4 Tips for Creating a Productive Study Space for Kids
Interior designers and a professional organizer share practical advice for preparing your home for distance learning
Janet Paik
August 11, 2020
Houzz Associate Editor. Passionate about creative homes and the people behind them. Loves thoughtful design, improving her family's 1950s fixer-upper and VW buses. Former designer at the San Jose Mercury News.
Houzz Associate Editor. Passionate about creative homes and the people behind them.... More
If you’re a parent of a school-age child, or school-age children, your home probably will need to accommodate some distance learning when the new school year starts. For some households, spring became a frantic last-minute scramble to adjust to sheltering and schooling at home. For fall, you might want to spend time thoughtfully planning and setting up a more effective remote-learning environment that works for your entire family. Here, interior designers and a professional organizer share four must-have items and practical tips for creating a study space at home.
1. Functional Desk
“It is important to remember that no matter how big or small the space you designate for schoolwork, you need to establish a routine and a specific place to go every day,” interior designer Karri Bowen-Poole of Smart D2 Playrooms says. Having a specific desk, work surface or table in your home for schoolwork will help add structure to the day and week for your child and entire family.
“Children under 10 tend to prefer to be on the same floor or near a parent, and older children may gravitate toward working in their bedroom,” says interior designer Denise Davies, also of Smart D2 Playrooms.
Sometimes it’s helpful for kids to move around to different areas of the home to work throughout the day, but an assigned homework hub for each child will help establish a reliable routine and minimize background distractions when family members log on to a virtual class or videoconference call.
“It is important to remember that no matter how big or small the space you designate for schoolwork, you need to establish a routine and a specific place to go every day,” interior designer Karri Bowen-Poole of Smart D2 Playrooms says. Having a specific desk, work surface or table in your home for schoolwork will help add structure to the day and week for your child and entire family.
“Children under 10 tend to prefer to be on the same floor or near a parent, and older children may gravitate toward working in their bedroom,” says interior designer Denise Davies, also of Smart D2 Playrooms.
Sometimes it’s helpful for kids to move around to different areas of the home to work throughout the day, but an assigned homework hub for each child will help establish a reliable routine and minimize background distractions when family members log on to a virtual class or videoconference call.
Pro tips for choosing a desk:
- If you anticipate a lot of paperwork — worksheets, artwork, drawing-related projects — look for a desk that features concealed storage or file storage, interior designer Erin Coren of Curated Nest Interiors says.
- If your child is mostly on a laptop, tablet or other device, consider a smaller, simpler writing desk. You can place one almost anywhere, even to the side of a child’s bed to double as a nightstand.
- If your child is active and likes to move around during the day, consider an adjustable-height standing desk.
- If you have limited space, professional organizer Tara Button of All Buttoned Up suggests using a wall-mounted desk, especially one that features a surface that folds up to be tucked away.
Families who live in smaller spaces should also keep multipurpose furnishings in mind. “Any surface like a kitchen counter, dining table, coffee table or large windowsill can be used as a workspace,” Coren says. “Desks can even be shared in shifts. It may take some adjusting, but it’s all about getting organized in advance.”
2. Comfortable Seating
A comfortable chair or other seat for your child is high on the must-have list for a successful study space. “We suggest comfortable padded seats,” Coren says.
Interior designer Sarah Carr created the custom home office seen here for a mother and her 9-year-old daughter to share in Colorado. The room features two matching upholstered adjustable-height office chairs that let the parent work alongside the child. Carr advises having a comfortable chair for both the child and the parent, as oftentimes an adult may need to assist with schoolwork or troubleshooting any technical issues.
If space allows, create a secondary study area or reading nook with an alternate seating option to provide a change of scenery during the day. Consider a quiet corner with a nice view and a floor cushion, beanbag or comfy armchair.
Shop for essential products for kids’ workspaces
A comfortable chair or other seat for your child is high on the must-have list for a successful study space. “We suggest comfortable padded seats,” Coren says.
Interior designer Sarah Carr created the custom home office seen here for a mother and her 9-year-old daughter to share in Colorado. The room features two matching upholstered adjustable-height office chairs that let the parent work alongside the child. Carr advises having a comfortable chair for both the child and the parent, as oftentimes an adult may need to assist with schoolwork or troubleshooting any technical issues.
If space allows, create a secondary study area or reading nook with an alternate seating option to provide a change of scenery during the day. Consider a quiet corner with a nice view and a floor cushion, beanbag or comfy armchair.
Shop for essential products for kids’ workspaces
3. Practical Storage and Organization System
As the school year progresses, the amount of projects and assignments to keep track of will grow. The possibility of clutter and for things to get unorganized is magnified for families who have multiple children at different grade levels. Having a solid organization system in place is critical to ensuring a smooth and successful schoolday.
“Shelving with bins is great for organizing each kids’ specific schoolwork,” Carr says. “Think of it like their at-home lockers.” Designate a prepared box of individual school supplies for each child to minimize any friction between siblings and help with cleanup routines at the end of the day.
“Channel Marie Kondo and seriously purge your space of clutter and invest in some organizational tools,” Coren says. “Bins, shallow boxes, stackable trays and art caddies are all great options that can be easily moved around as needed.” She also recommends vertical storage to maximize tight spaces.
Teaching Kids to Clean Up — the KonMari Way
As the school year progresses, the amount of projects and assignments to keep track of will grow. The possibility of clutter and for things to get unorganized is magnified for families who have multiple children at different grade levels. Having a solid organization system in place is critical to ensuring a smooth and successful schoolday.
“Shelving with bins is great for organizing each kids’ specific schoolwork,” Carr says. “Think of it like their at-home lockers.” Designate a prepared box of individual school supplies for each child to minimize any friction between siblings and help with cleanup routines at the end of the day.
“Channel Marie Kondo and seriously purge your space of clutter and invest in some organizational tools,” Coren says. “Bins, shallow boxes, stackable trays and art caddies are all great options that can be easily moved around as needed.” She also recommends vertical storage to maximize tight spaces.
Teaching Kids to Clean Up — the KonMari Way
Pro tips for organizing a home-school schedule:
- Add a magnetic chalkboard or dry-erase board close to a child’s desk. Davies says this visualization tool will help kids plan and complete their assignments, and will provide a central place to display reminders or jot down learning tips, like multiplication facts.
A board is also a good spot for writing down future assignments and meeting schedules, and for displaying artwork or photos of classmates. Cork tiles or a pinboard is another option.
If your family uses a multipurpose workspace like a kitchen countertop or dining table, create a portable system for supplies. “The ability to put away supplies quickly and neatly, or move papers or half-completed art projects, is important,” Button says.
Having a clear container that can be snapped shut, like the scrapbook paper holder shown here, can help a child stay organized when a schoolwork space quickly transitions into a mealtime area. “For younger kids, you can try doing art projects on a cookie sheet so you can move them easily,” Coren says.
Shop for storage bins and boxes
Having a clear container that can be snapped shut, like the scrapbook paper holder shown here, can help a child stay organized when a schoolwork space quickly transitions into a mealtime area. “For younger kids, you can try doing art projects on a cookie sheet so you can move them easily,” Coren says.
Shop for storage bins and boxes
4. Good Lighting
The right lighting helps kids stay focused and can protect their eyes. A layered approach that combines natural daylight with artificial lighting is ideal. Carr says task lighting is a must-have, and there are a lot of fun options to choose from. A directed task-light source will be especially important when the sun sets earlier in the fall and winter.
The right lighting helps kids stay focused and can protect their eyes. A layered approach that combines natural daylight with artificial lighting is ideal. Carr says task lighting is a must-have, and there are a lot of fun options to choose from. A directed task-light source will be especially important when the sun sets earlier in the fall and winter.
Consider adding a wall sconce if your workspace is small or you need a stronger lighting solution for your child’s workspace. Mounting a sconce to the wall will free up desktop space, and an articulating fixture or flexible arm will allow for task-light adjustment as needed.
4 Steps to Home Office Lighting That Works
4 Steps to Home Office Lighting That Works
How a Professional Designer Can Help Create a Functional Workspace
Many families feel overwhelmed right now as they face the new school year, and they already know the challenges that will come with distance learning. So it’s worth considering hiring a design or organizing professional to help you set up a functional workspace. Coren says her firm is seeing unprecedented requests for help creating spaces that better accommodate families who are spending more time at home. “For kids’ spaces, for adult offices, for kitchen renovations, family rooms, craft rooms … people are just laser-focused on making their homes more functional in response to COVID,” she says.
A design professional, especially one who specializes in working with families and kids, can help reimagine a space, optimize the layout and give purpose to each element. “As a designer, much of our work can support families who are ready to invest in this new normal,” Galvao says. “Also, supporting function in these areas while keeping it beautiful is our specialty.” A professional can make sure shared spaces are effective while promoting independence for kids, so every family member can efficiently get through the day.
Many professionals offer virtual consultations and e-design options to help homeowners create functioning spaces from a distance.
Show us: Have you set up a space for distance learning? Share photos of your kids’ workspaces in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Get Your Home Organized With This Back-to-School Checklist
20 Fun and Inventive Homework Areas
Find an interior designer
Shop for essential products for kids’ workspaces
Many families feel overwhelmed right now as they face the new school year, and they already know the challenges that will come with distance learning. So it’s worth considering hiring a design or organizing professional to help you set up a functional workspace. Coren says her firm is seeing unprecedented requests for help creating spaces that better accommodate families who are spending more time at home. “For kids’ spaces, for adult offices, for kitchen renovations, family rooms, craft rooms … people are just laser-focused on making their homes more functional in response to COVID,” she says.
A design professional, especially one who specializes in working with families and kids, can help reimagine a space, optimize the layout and give purpose to each element. “As a designer, much of our work can support families who are ready to invest in this new normal,” Galvao says. “Also, supporting function in these areas while keeping it beautiful is our specialty.” A professional can make sure shared spaces are effective while promoting independence for kids, so every family member can efficiently get through the day.
Many professionals offer virtual consultations and e-design options to help homeowners create functioning spaces from a distance.
Show us: Have you set up a space for distance learning? Share photos of your kids’ workspaces in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Get Your Home Organized With This Back-to-School Checklist
20 Fun and Inventive Homework Areas
Find an interior designer
Shop for essential products for kids’ workspaces
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One thing I've found very important is to make sure my kids' school supplies are within arms reach while they are doing their work. Think mise en place when you're prepping a meal. If they have to leave their workspace to find a pen then they may become distracted and have trouble getting back on track. These supplies include a stapler and a good quality pencil sharpener. I found that investing in a rugged electric one that can sharpen a variety of pencil sizes to be worth the expense.
Before school starts, my children work with me on cleaning out their homework area. We store any work we wish to heirloom and throw away or recycle the empty of damaged items. I ask my elementary student's teacher at the start of school what supplies he or she thinks my child will need on hand for doing schoolwork. I expect my middle school student to take responsibility for this task. For example, when he took geometry I expected him to find out what special tools were needed and what sort of calculator would be most useful in class. They then help me set up their homework station including any changes they wish to make.
The bead board is great!
Thank you so much for these great tips! My daughter is starting 2nd grade this year in a completely virtual setting with daily Zoom classes. We used to all do our work at the kitchen table when the quarantine first started, but it became too difficult to keep our things organized and we were constantly changing locations to find a quiet space for Zoom calls...sometimes all 3 of have calls at the same time. My daughter doesn’t care for Zoom, so my goal was to make her a workspace that she absolutely loved and looked forward to going to every day. We’re already using some of the ideas presented in this article, like the wall mounted pegboard for supplies, but I love the idea of the portable system for supplies since she still likes to work in other spaces of the house when she’s not on Zoom.