Are you getting kids ready to go back to school? Our three-part series on all things back-to-school covers so many of the moving parts when getting organized for school. In part one of this series we covered scheduling time, and in part two we talked about all things clothes.
Today we are talking about homework stations for kids and sharing some of our top planning strategies, so you don’t have to guess!
Homework Stations for Kids
Do you have a “command center” in your home? A space for items like keys, purses, incoming mail, etc.? Having a set place for these items can ensure you have what you need to get out the door on time. (More on that in our post about managing your time!)
The same goes for having a homework station. A place for incoming school notes, homework and projects. And this space should include a spot for backpacks! For older children, this space could be located in their bedroom. For others or families with more than 2 kiddos, I recommend a common work area where a quick assessment can be done to ensure things are ready for the next morning.
Labeled areas work best and help to ensure that fights won’t arise about whose stuff belongs in which cubby or on which hook.
Homework Station Set-Up
There are 3 important things to consider when creating your space:
- Size of the room: The size and layout of the room will determine what kind of systems you can set up and what kind of workspace you can create.
- Age of children: The age range of the children will also help you gauge what type of workspace you need (i.e. Place for a laptop vs a place to cut/color). For older kids you may be able to hang more storage higher up whereas for younger children you’d want to keep supplies accessible on a lower level.
- Location of space available: Depending on the location of the room in relation to the main door used, you may want to create a separate space for backpack hang-up.
Homework Station Areas
You can browse Pinterest and the internet for a hundred different ideas for homework station ideas and different desks or table layout ideas. But 3 things you want to be sure to include in your school command center are a calendar area, a supply area, and a workspace area.
- A calendar brings a visual attention to important dates for tests or field trips and things like project deadlines.
- A supply area may again vary, but it is important to keep these items separate from other household uses. If everyone knows that the pencils, scissors and other supplies in this area are for school purposes only, you won’t run into the issue of “not being able to do homework because the pencils are all gone”.
- It’s important to get input from the kids on how the workspace will look. We know there are different types of learners but there may also be preferences as individuals. Some may prefer to sit at a desk-type setup. Others may work better sitting in a big bean bag chair or something soft.Accommodating those preferences (within reason) should promote productivity.
Designating an area for school work and creating a routine for handling homework and other projects will greatly improve the efficiency of school-home communication. It will also help children to build responsibility and ownership in their schoolwork.
Need some help planning out the space for your DIY Homework Station?
Grab our planner here!
Even though I don’t have kiddos, I’m super excited to create a command station in our new home! I think it’ll be super helpful!
Yes! Love that! You’ll have to send me pics once you’ve completed it!!
I love how concisely you break everything down. I know how hard figuring out the right set up can be and it’s important to do it right and be prepared! Thanks for sharing.
I love these ideas! Anything that can make the after school chaos a little more manageable is always helpful!
I agree!!
This is a great idea. Kids need a dedicated space to do their homework and this will help them get things done much faster and more efficient.
Love this idea! My little one is just reading and spellings but this will be my go to once he’s got proper homework. Thanks for sharing a great post
Awesome! Yes, that time will be coming soon!
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When I was a kid, I did most of my homework at a desk in my bedroom but, like so many other things in life, computers have changed all that. Most kids, especially younger ones, probably have to share the computer with other family members, and parents may not want them to use it without supervision. I still have very fond memories of my desk though!
Routine is so helpful for children. I love that you suggest considering different “settings” for different types of learners. Everyone is unique!
Terrific tips! I also like the way you say look elsewhere for ideas but be sure to include these aspects in your design.
Calendars are so important. By writing it down, I find I get it done faster and I don’t overlook tasks. Thanks for sharing these great tips!