It has now been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic shifted schools across the nation to a virtual learning model, and in many respects, remote education appears to be here to stay.
That means setting up a calm and productive space for children who are learning remotely is incredibly important—especially for parents who work from home and need to minimize distractions during office hours. Whether your students are temporary or long-term remote learners, this article will provide tips on how to create energizing learning spaces in the apartment that will help your children focus and learn in a calming environment.
Use Several Designated Learning Spaces
While space can often be limited while living in an apartment, having more than one area for learning can be extremely helpful for a child, as it mimics the feeling of moving from classroom to classroom in school. This may involve working from a desk while on Zoom, working from a living room chair while reading, and working from a kitchen table while working on a creative project or completing homework. Not only does this help break up the day and make it less monotonous, but it can also help spark inspiration and make learning more exciting and enjoyable.
Create a Focus Area
When creating several learning areas, try to create one designated space that will serve as your child’s primary focus area. This area, which can be a desk or a quiet, well-lit corner in the apartment, should be free of all items and materials that are not school-related to limit distractions. This area can be used while your child is attending classes on Zoom or is working on a project that requires deep concentration.
This may be difficult in an apartment, but if it is possible to create a designated focus area somewhere outside of your child’s bedroom, that is ideal. Children’s bedrooms are filled with toys, games, and other items that can easily distract from their work. Even if your child is older, they may be far more likely to resort to playing Xbox games or using electronics rather than focusing on their schoolwork.
If your child prefers privacy while attending virtual classes but is comfortable being in the living area, you can partition off part of the living room or some other area in the apartment by installing an open bookcase or temporary wall (if your landlord approves). A partition or bookshelf wall also works well when creating multiple focus areas to keep siblings separated during the day.
Put their Schoolwork in a Backpack
When learning from home, it can be all too easy for books, schoolwork, and notebooks to get scattered around the apartment. Keeping everything in a backpack, similarly to the way your children organized their items while attending school in person, is a great way to keep all class-related items in a central location. Carrying a backpack from one learning space to the next throughout the apartment can also mimic the feeling of being back in school for your child, providing some familiarity and security.
If your child is at an age where they work on arts and crafts for class throughout the day, consider installing a cart or set of drawers next to their designated focus area to keep everything organized and in one place. Not only will this help them find what they need quickly, but it will also help you to stay sane without having crayons, markers, and scissors scattered throughout the apartment.
Consider Their Posture
As adults, we invest quite a bit in desk chairs, standing desks, and several other aspects of our working day that help support our back, neck, and overall well-being. The same level of posture support should be invested in children’s learning spaces as their bodies are at a sensitive developmental level.
Try adding seat cushions to their chairs to ensure they’re comfortable and that their arms/wrists are at the same level as the desk. Place a box or footrest under them if their feet are dangling from the chair and try to place enough pillows behind them so that their back is straight and upright. Try to limit the amount of time they spend slouching on the couch with the iPad to help keep their posture aligned.
If they are constantly slouching their neck down to look at a laptop screen, consider investing in a laptop stand, wireless mouse, and wireless keyboard to keep their head as level as possible while attending virtual classes and working on projects. It is strongly encouraged to invest in a silent mouse to keep yourself and your kids from going crazy from all of the clicking sounds!
Use a Space-Saving Desk
If your child is under the age of six, a desk probably isn’t necessary. Chances are, they won’t spend more than five minutes at a time sitting at the desk and will constantly gravitate to the kitchen table. However, if you have older children, a desk is extremely worthwhile. If you have limited space in your apartment, consider a space-saving desk to create a designated focus area that doesn’t take up tons of space.
Utilize Noise-Cancelling Headphones
If your children attend virtual classes during the day or watch educational videos, consider investing in Bose or Apple’s noise-canceling headphones for them to listen to their classes without being distracted by other sounds in the apartment. These headphones might also be a great investment for you too if you’re working from home while your child attends virtual classes or listens to videos close to your workspace.
Key Takeaways About Setting Up a Remote Learning Space
Having more family members working and learning from home often calls for more space. Upgrading to a two- or three-bedroom apartment can often provide the space needed for the whole family to work, learn, and study effectively.
Draper and Kramer offers several spacious layouts that are ideal for creating multiple workspaces for kids and adults alike, without making the apartment feel overcrowded or overwhelming. Visit Draper and Kramer to begin your search for a new apartment that provides an energizing environment for your children to learn and feel inspired.
