Frustrated with your current homeschool workstation? Are you new to homeschooling? Whatever the case, here are some tips to help you create a neat, organized space for your kids to do their school work.
Photo by Jessica Lewis on Unsplash
How to Set Up a Homeschool Workstation
There’s no right or wrong way to set up for homeschooling. It really comes down to your personal preferences, the space you have available, and what works best for you and your children.
Here are some simple tips to help you get started with your ultimate homeschool setup.
Assess Your Current Environment
Take a few minutes to jot down what’s been working…and what’s not. If your kids all happily sit at the dining room table together to do their schoolwork, keep doing that. But, if your kids fight or are too loud to sit together, plan on making a change. Once you have your list of all the things that work, and the things that don’t, you can start implementing changes to make the homeschool days go a little more smoothly.
Pick a Designated Area
To keep the kids in schoolwork mode, designate a set area for them to do their work. Ideally, this won’t be a place where they do other relaxing activities. For my kids, sitting at a table or at a desk helps to keep them on track. But, you know what works best for your kids, so if a comfy chair in the living room works, then let them work there.
You may want to also consider different areas for different activities. For example, perhaps shared activities are at the dining room table, while others are in more individual workspaces. Again, this is up to you and how your children work best, which brings us to our next point to make this easy and flexible.
Gather Materials
Make sure your child has everything they need to complete their homeschool work. It’s difficult for anyone to stay on track when they have to keep getting up to get a pencil or a box of crayons. Make a list of everything they might possibly need and have it available.
For my kids, this includes a laptop, headphones for zoom calls or watching instruction videos without disturbing their siblings, pencils, and scrap paper. Plus, if you are trying to work while they are doing school work, having all the materials ready will hopefully lead to fewer interruptions for you. We love this homeschool cart from Intentional Homeschooling!
We have several of these carts, for baking supplies, arts and crafts supplies, and more. You can even consider a cart for each child if you would like. Best of all, they are movable to give you flexibility, and come in a wide variety of colors.
Troubleshoot Technology Issues
In addition to having all the necessary materials at hand, you’ll want to make sure all technology is working properly before the kids start their workday. Have them write down all their passwords and put them somewhere they can easily find them. Check to make sure they can access all the sites and programs they need.
Printers can be a huge struggle if you rely on printable curriculum, so make sure you have one that works well. You can take a look at our detailed reviews of homeschool printers here.
Add Some Fun To The Homeschool Space
Since most kids will homeschool for the remainder of the year, you might as well embrace the homeschool workspace. Make the area fun and use their classroom as an inspiration. Hang up colorful pictures. Display their artwork. Let them get in on the fun and decorate their space. A Girl and A Glue Gun has a great tutorial for displaying your child’s artwork!
You can also consider doing bulletin boards for specific study topics, seasons, or upcoming holidays. They are a great learning experience and a great multi age activity.
Clean Up Every Day
In school, at the end of the school day, most children work together to clean up the classroom. Instill that practice at home. Each child should be responsible for straightening their homeschool workstation when they complete their work. It’s such a nice feeling to begin the day with a nice, organized space, instead of starting out looking at yesterday’s mess.
Your homeschooling approach will evolve over time, just like your workstation will. These ideas should help you make the most of your homeschooling adventure!
