Did you know that over 80 percent of children struggle with homework? In fact, schoolwork is a source of stress for over 63 percent of households.
However, the reason why might surprise you. It’s not because the work is getting harder.
Instead, it’s because children struggle to focus and are surrounded by distractions.
Have you noticed this in your own home?
Whether you’re homeschooling or trying to set up a good environment for homework, some key things can help you. Keep reading to learn how to create a good learning environment for your child.
Table of Contents
Consistency Is Key
Your kids will likely never tell you thanks for being consistent; however, as a parent, consistency is vital.
Life does get in the way from time to time, but it’s important to set up a consistent schedule and expectations.
Kids thrive when they know what to expect.
Set up a time of day that’s reserved for learning.
Then stick to that time.
It’s okay to deviate occasionally, for example, if there’s an emergency or a holiday, but overall, the schedule should stay the same.
Create a Space That’s Set Aside for Learning
Distractions in a busy house are tough, and once you get distracted from the task at hand, there’s no telling how long it will take to refocus.
If our adult brains struggle to deal with distractions, imagine a child trying to deal with those same distractions.
Whether Fido is running around begging for love or the TV is blaring, distractions create an environment that makes learning a struggle.
If you can, with the supply of school tables and supplies in your house, create a learning space.
Ideally, this will be away from distractions with a door to keep any pets out.
If that’s not possible, you can also consider noise-canceling headphones and turning off any devices that could distract your child.
Make Learning Fun
One popular method of learning now is the Montessori Method.
There’s a reason this style of learning has risen in popularity.
It meets children where they are and allows them to learn in a way that works for them.
If possible, take the time to do some research on the Montessori method and see how their education style helps children.
However, we do want to touch on one big benefit of this method; it fosters a lifelong love of learning.
Even if you don’t agree with the principles that guide this method, you need to find other ways to foster a love of learning.
One great way to do that is by making learning fun.
Is your child learning addition?
Bring cookies to the table and have them practice addition with the cookies.
You can also practice word problems this way. “If you have two cookies, and I give you three more, how many cookies do you now have?”
You can even use a cookie or two as a reward for doing a good job.
Make Learning Relevant
For kids, it can be challenging to understand why they have to learn subjects they don’t enjoy.
However, you can make learning fun by making it relevant. Are you working on fractions with your child?
Head to the kitchen and cook together.
You can have them read you the recipe and tell you how much you need of each item.
You can even work with them on more complicated things by doubling the recipe and having them tell you how much you need then.
Are you working on writing? Look into pen pals or writing letters to people in your family.
Finding ways to make the task-relevant makes it seem like it matters.
You can then work to translate those skills to the homework or homeschooling your child needs to complete.
Take Brain Breaks
Your child spends all day in school, and then they come home and do homework.
This is tough on kids, and it’s difficult to focus for long periods of time.
Give your child the opportunity to take brain breaks.
A great method to use for this is the Pomodoro technique.
It’s become very popular, and you may have heard of it.
However, if you haven’t, we’ll cover it here. With the Pomodoro technique, you work for a specific set of time and then take a break.
You do this in rounds, and the times can vary based on your needs.
For example, if you struggle to refocus after a break, you might want to make your working times longer.
Let’s lay this out a little.
First, you need a timer. Next, you need a to-do list. You’ll then have little rounds that work like this:
- Work for 25 minutes focusing on one task.
- Take a five-minute break.
- Work for 25 minutes focusing on one task.
- Take a five-minute break.
You’ll continue this cycle throughout your day; however, every four cycles, you’ll take a longer break for around 15 to 20 minutes.
This helps you break tasks down and gives your brain a break, so you end up being more productive.
This can be very helpful for children, and you can even do some fun breaks; for example, you can have a five-minute dance party.
Set your child up with the task they need to complete and let them know that when the timer goes off, they get a break.
You can even work with them to determine what they want to do during that break.
Stay Positive
It’s easy to feel like you want to pull your hair out at the end of a homework session.
However, if you become frustrated, your child will become frustrated.
If you yell, your child will associate the negative feelings with their homework.
Find ways to encourage your child and keep things positive.
Remember, sometimes mom and dad need a break too, and that’s okay.
Maybe during one of the brain breaks, you can practice breathing exercises in the kitchen with a cup of coffee.
Create a Good Learning Environment for Your Child
Creating a good learning environment for your child helps to create a love of learning that can last a lifetime.
Remember to be consistent, create a space, and follow these other tips to create a space where your child can learn.
We hope you gained some breakthrough tips on What Makes a Good Learning Environment?
