And now imagine your kids dealing with the same mess, without the two qualities yet formed.
If you’d like your little nestlings to not only get around to finishing their homework successfully, but also enjoy the process and form a positive attitude towards learning, there are a few tricks of the trade to keep in mind. Let’s make a homework haven for your little ones!
Year-round spring cleaning
Creative chaos is a very desirable environment for arts and crafts projects that require plenty of colorful papers, glitter, coloring pencils and similar goodies your kids love. But when it comes to their day-to-day work, they need a high level of organization to maintain their focus and avoid distraction from clutter.
Help them organize their books and notebooks, their writing and other supplies to a bare minimum on the table, to allow plenty of clean space. Make it a habit to return the table to a previous orderly state once the homework craze is done – that way, they’ll start cleaning after themselves early on!
Comfort and function
We already know too well that our kids are growing up surrounded by technology, screens of all sorts and sizes, practically addicted to constant engagement. This limited attention span combined with an uncomfortable chair and an impractical desk create a fertile soil for restlessness and fidgety behavior. And no studying will happen in such a state!
With various options at hand, such as the artsy KidKraft Study Desk which has ample storage space and a pin board as well, you can pick a desk and chair that will instantly inspire learning. Height matters, and back support for their growing bodies as well, so be mindful when choosing the right chair as well.
Inspire and motivate
Details do matter, especially in such a limited space, and just before school starts, you can use the opportunity to decorate and design the study area with your kids. They can pick out their favorite sayings, colors and share their ideas on how they’d like to set up the table.
Do this family project some serious justice by framing your kids’ favorite family photos, artwork or motivational quotes in Wedgwood photo frames to hang on the wall and help your kids feel the support while studying. As much as you like to be greeted with an inspirational atmosphere that enables success when you enter your office, your kids also need some confidence-boosters to spread their wings.
Supply and storage essentials
A first grader’s desk will require little room as far as the books go, but if your little one has started his fifth or sixth grade, then the space-struggle becomes all the more serious. As you obtain all the supplies they need, you also have to keep in mind where to put away those essentials when they’re not studying – remember the no clutter rule?
Wall hooks for their backpack, a calendar with sticky notes for special situations, built-in drawers and see-through storage compartments to attach to the side of the desk can all be very handy. Use your imagination, but always make sure that the storage isn’t messy, but well-organized!
Let there be light!
The location of your kids’ study area can solve this problem to a great extent. If you place their desk near a window that will provide them with ample natural light, it will help them study efficiently and make their homework much more enjoyable.
However, as winter months set in, and daytime often doesn’t mean that much light, you’ll need some backup lamps with LED bulbs to help them study without causing eye-strain or ruining their mood. Adjustable brightness can make for an added perk, while a stem that also lets you change the angle and position of the lamp can help keep your kids immersed in their studies.
A guest blog post written by Olivia Williams Jones.