With the pandemic making homeschooling more ubiquitous, your children’s development and well-being have never been more critical. As the first day of school and the possibility of more remote learning approaches, creating a seamless transition between home and the classroom has never been more crucial.

You can help support your child by learning how to create a positive learning environment within your home—explore these tips for setting up a homeschooling area to help your student excel.

Learning Spaces

First, you’ll need to designate a space for your child to learn; having a dedicated learning space will help limit distractions and get them in the mindset of learning instead of playtime.

Think about your child’s unique preferences and the space available in your home to help narrow down an area. A committed learning space can be anywhere—a desk, a reading nook, or the kitchen table.

Consistent Schedule

Basing your at-home schedule after the school’s schedule is usually the most manageable routine to model. But you do have the opportunity for more flexibility with home learning. While the remote and hybrid schedules are demanding on everyone, including working parents, following a consistent plan is beneficial for your child.

Breaks

Be sure to give your son or daughter time to decompress! The past year and a half have been unusual for them, too, and staying focused will be a challenge. Sprinkle breaks into their schedule throughout the day:

• Physicality—Give them a few minutes to move around to shake off their studies.
• Hands-on—Forgo the typical book or lecture, and spend an afternoon with hands-on learning, including playing, art, or science experiments.
• Screen Time—Mix up the curriculum with some virtual learning

Encouragement

Don’t forget to be encouraging! Check in with both their progress and their effort. Use positive language to help them with tasks they struggle in and praise them when they excel in other subjects. You can also get a better idea of your child’s progress with homeschool testing to see where they excel and where there are opportunities to strengthen their learning.

Implementing these tips for setting up a homeschooling area in your home will positively benefit their learning—and for you, too!