We’ve rounded up 10 helpful hacks for students getting in the swing of virtual learning. Read on for ways to make this remote school year rock!
1 Pick a “Right Sized” Desk with Lots of Storage
It’s tempting to plop your kids at the kitchen table or breakfast bar for their online classes, but those remote schooling quick-fixes don’t have the storage needed to keep supplies on hand. That mountain of crayons, papers, and supplies needs to be moved for every meal too, making this a less than ideal solution. Instead, try to find a desk or workspace area that fits your little student’s needs and creates a school spot just for them.
2 When Choosing Storage Bins Ditch the Colors, Go With Clear Plastic Bins
Colored dollar store bins are cheap and the idea of “hiding” the mess is tempting, but just visualize all that time you’ll spend hunting down a specific crayon or box of colored pencils, going through each bin to see what’s inside. The easy fix? Go for the clear bins instead. Clear plastic bins mean you and your little student will spend a lot less time looking for items, and putting things back where they go will become a lot smoother too. No more scattered bins with the lids peeled off and left lying around! Also, make sure that the bins have sturdy handles so that they can be easily moved from storage areas to work areas when necessary.
3 Get Creative on Hanging Space
A simple piece of yarn with binder clips lets you create a pop-up gallery in minutes. You can literally tie the yarn to curtain rods, doorknobs, and more to have pop-up storage and gallery space all over the house. Here’s a great one – simply slide a book from a bookshelf, wrap the yarn around the cover a few times and them slide the book back in place. Do that again on the opposite side of the shelf and you’ve created a line to hang items – no knots!
4 Use Carpet Squares or a Remnant to Define the Space
Once you’ve picked out the perfect desk for your little one to use for remote learning, lay some carpet squares or a carpet remnant to complete the space. To take it one step further, work with your student (and any siblings) to create a list of “virtual school rules” to obey when it’s time to log on for remote learning.
5 Use a Tabletop Easel to Feature a Book in Your Breakfast Area
Get into the habit of reading to your child each day, and make the book a surprise to keep it interesting! By putting the daily book on display, you’ll foster excitement for a new virtual school day and get your little students in the right headspace to begin their lessons.
6 A Shoe Organizer Is Not Just For Shoes
Easy and practical! Use a cheap over-the-door shoe organizer to store school supplies if you’re short on space. It’s the perfect way to stretch storage space in pantries, mudrooms, and closets for non-school related items as well.
7 Buy A Timer
Sure, every smartphone is a timer, and smart speakers can be used as timers, but to help your kids understand the concept of time and to appreciate how long activities take, nothing beats an old-style timer. By simply seeing the hands moving and by understanding the position on the dial, they develop a far better sense of time. Instilling a sense of time in your little students helps them grasp what a school day looks like in the age of virtual learning, even though they’re still at home.
8 Phone Call Fun
Schedule phone calls with grandparents, family members, and friends. These help children build valuable conversation skills while adding some love to another person’s day. Some more ways to break up the monotony of the school days and weeks can be found here.
9 Create the Right Size Reading Nook
How many chairs do you have in your home that are sized just for kids? Probably not many. Choose an affordable bookshelf and pair it with a chair that’s designed for lounging and reading to create the perfect nook for students to retreat and get some reading time in.
10 Don’t Forget the Arts
Use a kid-sized art easel for art activities and projects to take the day’s lessons into a new headspace. Art projects allow for self-expression, and they’re also great to teach children to follow instructions. Making art is flexible, allowing the day’s project to complement remote learning activities and retain information in a different way.
