How to set up the best school desk for your kid at home
Thousands of kids are soon returning to school from a seat inside their home. If your child is one of them, it’s time to start thinking about creating a functional, comfortable workspace. Enjoying breakfast from bed is one thing, but math class in bed? Avoid it if you can.
“Throughout school, learning how to learn is perhaps the most important thing, and that involves organizational skills, keeping schedules and routines, learning responsibilities and how to think ahead,” says Todd Levy, an occupational therapist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
We’ve asked experts for advice on how to set up a desk where your kid will actually learn.
It doesn’t matter if it’s an entire spare bedroom or a folding table in the corner of your living room. But it should be consistent, to build routine. A set “school” space will help kids get into a learning mindset.
If you’re using a shared space, like the dining room table, try outlining a section with painter’s tape.
Don’t expect your kid to stay glued to their chair. Regular movement is important. Some kids may need to take short breaks as frequently as every 20 minutes, says Levy. Others might benefit from switching to a different room periodically. But encourage learning location changes to be brief, especially if it means moving to the couch or floor.
No desk? No problem. All sorts of flat surfaces can serve as your child’s workspace as long as they can sit in a healthy, upright position. Their knees and hips should form 90-degree angles, with their laptop or device at eye level. Feet should always touch the floor.
“If our feet are hanging, it’s not good for circulation, and if they’re able to swing their legs, it can be distracting,” says Levy. “If needed, put a game box or something solid beneath them.”
If your kid is having trouble sitting still, first, make sure their chair is comfortable. Still fidgety? Try replacing their seat with an exercise ball.
“Some children may need more movement to keep them focused,” says Levy.
Designate a container to store school supplies at the end of the day, especially if the workspace needs to serve double duty, like the dining room table. It will also help keep your kid be organized: No one wants to see their child running around in search of a marker in the middle of a virtual Zoom class.
Proper lighting helps prevent eye strain and headaches. Make sure the workspace is bright enough for reading, and pay attention to where the windows are: Windows directly behind or in front of a computer screen can create distracting glares.
By nature, we are visually distracted beings, says Levy. The fewer distractions, the easier it will be for your kid to be productive. So declutter, but don’t let it overwhelm you.
“Invest just a little bit of time each day — it can be a half hour — to declutter, and get the kids involved,” says Bernstein, who recommends putting on a timer, and starting at one end of the room. When 30 minutes are up, take note of where you stopped, and pick back up the next day.
Minimize the distractions you have control over. Turn off the TV. Put away all tempting snacks. And put away those smartphones.
“Have time scheduled and a separate space where students can stay connected with their friends to keep those social connections,” says Levy. “But it’s really important to keep devices that aren’t related to school away from the workspace.”
Multiple kids working within the same room is an added challenge. Noise-canceling headphones can be a good investment if you can afford them, but even a simple screen divider can help. This can simply mean hanging a sheet from the ceiling to separate the room into two.