With more families opting for home schooling than ever before, we are starting to see a rise in the demand of children’s rooms that can ‘do it all’.
The fluidity of learning flexibly, making tailored curriculum choices for your child, and creating a learning environment to suit your child’s needs, mean that home educated children need better choices when it comes to kitting out their rooms.
Creating a bedroom tailored for home education, combines practicality, creativity, and comfort.
- The child’s bedroom can be crafted into a sleeping, studying and living space combined, meaning that the notion of a bedroom being ‘just for sleeping in’ is most definitely becoming a thing of the past – and fast.
So what does all of this mean when it comes to designing your child’s space?
Well, if you are embarking on a home education journey with your child, we have created a little guide to help you design a room catered to their requirements:
Define the Purpose
Firstly, it’s important to set out what your child’s room needs to ‘be’. – For example, will it have a study space and room to chill out, as well as sleep? Nowadays, with many parents now working from home or hybrid working, there is less space in the rest of the home for children to study and chill. If you are considering creating them a ‘living/study’ space as well as a bedroom, we think it’s a good idea to have separate spaces for learning and relaxation within the bedroom. It’s also wise to make sure there's a clear boundary between "school time" and "home time."
Furniture and Layout
Desk and Chair: Invest in a sturdy, ergonomic desk and chair for long study sessions.
Storage Solutions: Include bookshelves, drawers, and totes or baskets to store educational materials, art supplies, and stationery. Keep them well organised for easy access.
Multi-purpose Furniture: Beds with desks underneath, or fold up desks or beds
Another thing to consider is whether to buy a bed with trundle drawers or sleepover trundles underneath. Extra storage that can be quickly changed into a spare bed is a very handy thing to have on hand for last minute sleepovers.
Lighting
Use a combination of natural light and task lighting to avoid strain on the eyes. Desk lamps, and specifically angle pose style, are ideal for focussed tasks such as reading and studying.
Learning Tools
Whiteboard or Noticeboard: For planning and brainstorming, or even displaying achievements, timetables and weekly tasks. Space to map out their learning schedules is a great way to keep them involved and give them a sense of independence and control. Some people prefer to hide noticeboards away inside cupboard doors, which can be a nice way of shutting out study time at the end of the day.
Educational Decor: Hang maps, charts, or inspirational quotes to make the space engaging and to serve as subliminal reminders.
Technology Access
Ensure a computer screen, laptop or tablet is available for online resources, with proper cable management provided to avoid trailing leads and unnecessary clutter. Ensure that computers and any other tech is switched off and if possible, removed from their bedroom come bedtime to help with sleep hygiene.
Comfort and Relaxation
A cosy reading nook with futon, comfy chair or sofa space, can really help encourage relaxation time, and also independent reading too. Convertible chair beds are good ideas if your child frequently has friends to stay.
Maintain a clutter-free bed area to encourage restful sleep. Encouraging your child to make their bed every day can help calm their mind in readiness for learning.
Personal Touch
Allow your child to choose décor, art work and wall colours that reflect their personality and interests. Try to keep wall colours to neutral and timeless tones, to avoid over stimulation at bedtimes.
Sound Proofing
Use sound absorbing rugs and curtains to minimise noise distractions. Cushions, pillows and carpeted flooring can also help reduce noise in the room, helping to aid concentration.
Think Flexibly
Design the space to be adaptable as the child grows and as their educational needs evolve. For example, you could purchase a bed with a desk underneath, but it is a good idea to think ahead about whether they might need the space underneath the bed for something else in time to come. Therefore selecting a bed where the desk can be removed would be beneficial in this case. Beds with independent, or free standing, furniture underneath is also a good idea. This gives it greater longevity if pieces can be separated and moved to other areas of a room, or even into another room entirely.
Click here to browse our entire collection of stand alone desks, mid sleepers with desks and high beds with desks
Happy Home Educating! x
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