There is a direct correlation between the effectiveness of a kid’s learning and the comfort of his workspace. Moreover, the furniture and lighting determine the health of the baby’s vision and spine. Organize and create a kid’s workspace correctly will help you our step by step guide with a selection of photo examples. The material will be useful for parents of first graders, as well as pupils in lower and upper grades.
Step 1: Planning the arrangement of furniture: a work space near a window
The first thing to decide is where and how the desk is to stand. The workspace should be isolated from the play area, and most importantly, it should be located near the window. The photo below shows an example of zoning a kid’s room into the study and living parts with a cabinet.
The ideal position of the table is when it’s left side facing the window if the child is right-handed. And the right side if the child is left-handed. It is desirable that the wall was behind the back and not in front of the eyes.
Another good option is to place the workspace along the window and so that the child sits facing it. How to place two workspaces in one room? Here are a few options for arranging furniture:
- Single-row layout (two desks stand next to each other in one row, which can be interrupted by furniture or aisle);
- Parallel (two tables are facing each other side by side or at a distance, the guys can sit facing or back to each other);
- L-shape (one or two tables set up accordingly can be used).
Step 2: Choosing a table
An important criterion for choosing a study table is the right size.
The main rule for choosing the height of the table is as follows: the table top should be a couple of centimeters below chest height, so the child can easily lean on it with his elbows, and at the same time not slouch.
If the kid’s height is less than 120 cm, the height of the table top should be no more than 52 cm. When the growth of 120-150 cm – fit the table height of 52-61 cm. Standard table height of 75 cm a child can begin to use when he grows up to 150 cm.
The ideal desk for a student – a desk-transformer with adjustable height and a 15 ° inclination of the table top (pictured below). You can use such a “transformer” for a long time, changing the height as the child grows.
What should be the depth and length of the table top? The depth should be 50-60 cm. The length of a single table should be at least 60 cm for a first grader and 80 cm for a senior teenager. Accordingly, a double table for two children should have a length of 120 cm, 140 cm or 160 cm.
By the way, for older children, you should pick up a desk of such length that in addition to notebooks and textbooks it would also hold a laptop or, say, a printer. For example, the desk can be double or just have a larger table top so that you can put the laptop away during classes. Another option is an L-shaped desk, the short side of which is designed to work at a laptop or place a printer. To accommodate a laptop, it is better to buy a separate desk with a sliding panel for a keyboard.
In the choice of construction and design of the training table is best not to experiment and choose a standard rectangular or L-shaped desk on 4 legs with or without a back panel.
However, if the children’s room is too small, then here are the decisions that can be taken:
- Convert the window sill into a workspace, replacing the usual tabletop with a deeper one. It is important to make holes in it for the passage of warm air from the radiator to the window. Otherwise, the windows will fog up and can provoke the appearance of mold. Also, it is important to match the window sill with a chair of appropriate height and a footstool, if necessary. In the following photos are examples of reworking the window sill into a children’s workspace.
- Corner table, which is often sold with additional modules – shelves, drawers and cabinets.
- Folding table, which is attached to the wall and, if necessary, folded.
- Desk in a bureau – the tabletop of which is hinged and closed if necessary, while the lower and upper cabinets are intended for storing things.
Step 3: Choose a chair
It is also important to choose the right chair. Make sure that in the sitting position, the kid’s knees are bent at a 90° angle and the feet are fully touching the floor.
The distance from the tabletop to the seat of the chair should be 20 to 30 cm, depending on the height of the pupil.
If the chair is too high, you can put a stand or a stack of large books under the legs. But it is best to buy a kid’s computer chair which is adjustable in height. And of course it is necessary to explain to a schoolchild that it is necessary to sit upright at the table without falling to the sides, backwards or on the table. At the same time it is necessary to keep a distance of 8-10 cm between the chest and the edge.
Step 4: Create the right lighting
So, the furniture and the place of the children’s workspace are chosen, it’s time to think about artificial lighting.
The desk lamp should have an adjustable design, a lampshade or plafond (preferably white), and an incandescent or 60 watt LED lamp with a frosted white coating (example in the photo). Halogen and fluorescent bulbs should be avoided.
Do not forget that in the evening in the room should shine and other light sources – wall sconces, floor lamp or ceiling chandelier with not too bright light. This way the light in the room will be even and soft, and the kid’s eyes will not be strained by the lighting contrast.
If the kid’s desk is in a dark place, for example, under a loft bed (as in the photo) or just far from a window, the table lamp should be turned on during the day.
Step 5: Organize the storage system and buy accessories.
Now you need to plan the places for things so that there is nothing unnecessary on the table, while every little thing was easily accessible.
The main principle of storage organization: the more often you need a thing, the closer it should be to the child sitting at the table.
Various small things in drawers are better stored in transparent plastic containers. For example, felt-tip pens and colored pencils in one, and paper clips, scotch tape, etc. in another. – in another.
For convenience, boxes and containers can be signed – so it will be easier for the child to learn to keep order and find the things he or she needs.
To store the school mini-library (reference books, textbooks, dictionaries, etc.), you can use the side lockers or hang an open shelf above the table. Another top shelf can be used to store not student stuff, but, say, medals, diplomas, photo frames, a globe, a houseplant, etc.
The desk should always have:
- A desk lamp;
- An organizer for pens and stationery;
- A clock to take ten-minute breaks;
- A stand for books.
- And under the table you can allocate space for a trash garbage can.
And a tip: add a bit of coziness
For a child to like the workspace, and learning and creativity caused interest, the working area in the children’s room should be slightly personalized. Of course, too much decor here is not necessary, but in a small number and neutral color scheme some accessories do not interfere, but only add coziness.