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Today’s Prepare tip is one that excites many and frightens away others, but we all need to think about it at some point if we’re schooling at home – Set up your home learning space! Whether you have a dedicated school room, individual desks in your children’s rooms, a kitchen table and some shelves, or anything in between, you’ll want to figure out where you and your kids will be working on your home days. Then spend a little time this summer getting that space organized and ready for our year of learning together!
For those who are new, feeling overwhelmed, or just want a basic, simple setup, all you really need is a table or desk area where the kids can sit and write, a space to keep school supplies and books organized and easy to access, and a cozy couch or other reading area to enjoy all that great literature. While there are oodles of websites and pinterest boards with amazing ideas for setting up homeschool spaces, don’t feel the need to go there if that’s too much to take in – keep it simple and use what you have. Here are a few things to consider when setting up your space:
- How much space do you have? And even if you have an extra room, do you want to have a “school room” or would your kids prefer to spread out over the house? Some families have a school room to store all of their books and supplies, but end up working in other rooms in the house. Perhaps a closet or bookshelf is all you need for storage, and school can take place in your main living areas.
{photo by Cheryl McCabe}
- How old are your children? Older students may prefer a quiet place to work independently, while younger kids may need to be in a central location near you so that you can work with them. Having toddlers or babies will also affect where you spend your time on home days.
- What’s important to you? Easy access to the outdoors? Lots of great books within reach? Arts and crafts supplies out in the open or tucked away behind closed doors? Think about your personal desires for learning and free time.
{photo by Mary Knudson}
- You might also want a desk area for yourself with a place to file important school papers and keep your own supplies.
If you DO want to explore the vast world of homeschool space options and ideas, ask fellow homeschoolers, check out Pinterest and Google, and go for it! We offer a few links to get your creative juices flowing:
- The past two years some of our own SLOCA families have opened their homes for the Down Home Tour to share their homeschool setups, and you can view blog posts about each of their spaces: Talleys, Ritters, Cheneys, Bischoffs, Newmans, and Theules.
- Down Home ran a blog post last year about organizing your homeschool space.
- SLO Classical also has a pinterest board full of ideas for setting up your homeschool space. Check it out and be inspired!
{a few of the ideas on our Pinterest board}
Remember, you don’t need to overhaul your house to prepare for home learning. Think about your needs, use what you have, and if you’re in the mood for something new, choose a do-able project or two to enhance your space. Have fun!
We love to share ideas, so please leave a comment with tips for new families, or to share good ideas you’ve found for your homeschool area. Or send photos to [email protected] and we’d love to share them on the blog!
