Kids around the country are going back-to-school and that means carpool, afterschool activities, packing lunches, and yes…HOMEWORK. Homework doesn’t have to be a struggle though. As with most things in life, the key is to be prepared. Below are a few tips on creating a homework space or station in your home that kids will actually want to work at!

boy doing homework with juice box and scantron test booklet

Ample workspace. It’s nice for kids to be able to spread out at a large table or desk. There should be enough space for your children’s backpacks, text books, etc.

personalized backpack book bag on a yellow chair

Good lighting. It’s important to provide kids a bright space and/or adequate task lighting at their homework station.

Minimize distractions. The space should be away from lots of noise, TV and anything that will prevent kids from focusing.

Comfortable. Make sure that your child is comfortable. Provide a comfy work chair and also a comfy reading chair. We love the Take Along Chair for the wee students and the Bean Bag for the older students.

boy with book on bean bag chair

Amelia also loves her Animal Buddy Lap Desk, which includes a zippered storage compartment for paper, crayons, a book, or even iPad.

girl reading story book on chair and teddy bear

Have supplies ready. We created a homework supplies caddy that has everything Lucas needs for his daily homework. Think pencils, pens, glue, colored pencils, scissors, calculator, ruler, paper, etc. The caddy is pulled out when it’s time to do homework and it can easily be taken anywhere. Also make sure to provide plenty of lined paper and art paper. Kids should also have reference materials such as a dictionary and thesaurus on-hand.

tote organizer with glue pens pencils chalk and checklist

Feed the mind and belly. A yummy snack and drink while doing homework keeps kids’ bellies happy and satisfied. We like to keep high-energy snacks like trail mix ready in fun, personalized snack bags that can be quickly grabbed after school.

nut fruit mix in pouch with test booklet and juice box on table

Make homework a priority. This can be done by scheduling homework time at the same time every day or creating a task list for your child that must be done before he/she is able to play outside or watch TV. I created a Homework Checklist that I framed so that every day we can check off what needs to be done with a dry-erase marker and then reuse on a daily basis. You can download your own HERE

homework checklist and pen

For the coolest back-to-school gear like personalized backpacks, lunch boxes, and more, click HERE!