How to Create Learning Environments At Home
How is everyone doing after the first few weeks of school? Let me just say, as a previous teacher, we spend a while going over routines with children in the classroom. I'm talking weeks! So why not continue setting up routines at home?
This week and next I am going to talk about creating learning environments at home. According to Peeple, “Research indicates that having a positive home learning environment in early years is the single most influential factor in children’s outcomes throughout childhood, all the way to age 18”.
Having a concrete home learning environment reinforces cognitive growth. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating an environment at home that is conducive to learning:
1. Set a Designated Area
This seems to come up a lot. I have mentioned setting designated areas for other things in the home as well. Setting a designated area in the home for learning is crucial. You want to create a space for learning with few distractions as possible and make it a comfortable space with enough room to spread work out. I suggest keeping their learning environment separate from the bedroom. A bedroom should be a calming place, not where they have the stresses of learning and getting work done.
I say stresses of learning because I remember when I was younger, struggling with my homework and getting so frustrated where i almost broke down crying. It was nice to be able to escape that and have the comfort of relaxing in my room afterwards.
Finding a space doesn’t have to be difficult. You can have something as simple as just using one section of the dining room table. A few other things to take into account: temperature, lighting, and comfort.
2. Take Age Into Consideration
One thing you want to consider when creating this space is the age of the child. For toddlers, you want to create a cozy space that is big enough for books and sensory items such as building blocks, and enough space for creative play. For older children, you may just need a desk with a lamp and tools they may need to complete homework tasks or even want to set up a comfy “reading corner” for them.
3. Remove Clutter
In order for this to be an effective space, remove all unnecessary clutter that may be distractions. Do not have too many books or supplies or it may cause anxiety and have the opposite effect on a child.
4. Set Limits on Electronics
Speaking of distractions, make sure that it is a rule that there are no electronics or devices that can distract them from doing work. Turning off their phones and other devices, or leaving them in a different spot is a way to ensure concentration. I think this may be more geared towards older children, however, it amazes me how much younger kids know how to use smart phones and “surf the web” and open apps.
If the child has the urge to play with their phone or try to check whatever social media they have, or any notifications they may receive, there is an app that can assist with distraction free learning. The Freedom App is a really cool app that lets you turn off notifications from apps and websites for a certain amount of time. This is a great way to boost productivity to ensure that you get more things done!
5. Set Up A Routine
Again, I have mentioned in MANY of my other previous blogs about the importance of routines. This is just the same. However, the routine may be set differently depending on the child. For example, for toddlers, the timing may be different depending on their other daily routine.
For older children, the timing may be different too. I know for myself, growing up, I would get home from school, do all of my homework first, and then have the rest of the night to play or do whatever else “young me” wanted to do.
On the other hand, there are some children that just need a mental break after being in school all day before they focus on anything else. So these children may come home, have a snack, go outside to play for an hour or so, and then come back inside and do their homework before dinner. Maybe the child will play sports. They have practice after school and then will come home, have dinner, then do their homework.
The point is, set the routine based on your child’s personality and what works for them. The better this is done, the more likely they will stick to the routine and be more productive.
If this is something you want to consider trying, come back next Tuesday because I will be talking more about creating a homework station at home for children.