The day that all children (and teachers) dread is fast approaching: the first day back to school. Everyone wants their children to get the best out of school and a big part of that is making sure that they have the ideal learning environment at home. No matter how old they are children are always easily distracted. Most adults aren’t much better! Many of these ideas are also ideal for creating a productive office space. But having a good area where they (or you!) can work can make all of the difference. So we’ve compiled some of our favourite ideas for you to pick and choose from.

Writable Walls!

Usually writing on the walls is a parents nightmare. But with Whiteboard or Chalkboard paints you can create a writable surface. These are brilliant for both children and adults. Use them for doodling, mind-mapping, making a to do list. They’re so versatile, the limit really is as far as your imagination will take you.

When children are doing homework there’s often not a great place for them to make notes and to figure out what they want to do. With a writable all they can get everything down that they need to, and it’s then right in front of them, in bright colours, making their lives so much simpler.

Exciting Storage

I know, the term exciting storage seems like an oxymoron. How can we make storage exciting? And I’ll be honest, even paint has its limits. But brightening up objects on the desk, and making the whole space look a bit more inviting can work wonders.

Spray paints are a great way to do this, as there is such a vast range: glitter, metallic, coloured, even stained glass. So there are plenty of options to add a bit of colour and a bit of life to a homework station, desk, or wherever it is that work happens. When your surroundings are nice then it makes it a whole lot easier to get everything done, and it’s a lot more stimulating for children, which helps them to remain focused on a task.

 Unique Desks

The desk is obviously going to be the place where most homework is done, and it’s surprisingly easy to make the concept seem more appealing. If the desk looks boring and bland then there is a good chance that a child will quickly come to dread being there. They will feel bored before they even sit down. A simple way to make the concept of sitting down to do homework less foreboding is to make the desk a more interesting place to be.

If you scour the internet you’ll find that there are thousands of different ways to do this, so I’ll just put forward a few of my favourites;

Quirky Top:

Some people add a quirky design or pattern to the top of a table to give it that special edge. If you like these can even end up being educational. This Map Table could also help to give your children a better understanding of geography!

Chalkboard Table:

Chalkboard tables are a great idea. They let children be as creative as they want, and it means the table can become something new every day! Either create a full chalkboard craft able, or do half an half, giving them a half writable surface and a half workable one.

Target their age group:

Children of different ages are going to be into different styles. For younger children it may be best to choose bright colours, whereas teenagers may prefer a more sophisticated style. Target whatever style you think will best suit your child. If you’re feeling extra creative then you can even base your creation around a theme, such as your child’s favourite TV character, or favourite book. But without going over the top you can make something that encourages your child to embrace the learning environment.

Back to School. . .

I am by no means saying that doing these things will make your children suddenly love doing homework, that would be far too optimistic. Going back to school is never an appealing idea to children. But it can make the task seem a lot less daunting. Anything that can soften the blow of having to do homework has got to be a good thing.

If you have any more ideas that you want me to add to the list, or if you have any comments or requests then comment below. If you want some advice on which products to use to rate any of these styles then please call us on 01902 429190, or send us an email to info@andrewscoatings.co.uk.