As a work-from-home mom, I understand the value of having a dedicated space that allows me to concentrate and work productively. Wanting to provide the same for my kids, who are reaching the age where homework and projects are prioritized, I reached out to Richard Campen at Archway Press to give us some design ideas to help create great work spaces for the kids.
MomsGetReal Guest Contributor Richard Campen
Your home is designed to bring joy and accommodate the needs of the family. As your children get older, you will have to make changes to your home to accommodate their specific needs. One of the changes that you may ultimately have to make is creating a workspace or study room for your kids. This is vital to facilitating their academic demands and the challenges that are associated with them.
The studying dynamic for youth today has changed. There used to be a time in which children simply studied in their room, but that has changed drastically as we are now living in the age of internet.
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Children are exposed to computers and other technologically advanced devices at a much earlier age, allowing them to have access to the expansive information that is at their fingertips via the web.
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Building a workspace for your kids will create an environment that will foster their ability to research, organize and learn.
You may be thinking that you can simply send the kids into your office to use your computer and study, but the idea of a workspace for the kids is to create an environment that is kid friendly and some place they can call their own.
Height Relative Furniture and Shelving
If your children are not yet as tall as the adults in the house, their ability to reach items or sit comfortably at a full size desk may be limited. You will want to create shelving that they can access easily without having to climb or use a chair. You will also want to fill this space with furniture that is suitable for children of their age and size.
Some ideas for furniture and shelving are:
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Waist-high to chest-high shelving
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Age- and height-appropriate seating
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Work stations that are easily accessible
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Storage benches that are easily accessible
Color Coding
Colors play a major role in impacting human moods and personalities. How you use colors in this workspace will have a massive impact on the effectiveness of the room. Colors also play a major role in the learning process. Color coding is used quite often to distinguish different types of subjects and tasks.Take the time to familiarize yourself with colors so that you can create color coded work stations for your kids.Having multiple workstations that are conducive for learning in a particular academic discipline can be fun and effective for your child.
Regardless of the gender of your child, there are certain colors that you will want to avoid such as black and red. Colors that work well are lighter shades of blue, as well as yellow and green. Take the time to learn if your child is using a specific color coding system at school and then attempt to facilitate the system in the work station.
Multiple Children
If you have more than one child you will also want to consider creating work stations that are specific to each child, as they will give your child a sense of identity in creating a work and study environment that supports their strengths and preferences. The more you personalize the areas, the more your children will identify with the space and the more they will be willing to head into their study time.
Decor
Consider how you will decorate the walls of your kid’s study room. Considerable research has been done in this area that reveals that the type of artwork that is on the wall can play a major role in stimulating your child’s mind as they study. You may also want to consider placing school and learning relating items, such as chalk boards and math charts, onthe wall as well. Another idea for the walls would be wall cubbies for the storage of certain items or materials. It will have an exceptional aesthetic appeal while maintaining the practical theme of the space being built.
Lounge Areas
Most experts have different views on the effectiveness of a lounge area in a kid’s workspace environment. Some believe it creates a sense of comfort while giving the children a new area to hang out and relax, while others believe that having a lounge in a study area does not support focus. If you decide to add a lounge setting, make the effort to ensure that it is consistent with the theme of the workspace.
You know your kids better than anyone, making you the perfect person to determine the best route to take in converting a particular part of your home into their personal workspace.
Image source: Flickr
Richard Campen has over 30 years of experience helping people create their dream homes. At Archway Press, Inc. you’ll find a premium collection of house plans and custom made garage plans created by country’s leading designers.
