26 Aug How to Create a Homeschool Space Your Child Will Love

Are you looking for ways to make homeschooling more fun and engaging for your child? One way we have done this in our home was to create a space specifically for homeschooling. Your homeschool space doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. It doesn’t have to be an entire room – maybe just a little corner or designated area in your home where your child can focus on their schoolwork without distractions. In this post, we will share some ideas on how to create a homeschool space that your child will love.

The Benefits of a Dedicated Homeschool Room

I recognize that not everyone wants a dedicated homeschool room, and for some it may not even be an option. Many families prefer to read together in the living room, or to do math together at the kitchen table. We did this for years when our children were small, and our homeschool books and supplies were minimal. Cuddling on the couch was perfect for us at the time. We were fortunate enough, however, to have a formal dining room, which was never used for this purpose. So when homeschooling started to get a little more involved, I converted it into our homeschool room.

Homeschooling can get messy, with all of the books, curriculum, papers, and supplies needed. One of the biggest benefits of a dedicated homeschool room is that it can contain and organize all of your homeschool materials so that they don’t get piled up, lost, mixed up with the rest of the household, or take over your counters. Having a designated spot for everything has taught my children to clean up after themselves, maintaining a neat and orderly environment.

The dedicated homeschool room can also be a place where the student enters, knowing that they are there to learn. It’s a similar mindset to getting into bed, knowing that you are there to sleep. Or entering the gym, knowing that you are there to exercise. It can help prepare the mind for the work of learning, and can positively affect focus and attention.

Choosing Your Homeschool Space

If you are so fortunate as to have an entire room dedicated to homeschooling, or if you are able to choose which room, this Parent’s Review article suggests the following:

“…the first thought is to select the schoolroom. A room bright with sunlight, pleasantly situated and cheerfully and interestingly decorated is a sine qua non.”

The Parent’s Review, by Christine Scharr, Volume 14, 1903, pages 831-837

Our homeschool room gets flooded with natural light from the rising sun. Every morning, when I get up, I open the blinds and the light fills the room with a welcoming glow., literally beckoning to the children as they come down the stairs.

Besides a bright room and décor, it helps to be in an area away from distractions and noise.

Homeschool Space Necessities

There are a few things that are a necessity for your homeschool space.

• Make sure your homeschool space has room for storage. I promise you that no matter how much storage space you have, you will use it (and more!).
• Set up a table and chairs for each student, as well as yourself. I find that a table is better than desks because it accommodates larger art and craft projects. It also allows space for children to work together, for board games, and puzzles.
• Make sure there is plenty of lighting. We like natural light during the day, but have also found the need for good lighting in the evening, when we may gather around the schoolroom table to play games or create art.
• Stock your homeschool room with plenty of supplies – I make sure there is always plenty of paper, construction paper, watercolor paper, pens, pencils, markers, painting supplies, sewing supplies, felt, glue, scissors, crafting odds and ends, clay sculpting supplies, playdough, yarn, etc. I want the children to be able to go in the school room any time they want and have what they need to create.

• You can never have too many books. I stock our bookshelves with great literature that the children can access at any time. I change the books out every so often so the supply is fresh and interesting.
• I like to have a generous supply of reference books and science supplies available in our homeschool space. For example, we have dictionaries, a thesaurus, a biblical concordance, several atlases, and many art books of classic artists. Our science supplies are endless, but include science kits, supplies to conduct experiments, a microscope, a telescope and much more. These are available for the children any time they want to use them.

Tailor Your Homeschool Space to Your Child’s Interests and Needs

The wonderful thing about your homeschool space is that you can tailor it to your child’s interests and needs. This makes homeschooling even more fun and engaging. My children, for example, are very creative. So I post our term’s Artist Study pictures on the wall, along with other bright and engaging images. Our own art pieces often serve as beautiful displays as well.

Because of my children’s creative inclinations, our school room is always stocked with art and craft supplies. This may just involve a Dollar Store run for pipe cleaners and popsicle sticks. It seems that no matter what I supply them with, the children will find a way to use it.

Other ways to personalize your homeschool space are:

• Hang family photos that bring great memories
• Drape fairy lights, garlands, and banners
• Seasonal and holiday décor – this keeps the room fresh and forever changing.
• A laptop or TV
• A comfy chair and cozy blanket – an irresistible invitation to curl up and read
• A brightly colored rug
• A piano and / or other musical instruments
• A whiteboard
• A chalkboard wall
• Showcase items that your children have collected on nature walks etc.
• An aquarium

• Plants that require the child’s care
• Pictures and art – we change these out regularly
• Fresh flowers

Creating a designated homeschool space doesn’t have to be difficult, expensive or elaborate. It can be as simple as clearing out a little corner in your living room. The most important thing is that the space is a place of wonder and inspires learning. It will provide your child with a place for never-ending creations and discovery. Over time, my hope is that it will become a place where your child loves to spend time – like our children.

What’s one fun addition you could make to your homeschool space to make it feel more special?