Improve Productivity with These Tips for Your Child’s Virtual Learning Space

Working from home can be a big adjustment. Setting up our workspaces to minimize distractions and maximize productivity is crucial to success. And the same goes for our children. The ‘20-’21 school year is anything but conventional and most children are either participating in full-time distance learning or a hybrid model where they are doing school from home on a part-time basis. Here are some helpful tips to set your child up for virtual-learning productivity and success!

Choose a workspace tailored to your child’s needs

Every child learns differently and has different needs. Do you have a younger child who needs frequent redirection and more assistance with their schoolwork? Setting them up in a common space or in the office next to your work-from-home station may be the best option. If you have older children who work best in silence, a desk in a guestroom or in their bedroom might work better. If your older children prefer some background noise, they may have an easier time studying at the dining room table or next to you in the home office. If they prefer to work in a separate room, encourage them to play background music while they study. Remember, a child’s workspace is not a one-size-fits-all scenario.

Make sure your child’s desk and chair are ergonomically correct

Particularly for older kids who spend many hours each day in their chairs at their desks, it’s critical to evaluate their ergonomics. Over time, an improper desk/chair setup can result in a sore back, tight shoulders, headaches and eye strain. Even for younger children, it’s important to make sure their setup is comfortable. If they’re uncomfortable, they’ll be wiggly, more distracted and less productive which can make for a negative school experience.

Minimize distractions

Distraction is the death of productivity. Help your child stay focused on their schoolwork by making sure all screens are off except ones they’re specifically using for their work. For older students, try apps that help with focus such as Freedom, Dewo, or Stayfocusd, or use a white noise machine to help them tune out background noise and wandering thoughts. Many adults and children work best when accompanied by soft instrumental music like classical music.

Help your child stay organized

This is a big one. If your child’s workspace is unorganized, they will have a difficult time accomplishing their tasks. Invest in baskets, utensil canisters, a rolling cart, a whiteboard…anything that will help them keep their materials organized and accessible and facilitate learning. Think about where your child will keep their books, notebooks and laptop or tablet when they’re done with them for the day. Having a designated bookshelf or allocating a backpack for these materials will reduce frustration and make it easier for them to jump into their daily work. And consistency is key. Just like at their school building, everything must have its proper place.

Make sure your child has ample lighting

One easy way to help your child stay engaged in their studies is to provide good lighting in their workspace, whether it’s natural or artificial. Lighting could include an overhead light, a desk light, light from nearby windows or any combination of the three. Consider adding LED strip lights, fairy lights or globe string lights to their workspace to liven up the room and supplement the main light sources.

Encourage your child to decorate their workspace

In addition to decorative supplemental lighting, help your child come up with ways they can personalize their space. Students of all ages may want to hang drawings, paintings or other artwork they’re proud of. Or maybe you have an older child who wants to hang up some of their favorite inspirational quotes or photos of people they admire. A trip to your local big-box store or a quick Amazon search will turn up some home decor ideas that will add a fun touch to your child’s workspace.

As you’re working with (or alongside!) your child this year, if you notice they’re struggling with reading, math, working memory, or comprehension, please know that we’re here to help. Fill out our Contact Us form and get in touch with our powerful brain-training resources that will help your child succeed!