Ideas for Stimulating Learning and Creativity at Home

The pandemic has forced millions of schools across the nation to close. As COVID-19 continues to ravage the globe, billions of students are studying from home, causing a new normal upon children and families who never saw this coming.

A study from June of this year showed that students struggle with online classes, saying that their virtual lessons are much inferior to in-person courses. Unless your children were home-schooled, they have most likely never seen your home as a place for learning and creativity. On the contrary, they probably grew up seeing your house as a place to rest, sleep, and play.

Unfortunately, our situation remains unchanged at the moment, and we can only try to make the best out of our circumstances. As parents, it’s our job to help our kids become the best people they can be. Here are some tips and tricks for inspiring learning and creativity at home, because our kids need and deserve all the help they can get.

Set up a separate work station for them.

Because your home is now a home-office-school-gym hybrid, you need to be able to set boundaries now more than ever. If you’re stressed out about this new setup or finding yourself having to combat Zoom fatigue, chances are your children are, too. And just like adults, they need to be emotionally regulated to access their brainpower fully.

Studies show that visually and spatially separating your rest, play, and work stations can go a long way in helping you be more productive when teleworking. The same is true for young students. Here are some tips for setting up their work station:

1. Make sure the work station is facing the windows or the walls, not their beds. It will keep them from being tempted to study on their beds, which experts say isn’t a good idea.
2. Consider your child’s age and learning style. Their desk and chair must be appropriate for their age and size and must do wonders for their backs. If they’re the type to get energized by seeing nature, set up the work station where they have a full view of the yard or some trees. If they’re easily distracted, remove devices, comic books, and other non-school-related activities beside them.
3. Assist them in organizing their books and other school materials. Having them take the lead with you helping them will make them feel like they were part of building the work station.
4. Make sure that the workspace supports their learning style. Because all kids are different,there is more than one way for them to learn-there’s no one-size-fits-all. Support your child’s schooling by adjusting the workstation according to their learning style. If your child is a visual learner, provide them with lots of art materials or surround them with stimulating artworks. If your child is a kinesthetic learner, make sure they have enough space to run around and do some stretching throughout the day.

Enforce structure and consistency.

Pandemic or not, kids need structure and consistency. Set some rules and boundaries with your kids. That may come in the form of a daily schedule or chores that they need to help out with at home. Whatever it is, teach your child essential values by being specific about the routines and family rules they need to follow. Remember to be kind and supportive about it, so they know you have your back even when they fail.

Add some greenery into your home.

There are multiple physical, mental, and emotional benefits to seeing greenery regularly. Scientists found that green spaces can encourage exercise and can provide a respite for weary and overstimulated minds. Even the simple act of seeing green in your home can be healing and therapeutic for you and your kids!

If your house is surrounded by nature, consider opening windows all the time or ditching the drapes. If not, takecare of some houseplants or have a moss wall setup.

Encourage rest.

When you see your child restless or frustrated, that’s a great time to encourage them to take a break. Cheer them up by giving them a light snack, letting them read a few pages of their favorite book, or play for a little. Do you remember emotional regulation? They’re only able to be the best student they can be if they’re emotionally healthy. So encourage rest when they need it.

Practice What You Preach

Being stuck at home together, your kids learn so much more from what they see rather than what they hear. If you want them to excel at their schooling, set an example for rhythms of work and rest that are both productive and healthy. So practice what you preach, and exemplify what it looks like to care for yourself as you work from home.

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