This space in the nursery is very important for the development of your child, because it is the corner where he or she will spend a lot of time in the next years. The space intended for studying should be a quiet place to help them focus and be calm. The perfect place for it could be their bedroom, away from the noise of the home and other family members.
When designing this space, take into account the views and tastes of your children. It is good to involve them in choosing the furniture they want, knowing the colors they like the most, and so on. If they will add their own personal touch to the decor, they will feel the space is their own and they will be more comfortable when they have to study.
Beyond the decoration or the color of the furniture, there are many other elements to be taken into account when setting up a study area for the little ones that will help them work better.
Here are some ideas for arranging an optimal corner to promote learning.↓
The location
- The place chosen must be quiet, in order to be conducive to concentration, that is to say – away from the activities of other members of the family, and away from distractions: no TV, computer or game console near.
- The space must be clearly zoned out: it is important that the child has a well-defined corner for this specific activity (avoid the kitchen or living room table for example).
- If your child is young (up to 8 years old), it is best to plan a small corner near you, as he or she still needs supervision.
- If they are a little older (9+ years old), they will be able to work in their own room (still without distraction).
- Ideally, the chosen area should be dedicated to study and not be used for leisure at other times. In this way, the child will eventually associate this place with study, concentration and work.
- If your space is limited or there is no room in the child’s own bedroom, plan a specific period when the kitchen or living room table becomes the study area. If you have more than one child, plan separate study periods to avoid disturbances between children.
The work surface, chair and lighting
- It is important that the place of study has sufficient light so that children do not have to strain their vision. Natural light is always the best option, but a desk lamp is also necessary.
- Choose a work desk that has built-in drawers rather than a work surface without storage.
- The work surface should be large enough to accommodate notebooks, books and supplies. A width of 100 cm / 40 in is ideal, if you want your child to be able to write easily.
- If you add a computer, look for a little larger desk, or one with an “L” layout.
- Restricted space? Use a wall-mounted drop-leaf table.
- The work surface must also be at the correct height. It should be 3-5 cm / 1-2 in higher than your child’s elbows when seated.
- The chair must also be at the right height: sit your child upright at the bottom of the chair – his feet must be flat on the ground (use a footrest if this is not the case). It should also be comfortable and should slide easily under the work surface.
- The back of the chair should be padded but firm, for good lumbar support. Ergonomic chairs are always the best option.
- You need to provide adequate lighting, ideally a desk lamp that can be pointed at the child’s notebooks. It should be placed on the left for right-handers and on the right for left-handers. If the daylight is too intense, use a blind to darken the room.
- Add a second lamp near the computer, if it is present on the studying table.
Tidying up
- We want our children to have everything at hand when studying. It’s much more motivating if he or she doesn’t have to clean their workspace before starting the homework!
- Take care to identify the contents of each drawer or shelf with labels.
- Insert drawer dividers into the school supply drawer. It is always easier to keep control of order if the space is divided. Subdivided, it will be able to accommodate a multitude of small things for all kinds of school taks.
- Install a shelf above the work surface to store dictionaries and other reference books – less time wasted on searching for the needed one and less risk of distraction.
- If space allows, add a small bookcase and beautiful colored plastic boxes to your child’s working space.
- Plan a basket where the child will leave the papers you need to sign. Thus, he will start his own experience working on autonomy.
Everything clean
- A trash can is another must for the child’s workplace. This way, kids learn to take care of their space and won’t have to move around their bedroom, the kitchen or living room in order to throw something in the trash.
- Moreover, you could acquire a bin with funny and colorful designs for all tastes and ages – a functional object that will bring a lot of color and joy to the workspace.
Last little thought … The homework corner should be attractive and inviting for the child. Use a magnetic board to display good notes and little masterpieces.
And if you’re just in the process of looking for some furniture to set up your child’s new working space, feel free to access the nyfurnitureoutlets.com catalog for a nicely priced range of the best outlet furniture!
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