August is coming to a close, which means the back-to-school season is just around the corner. If you have children, you know how hectic this time of year can be. Having a designated back-to-school homework area can help your child stay organized, stress-free, and can even make them look forward to doing their homework. If you need some inspiration, here are 5 tips for building a back-to-school homework area to help get you started before the first school bell.
- Find a Quiet Area
When deciding on a place to build your child’s back-to-school homework area, make sure to choose a room in your house that is quiet and will have little to no distractions. Having a lot of commotion or noise can make it hard for them to focus on their work. It’s also important to make sure they are not near distracting technology such as cell phones, video games, computers, or the television. Unless, of course, they need it for school purposes. If spaces are limited, you can always create a no-technology rule when they are doing homework to eliminate any potential distractions.
- Create a Comfortable Setup
It’s important that your child feels comfortable when they are doing their homework. Not only is having the right furniture necessary for proper posture, but it also allows you to focus better when you are more comfortable. Your child’s back-to-school homework area should have a table or desk wide enough to accommodate doing their schoolwork, an ergonomically and comfortable chair, and plenty of lighting to see their work. These are the necessary furniture pieces, however there are additional items you can add to the space such as drawers, storage, shelving, and other accessories to make their space even more functional.
- Stock Up on Supplies
Once you have the space set up, it’s time to take a trip to the store to stock up on all the necessary school supplies your child will need for their schoolwork. They should have everything required for their work during school hours, but make sure to get extra of the important supplies for their back-to-school homework area at home too. Common back to school supplies are paper, notebooks, pens, paper, highlighters, and post-it notes. Having these supplies nearby will help your child to be just as successful at home doing their work, then they are at school.
- Organize
After stocking up on supplies, it’s time to organize their back-to-school homework area. There are so many ways you can organize the space. You could start by purchasing a desk that has multiple drawers or storage areas to place all of their school supplies. If you are working with limited furniture or spacing, you can always purchase other standalone storage options or organizers. A great idea is to find a folder or notebook organizer to separate their homework by subject. Just be sure that they know to take the work back and forth from school, to home, and back to school.
- Personalize
Once everything is setup and organized, let your child personalize their back-to-school homework area. They will be spending a lot of time in this space to finish their homework, so they might as well enjoy it. Let them pick out some inspirational décor, colorful decorations, or even a fun animal calendar for the wall. Making the space into a place they enjoy will allow them to focus easier and work harder while they complete their work.