Covid19 is changing the lives of Australians like never before. A major change for many families is keeping school-aged children at home.
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In a bid to keep some normality and help your child continue their learning setting up a dedicated space for study and school work can help with motivation and concentration.
Here are a few tips to create that space:
Pick the location
This depends on the age of the child. Those in primary might be better off set up on a desk in a quiet corner of the living area, so you can be on hand to help.
However, for older students, aim to set up separate work and play spaces. While this can be tricky with teenagers where everything happens on a computer screen, get creative with the furniture: try assigning a chair and desk for study, beanbag for social and gaming.
Sitting pretty
Here's a checklist to choosing the right study chair, and how your child should sit relative to their desk:
- You should be able to fit two-to-three finger widths between the front of the chair and the back of the knees, and also between the thighs and the side of the chair.
- Feet should be flat on the floor, or on a foot rest.
- The knees should be slightly lower than the hips (100 120 degrees)
- The curved lower part of the chairs backrest should fit into the lower back or the lumbar curve.
The best idea is to take your child with you to test the chair before buying.
Then when it comes to sitting at the desk:
- the top of the computer screen should be set at eye level or slightly lower.
- the screen should be about one arms length away.
Decor for Dux
As the aim is to get the student staying at their desk as long as possible, they need to be looking at something they like. Perhaps try a corkboard where they can pin assignment reminders alongside photos and mementos. A world map might also motivate learning.
Incorporate lots of shelves and storage spaces to ensure the desk doesn't get too cluttered.
