You can’t set up a study area just anywhere. It should be somewhere that’s fairly quiet. However, if you don’t have an unused nook or cranny, you can make one. Is there a corner of your family room or kitchen that’s relatively dead space? Or an area that’s away from foot traffic? Sometimes entryways have an unused corner or you can convert part of a formal dining room.

If you really don’t have any extra space, consider setting up a cart with everything your child needs. Once it’s study time, you can roll the cart out to the kitchen table. It may not be ideal, but it will help get your child transition into homework mode and get some work done.

Declutter

You’ve decided on the space, now it’s time to declutter. Clutter can actually contribute to anxiety and depression. It probably doesn’t bother your children as much as it does you. However, you want their study space to be as distraction-free as possible. If there’s already furniture, make room for a desk and chair. For those of you cleaning an entire room or loft, have three boxes labeled keep, throw, and donate to make the sorting easier.

Stock It Right

Now for the fun part. You can really tailor this space to your children. A desk or table and comfortable chair are a must. Children with attention issues or autism may need a special chair or other equipment to help them focus.

Children will use anything, like wandering through the house looking for a ruler, as an excuse to get out of homework. Stock this area with all the supplies your child might need. You can also have a few fun supplies so your child can be creative—glue, scissors, markers, and plenty of paper.

Older children may need a charging station for their devices while younger kids may need a file cabinet for all of their artwork. A wastepaper basket is also a good idea if you want to keep everything clean and tidy.

Set the Right Atmosphere

Part of setting up a good study area is understanding how your children learn. Some children love studying to music while others don’t. After sitting at a desk all day, some kids may prefer the sofa or floor over more time at a desk. Provide a few options to give your kids some variety.

It can be hard for some kids to focus, especially after a long day at school. Calm and quiet is the most helpful. If you have younger children who don’t have to do homework, set out puzzles, crayons, and paper, or books to reduce noise levels.

Conclusion

Once you’ve got everything set up, it might take some adjustments to get it just right. Have fun. Involve your kids if you want. Your children may not love to study, but a space that’s designated specifically for them might help alleviate a few battles.

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