School is back in session but that doesn’t mean throwing in the towel just yet. Sending your child to even the very best of schools doesn’t mean you’re off the educational hook. You need to keep on fostering your child’s educational experience at home, which is easier said than done.
And that’s why we’re here with a few tips to help you turn your home into a great learning environment for your children.
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Focus on reading
The best thing you can do to turn your home into a learning environment is to maintain a read-aloud routine at home.
That’s because studies show that parents who read to their children can incredibly boost their academic performance. So make sure to establish a regular read-aloud routine at home with your kids. Make it a daily part of your lives, even if it’s only for 5 to 10 minutes at a time.
You can also reverse the role with your older children and make them read aloud to you. More importantly, don’t forget to keep reading yourself. Children who see their parents reading are more likely to think of it as a fun activity than a boring “chore”.
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Create functional spaces for different activities
When children have separate functional spaces for various activities, they use them more. As a result this increases their exposure to learning experiences. This is way better than stuffing all their toys and equipment into a desolate corner of your house.
You shouldn’t have everything in your child’s bedroom as it should offer a tranquil, relaxing environment for sleep. So it’s better to design spaces outside their bedroom for different educational activities.
You can try to make the following areas available:
- A separate table designated for art activities with materials and supplies at hand
- An area outside with brushes for painting sessions
- An outdoor space for sand and water activities. You can fill a small trough with water or sand and keep some cups or utensils nearby. This could be an excellent place for messy science experiments as well.
- An area, preferably in the bedroom, for quiet, thought-provoking games such as puzzles, chess, and card games.
The reason why structured spaces work so well is that they let your child decide for themselves. Instead of having a ton of things in the same place, your child can determine whether they are in the mood for a quiet game, want to get involved in messy outdoor activities, or simply want to curl up with a good book.
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Remove distractions when possible
One crucial aspect of turning your home into a learning environment is removing distractions whenever possible.
If your child uses online tutoring platforms such as Cluey Learning, try blocking distracting websites that may interfere with their lessons. The internet will always offer distractions for your child, so using a blocker like StayFocusd will help them engage with their lessons effectively, making the most of their educational experiences.
Furthermore, you can also involve setting all the toys aside when they’re busy doing their homework. Mobile phones, tablets, TV, and even pets can be distracting. You should put everything away unless your child needs it for homework.
Keep in mind that some children work better with a bit of noise or music in the background. Eliminating distractions is all about determining what helps your children work at their highest potential and what hinders them from that. So make sure to personalize this tip to your child.
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Minimize clutter
As mentioned earlier, removing distractions is important in turning your home into a learning environment. And clutter is a distraction as well (and a major one at that).
Yes, books, toys, and supplies are great. But too many of them around can crowd space and create a feeling of chaos. The simpler the learning space, the more effective it is.
You can turn your home into an orderly learning environment by removing the clutter, especially from the designated learning areas. For example, you can store all the supplies in a separate cabinet. A cabinet with doors or bins will help hide the clutter even better.
You can also declutter your house in general to make it more organized, clean, and conducive to learning. Self-storage units are an excellent tool for storing rarely-used items. Here are some more ideas to help you declutter by Becoming Minimalist.
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Make learning comfortable
No one wants to work or take classes in an uncomfortable space. That’s why it’s important to choose a chair that your child can comfortably sit in for hours. Sitting on an uncomfortable chair while learning can lead to a lack of concentration and body aches due to poor blood circulation. This can negatively impact their cardiovascular health.
The cozier the learning space will be, the easier it’ll be for your child to learn.
Desk chairs aren’t the best idea when it comes to cozy learning. They are super uncomfortable and can hurt your back after a while. Try substituting a regular office chair with a fun bean bag or a weighted blanket. Fluffy pillows or chairs work well too. Also, ensure that your child has access to a desk or some other flat surface for their books, laptop, and other learning materials.
We don’t recommend using a bed as a learning space. You don’t want your child to fall asleep in the middle of their lessons. Moreover, using your bed for activities other than sleeping can lead to trouble falling asleep at night. Here are 6 reasons to discourage your child from studying in bed.
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Create a well-lit area
Lighting is an essential part of an effective learning space for your children. Try to limit the amount of artificial light that comes in. And focus more on getting as much natural light as possible.
Natural light can do wonders for your health, and the more natural light your child has exposure to, the better their academic performance. Good lighting can also positively affect your child’s energy and attention.
If you don’t have access to good natural lighting in your home, try using mirrors. Mirrors reflect natural light and are a great way to boost it.
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Set a daily schedule
Children are more likely to perform their daily tasks when they have a set schedule. In fact, learners of all ages are used to a routine at school. So creating a daily schedule for your child not only helps them function better, but also reduces back to school anxiety.
You can display your child’s daily schedule on the fridge or on a dry-erase board. Dry erase markers work well on mirrors and windows too. A visible list of tasks will help your children stay on track.
If your child is a bit older, you can use Google Docs or Google Sheets to create their daily schedule. They can then collaborate with you and edit the schedule on their devices, giving you real-time feedback of how much has been done.
But make sure you’re not very strict. Try to break up the monotony with a few fun activities. This will help keep your children motivated for learning!
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