What does the 12 year old have to say about the design? Not many kids that age need to sit side-by-side with Mommy. Does that child want a desk, or a table good for spreading out? A laptop could be easily moved from one to the other, as would a second monitor. Although with a younger child, that scenario may work in the future.

Meant to say a younger child may want a side-by-side set up.

The 12 year old is a VERY easy going child, and not very opinionated. I guess the blank canvas is a little daunting to me! I do like the idea of a large desk and /or table because we’ll definitely need space to spread out and do projects. I’d also love a cozy space for reading - not sure how to accomplish all of that in this space. We will be using a laptop. We just moved here so I really don’t have many items to repurpose. I use a sit/stand Varidesk for work and I LOVE it! Thank you so much for the suggestions!

I think I'd set up a long table against the wall without the windows (with enough clearance for the door) with two chairs and their respective computers at each seat. Put a low file cabinet for each kid under the desk on one side of their chair. Bring in a second work table to put in the middle of the room so they can put together their projects using their art supplies. Get a bookshelf for their text books, and bins to put on the shelves for art supplies, etc.

A few inspo pics:

Capitol Hill Remodeled Home · More Info

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My house - · More Info

One option for layout: long table on one wall, it even could be the window wall, with the sit/stand device on top to one side. In another corner, reading chair with a small bookcase next to it.

If you can find one, a raised relief map of the world on the wall is so helpful for learning geography. Mount it at a height the younger child can reach, too. The multi-sensory, being able to touch as well as see, really makes knowledge “stick”.

Love how much natural light that room gets. I think the most essential elements would be a large table and chairs where everyone can spread out and work. A large bookshelf, and either a blackboard wall or some fun educational wall posters. Having the closet in there for storage is really nice too. You could store art supplies and that sort of thing in there.

IKEA makes a wall unit/shelving book case, called Kallix, that would be a fantastic storage option, you could even use the largest one to divide the space. White, black, and expresso, plus a gray perhaps?

I might have missed it, but is this for actual (permanent) homeschooling or for (we hope temporary) online/distance learning? That will make a difference on how much you want to spend! (Although, even if it's a temporary setup, it'll be nice to have this as a permanent kid office.)

If there will be Zoom-style online classes, a good headset can help a kid focus--look at the ones made for gaming. Stylish, comfy, built-in mics, and the ability to drown out siblings.

Here are a few suggestions based on working from home for many years.

• It's important to have a clear delineation between work/school and the rest of your life. It helps to have the former more structured and "formal."
• Good posture makes it easier to stay engaged. It's also healthier. Get a good, ergonomic chair. Seriously consider a sit/stand platform for the computer.
• If there's much computer work, get a full-size monitor. They aren't expensive and the extra screen real estate makes it possible to take notes in one window while engaging in video conferencing in a different window.
• Don't have a window behind the computer user because of the glare on the screen. If there's no other option, be sure that the window has a light-blocking window covering available. If the room is bright in general, a glare reduction screen that fits over the monitor screen may help.
• Have enough space next to the computer for taking notes on paper even if most notes are kept electronically.
• If possible, have another work area with a large surface so you can work with others or just spread out a project with lots of pieces. I don't like facing a wall for long periods, so mine was in the middle of the room. For even more flexibility, you can put the table on locking casters.

I setup a school area for our 5yr granddaughter about 2 weeks ago. She is already doing workbooks and practicing writing at her desk. I'm not sure how it's going to work, but her mom signed her up for Virtual School and the school system is supplying I-pads for all the kindergarteners, even the ones who will start the year in the classroom.

I was able to repurpose a storage unit and worktop from Michaels. Their modular units make it easy to change configuration as needs change over the years.

For supply storage we're using a rolling plastic drawer unit from Office Depot, left over from when I was working from home a decade ago. They are not expensive.

If you close the blinds, you can use the space in front of the windows for a long table. This would provide computer and project space for the older child. Be sure to get a good surge protector for the computers.

I agree with a larger monitor and a pc in addition to the tablet. Spending all their time on a tablet is bad for their neck, even if you get a stand for it. The 12yr old can use the separate computer setup for online research and word processing. Being able to shift from one to the other is better for posture and eyesight. Plus it'll be easier to have the tablet open to the assignment in progress while simultaneously having the research info up on the pc monitor.

Chances are the 4yr old will want to do school along with the older sibling. I'd put a smaller desk, a child's table or even a card table next to the single window. Our then 4yr old had zoom calls with her preschool teachers, watched teaching videos, did art work and practiced writing this last spring. If you google what an incoming kindergartener is supposed to know and understand you could well be shocked. I was. Much has changed in the last 4 decades.

Keep in mind that this time in 2021, the soon to be kindergartener will also need a workspace. Plan ahead.

Here is our kindergartener's setup. We don't have space other than in the dining room. Washable glass paint for decorating the windows. Curtains to close during video class time.

Look at a Habitat for Humanity Re-store. A $20 upper kitchen cabinet, doors removed and painted made a shelving unit in daughter's small 2nd bedroom at our house. For now it's a learning grooming place, later it will hold books.

There is special paint that acts as whiteboard that you can use dry erase markers with. I suggest a different paint color for this than the rest of your walls so that writing isn’t on non-erasable surfaces. That way you can make the “board” exactly the size you need or you can expand it if not big enough. Might work well for working math problems together or to mark out steps or to do items

As a long time homeschooler, my advice is to think less schoolroom and more real life learning. It is nice to have your own desk but I wouldn’t require your kids to sit there. My kids did their work wherever they were most comfortable and, given the choice, rarely used desks or even tables. The couch, outside in the air, wherever. A child losing patience with what he’s working on may actually be a child tired of sitting at a desk after four hours.

Speaking from a teacher’s point of view, I would consider a few things:

1. Is this a short term Corona-related solution or a long term commitment? If short term, someone mentioned a longer folding table - that would be smarter than investing in new furniture.
2. If this is for the long term, consider how your child learns best. Some kids need firm structure all through the day, so a desk space for the computer and added flat space for other work would be helpful. Other kids do better with a desk/table structure for more formal instruction and a comfy chair for reading etc. Personally, I have always been a floor sitter for projects and learning games. If you plan to work side by side for instruction (I’m thinking math in particular), definitely a larger white board area, or two smaller whiteboards. If instruction will mostly via the computer, this may not be necessary. Some sort of organization system is a must! (Shelves, drawers, files, etc)
3. I have always been a fan of empowering students to own their learning. You could start with the basics (desk or table, shelves, chairs) and check in with your child from time to time. “What is working well for you? What would be helpful? Is there anything you would like to change?” Etc.
   This would allow things to evolve over time, kind of like living in a house for awhile before deciding how you want to renovate the kitchen. This may not work for all kids, but by 12-yrs-old, your child probably has some opinions about things and an understanding of how he/she works best.
4. Between Houzz, Pinterest, and homeschooling blogs, you should be able to find many helpful ideas. Best wishes for a wonderful year. Remember, you will be learning, too!

My only suggestion is to ask your older child if she would like an inexpensive portable lap desk in addition to whatever else you set up. That way, if the mood hits to go write or do math in the closet, or in the basement, or sitting in the empty tub, the child can go with the nutty mood. If the weather is nice, it's a chance to go outside. There are lots of inexpensive little desks. I like the ones that have beanbag bottoms, but your child should choose. It can be paired with an inexpensive clip on LED reading lamp.

Wood Lap Desk with Storage - Portable Workspace Platform for Laptop, A · More Info

A Lot of wasted space in the closet. Maximize that space initially so that you then know what else needs to be shelved and stored outside of the closet.

Having homeschooled two children from 1st grade through high school, we found that all rooms were used and didn't dedicate just one space. Assignments were taught and completed where they felt comfortable: kitchen table, living room chairs, their bedroom, a desk etc. We didn't try to duplicate a classroom. Rather it was a home and they found where they were most comfortable using their laptops, or reading their books, or writing an essay or taking a test. A regular in school classroom can be pretty chaotic, and our home was a familiar safe haven. Everyone has their special space or place that they like in a home. It was fluid and depended on the assignment or task. A different rhythm. And they learned to study and complete their tasks utilizing the entire house. Worked quite well and stood them in good stead when they went to college and had to complete their work outside the classroom/.lecture hall.

I also am a former homeschooling mom and also am wondering if this is distance learning or actual homeschooling, which is totally different than school from home. I homeschooled my two sons from grade 9-12 and my daughter all the way through K-12. If you are just doing distance learning you can take my comments or toss them as needed.

But my advice is to forget the room layout totally until you have determined your child's learning style. A great place to start is with the book The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. This helped immensely with my two ADD youngers. Some kids just can't use a desk, believe it or not, to get the optimum result from what they need to learn. My daughter and I spent years together on the couch snuggling and reading good books together from a literature-based curriculum and very little time doing seatwork at a table. We never had a homeschool room, although I would have loved one, and you know what, it didn't matter. The kitchen table worked great with her self-organized box of workbooks, etc, that we could move when we needed to.

Maybe your child needs a comfy chair and lap desk, maybe a rug on the floor and a source of music, or maybe a totally quiet desk with no distractions. This is the beauty of homeschooling: tailoring it to your child's needs. It may be more beneficial to put a couch in the room instead of a desk, depending on your child's needs. Don't waste time and money for things you don't need that won't work.

I also led a homeschool support group for 5 years. I saw many moms' homeschool rooms and we talked a lot about what we did day to day. One thing that still stands out to me is that the moms who were teachers in schools had to totally re-learn how to do school with their own kids once they were home. So much of "trained" teachers' methods have to do with crowd control. Homeschooling is more like tutoring one-on-one. A whole day's teaching can be completed in a couple of hours, allowing the child to explore his or her own interests.

So I encourage you to think outside the box right now and explore who your children are before you set up a schoolroom. If it's not done on the first day of school, you know what, it will be okay. You are in a process, and a process takes time. Don't panic about deadlines and schedules for having everything ready for the first day of school. Take it one day at a time. It's life at home and kids get that. I hope this helps a little.

I agree so much with what is above but I also know that long term I could never tolerate school stuff throughout my house. So even if the home school room was like a starting spot or a home base for learning, to me, it would be worth it to create it. I like things clean and organized and long term while I would fully support my kids working wherever made them feel good and productive I would want an organized spot for all my resources, all their materials, and a storage spot for tech etc. So absolutely that would be a room not in our main house. I standby my suggestions of creating a space with lots of options as a hub for where the day can begin and where the stuff can stay!

Just have to add -- the learning that takes place in homschool is so much more about the relationship between parent and child than anything else. It is okay for a parent to learn right along with the child. I am a compulsive researcher myself and I guess that helped as we went along. I loved learning with my kids. I loved building relationships with them in a way I never could have done if they'd gone off to school every day. And frankly I loved being in control of what we studied.

Concentrate on building good relationships with your children. If there are conflicts (one of my kids was especially difficult to work with) you will be forced to work through them, and that is good. When kids are in school day to day the conflicts can be let go and put off until they are crises. A great book to do with your teen is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. Life skills was one of my homeschool subjects every year.

Thank you all for the suggestions, encouragement, and ideas! My oldest will be doing virtual/distance learning to start, which may evolve into homeschooling. My youngest will be doing homeschooling and I will be using a curriculum (Abeka) since I’m just starting out. I already purchased an L shaped desk for the room, but I really appreciate the advice about allowing the children to learn where they are comfortable. I’m currently trying to figure out a way to add comfortable seating and additional table space in the room, but I’m afraid the room is too small for all of that. I do have an empty sunroom, so I may purchase a couch and table for that room instead.

Our daughter-in-law homeschooled their 3 children for more than 12 years. They had a big schoolroom with a couple of old couches, big table, standing blackboard, giant map...most of it old stuff that was around the house anyway.

This has nothing to do with the room itself, but I would like to praise home schooling. Lisa (known to family as St. Lisa) rang a schoolbell at 8:00 a.m. The children were dressed, with beds made & breakfast eaten when the bell rang. They said the pledge of allegiance and a prayer. In the middle of the morning, they took a snack break, and, by noon, they were nearly always finished with the work for the day.

It sounds more rigid than it was. As others have said, the children worked individually all over the house.

I admire our daughter-in-law and every other home school parent immensely. The family became very close, in an almost miraculous way. As each of our grandchildren finished high school, Lisa provided a beautiful, personal home graduation ceremony for them.

They were also members of the Florida Home Educators Association. At the state-wide graduation, the students had great fun with home-school-kid jokes.

You could save some space and expense too, by having someone create and install a large "counter" along one wall. No desks needed. Then you only need desk chairs appropriate size of course for comfort and ergonomics too...Perhaps a small division wall up the middle so each has their own space - to ceiling or partial if it feels too confining. Another either narrow or round table for projects, art, and the like, to spread out when needed, at another side or corner of the room and some comfy bean bags for reading time, or watching educational videos. Make it fun. Use posters they enjoy and change them out seasonally. A cubby or brighly colored narrow locker for tight spaces would be great, if possible for their personal "tools of the trade" and storing work, books, etc. I was a teacher too,..and actually miss it!

I love all these ideas! I homeschooled for 30 years. Personally, I loved having one room where all the ‘school-stuff’ was stored, and where each child had their own space (usually a desk). Yes, they ended up reading, doing projects, etc. all around the house, but it all came back to 1 place at the end of a day. My only advice is let need direct your plans and let your students help in the planning process. That closet is wonderful; I would have loved having such a great storage place. And your windows are lovely—such a well lighted room. Find a cheap table on Craig’s list or a consignment store, and get started. Then you can adjust and change if that doesn’t work without feeling guilty that you invested in furniture that nobody likes. You won’t need to have everything perfect to start! Good luck to you this year!

Ages ago homeschooling our 2 (now 26 & 30) we used a repurposed microwave cart to hold supplies. 2 cabinets top and bottom, one drawer, and open space where the m/w would go was for text books. A larger than you think you'll need white board on the wall. We later added a small computer desk. A large Rubbermaid tote for the dozens of library books. We "did school" all over the house - kitchen, garage, garden, basement, workshop, yard, porch, woods, & lots of field trips, but the dining room was "classroom central." Best of success!

I have a kid who only uses a regular chair at meals--the rest of the time he is on an exercise ball. Yeah, the bouncy kid in the Zoom class was mine. But he has a core of steel!

Twenty-five years ago I operated Washington State's smallest approved private school in my 10X12 family room for several years. We had 4 students ranging in age from 6-10 years old. Our chairs were yoga balls of different sizes and desk spaces and storage shelving were made with adjustable brackets and boards on the long wall:

https://www.amazon.com/Knape-Vogt-Sterling-Adjustable-0122-14BRZ/dp/B00DXZLFM6/ref=asc_df_B00DXZLFM6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216491680482&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5809766422800578165&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033824&hvtargid=pla-349737890774&psc=1

Adjacent to this storage/desk wall was an enormous white board with a plastic gutter underneath to hold markers and display picture books. You could tape things on to the white board (rolls of newsprint served many purposes)

A narrow 6'-long utility table in the center of the room served for projects - no one ever seemed to want to sit when doing hands-on projects.

The little bathroom (about 3X5) is where the monthly National Geographic map insert went - right over the tp!

I taught preschool-college in public and private schools for twenty years before having to come up with this hybrid homeschool plan to meet ,my daughter's and my own health needs. You do not need a 6-hour school day to accomplish curriculum objectives in a homeschool setting and you don't need a classroom space either - though I was adamant about each person's stuff being in its designated space when they went home each day.

I am enjoying all the helpful advice. What surprises me is how little time many of you report was spent in actually doing school work. I think that was the main source of my anxiety.

Our kindergartner gdaughter is signed up for Virtual Learning and we read that they will have between 1 and 3 hours of class time.

The in-class students arrive by bus before 7:20 and aren't dismissed until 2:45. That's 7hr 25min at school. Half an hour for breakfast, lunch and recess time, I estimate 5hrs at least in the classroom in previous years. What did they do all day if there was only 1-3hrs of instruction?

It will be educational for me to see how this works. We are committed to 1 semester of Virtual Learning, if it goes well, and if we can get a peer play group together, we may stick with it for a few years.

Kathleen, with all due respect, that chair is too large for a kindergartener. They are tiny people :)

It's her favorite chair, she chose it for her desk over some smaller ones I have.

Thats a tough one.
Research shows that an oversized chair for an extended period of time causes muscular/posture deformities/injuries as well as metabolic disorders.

Where is the chair?

School at home, one to one, is more focused and intense. The transitions are quicker and the feedback from an adult faster. The reason the day is much longer at school is all the other stuff that goes into it like music, gym, recess and lunch, changing rooms, etc. When people say they spend a smaller amount of time doing school at home they mean dedicated learning. Home and school are not comparable

There is home directed home school where you set the curriculum and pace and there is online school with set real-time classes and set assignments (and there is everything in between). We did K-12 one year. There were real time online classes and regular homework due each day. I would say we shaved maybe an hour (AT BEST) off a real school day- not counting transit time. If you are in a set curriculum online school, it will depend on how much real-time screen time your child is required to do and how much homework is given. You probably wont know until you get into it how demanding it's going to be or not be. At 12 , you also may not be sure how much "help" vs independent learning your child will be doing. The biggest challenge to a lot of kids that age is self-motivating to stick to the new schedule until it becomes a habit. They might also miss school friends. It might be a struggle in the beginning until everyone settles in but it usually gets better.

A S, you need to click on more comments to see the ones near the beginning of this conversation.

It is a ladder back dining chair. I went through my fabric stash but didn't find anything I thought she'd like, so making a cushion is waiting for a shopping trip.

I’m sure she will love the chair!

Having created and designed learning spaces in both traditional classrooms, charter/magnet schools, and homeschool environments I can add just a few things more to all the great advise. My own children had both traditional classes and independent study/homeschool backgrounds. It works well. Trust me.

1. Have all the computer hardware and modems, printer, supplies for the classroom space in this general room you have chosen. Can be in an area away from that window on shelves. WiFi throughout the house for mobile use. Be sure you have the power and hook ups designated and available that you will need. Speed of internet should be max for your students and not shared with others in your home office. We are talking a minimum of 20 download and 3-20 upload. Get two systems if needed. Call this space “command central.” Your kids will and should roam. Not be confined. Time of day and place will change but they can return here to send, print, and create masterpieces and projects.
2. A long table or large desk accessible from 2 sides should be centered in the room, sofas, easy chairs on the walls. Great lighting throughout. Don’t skimp here. Lamps by the chairs and task lighting over the central table. Be sure the lighting is warm or natural. Get some good defused shades on those windows to control the sunlight. No glare. And add additional full shades to block any nighttime view from the outside.
3. Art and creative supplies in abundance. Projects need supplies. Go for it and use bins. Shelving in that closet or additional for bins of craft supplies, fabric, paper, found objects. Use your imagination. Then hit a national art store/supplier like Blick/ online companies, teacher supply stores are in every city of the US to obtain things like construction paper, board, adhesive spray, clay, bulk glitter, paint, brushes, lettering, twine, etc.
4. Music. Whether it’s via headphones or a music system. No, not advocating for acid rock but something that will shut down outside noise. Have seen music actually help concentration and learning over the years. No vocals but instrumentals. Try it. Can’t hurt. And for the younger student, when studying, slower or more soothing tunes. When needing to gear up in a project, more rhythm. The older student can chose his/her tunes if it works. Rap doesn’t.
5. All walls should have a way to tape, tack whatever is going on in your kids brains, to them. I’m all for a white board but your kids are the drivers of their space. Give them room to run and throw ideas up onto the wall to see what sticks. Their successes and their thoughts. Those walls are as important to the thought process as paper. Color, texture, doodles. You name it. Let them organize their thought on those walls. Flow charts, calendars, timelines, etc.
6. This is the shortest time in the universe. Time with your kids. Enjoy it. Laugh out loud. Be creative. Take time to dream and explore. Be present. Love. It will be over in an instant. Best...

snowjobs, your recommendations seem daunting, but doable if I spread them out over a few years.

If our daughter opts to homeschool her youngest for several years, having a formal dining room could become history. I'm thankful she's entering kindergarten, already has a lot of supplies and her only electronic need is the i-pad the school will supply.

Looked again, daughter spotted fabric in a different bin for chair cushions. This is the result of simple and quick sewing.
We think we're ready for school to start. Just waiting on new I-pad from school, preloaded with schoology, the app they will be using.

Oops, didn't realize how much the daylight affected the color, rendering everything bluish. Didn't see that on my tablet when I took the photo.

The desk top I used is a melamine coated slab designed to go with shelf and drawer modules we bought years ago at Michaels. To make it level I laid a scrap 2x4 on top of the Office Max rolling storage drawer unit. The setup has worked well for 3months now. It is just enough space for her academic work. She watches about 5min of video from the kindergarten teacher then moves the school I-pad out of the way to do her worksheets.

We set the I-pad on the TV table for music and PE so she has room to move.

Reading with Gma, ABC mouse and Freckle (math and literacy apps) happen on the sofa, floor, side chair, etc.

The best part of virtual or remote schooling for this young age is learning the child's strengths. Math is easy for her, she could advance faster. Writing, remembering letters and memorizing sight words are a struggle. Her mom and I have decided not to push or criticize her sloppy often mis-formed letters. She enjoys books and we don't want to make reading a chore, so we'll let her go a little slower in that area.

So far we have not had a need for a marker board. We do go through a lot of paper.

Interesting thread that I am just seeing now. I thought I would share our circumstances and school set up.

We have a 12 year old son, who did distance learning in the spring. It went horribly and I worried through the summer about the long term impacts of missing so much education time.

When it appeared that his regular school wouldn't be going back in the fall, we enrolled him in a public virtual charter school. It is a K12 school (https://www.k12.com/) with a full time remote program. He has two to four live 'classes' each day and then completes assignments that are mostly computer based, but with some reading assignments or hands on components.

Within three days of signing up, they sent us a laptop, printer/scanner, books and other supplies.

Prior to Covid, my husband and I worked mostly from home and have a bedroom set up as our shared office. My son has a 'twin over desk' bed set up in his bedroom. We set up his school laptop on the desk under his bed and added an office chair, large monitor, keyboard and mouse. This is where he participates in his live classes and does his computer assignments.

We cleared one half of his existing bookshelf for his text books and put his other supplies by subject in a closed cabinet in his room. His printer/scanner is wireless and sits on top of his dresser. When he is reading offline materials, he often chooses to do that on the couch in our living room.

We have a extra large whiteboard in our office. If he needs help, I pull up his assignment on my computer, and we often work through the concepts on the whiteboard.

He started with head phones but we have now reverted to him using the laptop's audio and microphone, which is more comfortable.

When they tested him in August, his test scores had dropped significantly, but by the next test in October they had bounced right back. He likes being able to work at his own pace and we love the high quality curriculum and the support of an excellent teacher.

Thank you Lynda (Zn9b/23 - Central CA Coast) for the description and photos of your son's school saga.

We let our granddaughter go to school in person starting mid April so she could have time to learn how to stay in her seat, line up in the hall, follow school rules and meet other children.

I found a simple desk and child size chair online which Gpa and I assembled with her help. It fits in her upstairs "bedroom at Gpa and Gma's" in front of her window. She colors, cuts and when school is at home for odd reasons, she will practice her writing there.

I looked up the k12 online public school mentioned in Lynda's post since WV approved a new voucher program.

Alas, our local internet issues showed up while I was checking their site.

great idea

@pozzibros online only offers so much and no one should be looking at a screen all day. Homeschooling can offer amazing opportunities for families. Lots of cool options and ears to learn that are low or no tech.

It's been awhile and our granddaughter is nearing the end of 2nd grade. In per kindergarten was the 2nd half of the school year. She was mid-pack, a bit restless. 1st grade she did well, each test period showed her on schedule except for language arts. She had a few time-outs and office referrals for behavior issues.

2nd grade has been a dream, top grade in all subjects, and not a single behavior problem. She does her homework (spelling words, reading) with energy, sometimes with enthusiasm. She has become an extrovert and is thriving in the local school.

So we will let her stay in public school for next year, when she moves to a different school.

Since extras are as scarce as funding, we continue to supplement public school curriculum with site visits, using the internet to answer questions, kitchen chemistry and such.