want to design a homeschool room?

[ktgrok]

so, fingers crossed and prayers lifted up, if we get this house in a few weeks, this loft are will likely be my homeschool area. A place where I can work at a table with a kid, or do science experiments (messy ones likely done downstairs in kitchen with tile floors, lol), or sit and do read alouds, and where all the STUFF can live. So that I'm not moving school books and folders and such off my dining table every time we want to eat, lol. 

All bedrooms except DS22 are up here as well, so I'm thinking a good plan  is they have a desk in their room for quiet individual work, and a table for collaborative stuff or when I need to be at their shoulder in the actual homeschool room. (Learning Loft?) 

so, what would you do? I have two big bookcases that will need to go in there (Ikea Hemnes), globe and microscope that are too tall to fit on bookshelf shelves, wall map, and kids ages PreK (4) to 6th grade. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by ktgrok

[mommyoffive]

We had a loft that we tried to use as homeschool room at one time, and it never took off in our house.  We always just ended up doing school downstairs.  Now my 2 older ones do their virtual classes in their own rooms so I don't think they would use the loft either.  

[lmrich]

It looks perfect! A big table with chairs and maybe a bench on one side. Bean bags or chairs for wiggly kids are great. I like to rotate posters, etc. so clips on the wall -or a the thing from Ikea with clips is great. I would want an art corner (put down a drop cloth) and place for the computer with a headset. LOTS of plants and books to make it perfect! 

[Chris in VA]

Hmm. There's something about desks in bedrooms that never took off in my family. We did have a dedicated schoolroom in the basement (light and bright walk out) but ended up doing most schooling elsewhere after the 2nd year. 

I might think about putting supplies that you aren't using and a TV up there. I just don't like isolating kids and mine didn't do well that way, esp as they got older. So maybe keep that as a play area/tv area and turn your downstairs den into a homeschooling area? That way you can be near the kitchen and the life of the home. Anyone who can work alone or needs quiet could find a spot, maybe up there or maybe at the dining room table (but materials don't live there).  

Idk, I'm no help!

 

 

[TheReader]

I think you could do the tall bookshelves on that far wall in the last photo (where the white couch is in the corner), with a little couch/love seat/seating space between them. That *should* maybe from the looks of it also leave you room on one side or the other to add bookshelves as needed. 

Then, along the big long wall, you could put desks &/or a counter with stools, so that you could set up craft items for the littles, desk area for the bigs, kind of flex space for individual stuff. Keep the globe, the microscope, etc. there, I'd probably include a TV with DVD player that could be used for educational &/or entertainment times, and then that could also serve as desk space for kids that want to work on their own, but not isolated in their rooms. (It looks like it has lots of outlets there too which is awesome). Put up whatever posters, maps, etc. along that big wall and be able to change them out, a white board/bulletin board to keep track of the schedule(s), etc. 

In the middle of the room or where the gray couch is, put your big group table with chairs (depending if you need all the way around, or could do with 2 on one side and one on each end). You take one of the ends (the one facing towards the rest of the house) and kids around/beside you. It looks from the photos to be probably wide enough of a room that you could put it in the center of the room, but you'll have to play with that once there, of course. 

*if you don't already have a table, there's a good Ikea one that extends....it comes in colors that matches the Hemnes shelves pretty well and is a pretty well built one, that's what I have in my sewing room and it's awesome.....I'll track down the name if you need. There are various sizes, it's narrow enough and slim enough to not overpower a small room, but big enough to fit a family hanging out homeschooling

On that short wall below the window you could put a little sectioned bench like for entryways to put the PreK stuff, have a little cushioned spot to sit by the window, have various board books, educational toys, etc. You could also put drawer units under the counter (if you go that route) or desks w/drawers on that long wall so you have storage for paper, math manipulatives, etc. 

I think it's a great room and should work well! 

[prairiewindmomma]

Which wall has your better outlet placement for your printer and other things? 
 

In the photo, the wall with the bookcase has a ton of wall acne. I would be tempted to use that for my bookcase wall just to cover that up, but I am not seeing outlets along the wall with the white couch.

[ktgrok]

55 minutes ago, Chris in VA said:

Hmm. There's something about desks in bedrooms that never took off in my family. We did have a dedicated schoolroom in the basement (light and bright walk out) but ended up doing most schooling elsewhere after the 2nd year. 

I might think about putting supplies that you aren't using and a TV up there. I just don't like isolating kids and mine didn't do well that way, esp as they got older. So maybe keep that as a play area/tv area and turn your downstairs den into a homeschooling area? That way you can be near the kitchen and the life of the home. Anyone who can work alone or needs quiet could find a spot, maybe up there or maybe at the dining room table (but materials don't live there).  

Idk, I'm no help!

 

 

 

36 minutes ago, TheReader said:

 

Then, along the big long wall, you could put desks &/or a counter with stools, so that you could set up craft items for the littles, desk area for the bigs, kind of flex space for individual stuff. Keep the globe, the microscope, etc. there,. 

 

*if you don't already have a table, there's a good Ikea one that extends....it comes in colors that matches the Hemnes shelves pretty well and is a pretty well built one, that's what I have in my sewing room and it's awesome.....I'll track down the name if you need. There are various sizes, it's narrow enough and slim enough to not overpower a small room, but big enough to fit a family hanging out homeschooling

 

yes - I was thinking maybe a long counter or wall desk type thing with some storage under it for that stuff. 

And YES I'd love to know about the table. For now we will be using a beat up Ikea cheap kitchen table, but for the future, yes!

[ktgrok]

56 minutes ago, Chris in VA said:

Hmm. There's something about desks in bedrooms that never took off in my family. We did have a dedicated schoolroom in the basement (light and bright walk out) but ended up doing most schooling elsewhere after the 2nd year. 

I might think about putting supplies that you aren't using and a TV up there. I just don't like isolating kids and mine didn't do well that way, esp as they got older. So maybe keep that as a play area/tv area and turn your downstairs den into a homeschooling area? That way you can be near the kitchen and the life of the home. Anyone who can work alone or needs quiet could find a spot, maybe up there or maybe at the dining room table (but materials don't live there).  

Idk, I'm no help!

 

 

My DD11 likes to have a quiet space to do her math and writing, and her siblings are NOT quiet. They can make sleeping loud I think, lol. So she already does writing in her room or, if DS22 is at work, she uses his room. But doesnt have a desk so uses a lap desk on her bed or his bed. She'd LOVE a desk in her room where she can take the laptop (lots of parental controls, I promise!) and do her typing, or her Teaching Textbooks, etc. DS9 does the same, although sometimes he prefers a more open area. 

Ideally they will be able to work either in their room or in the homeschool area. 

I'd rather have it downstairs, but we don't have a den or anything down there. Small formal living/dining area when you walk in and then a family room open to the kitchen. I thought about putting stuff there, but REALLY amd tired of school stuff all over my eating areas, lol. 

[TheReader]

11 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

 

yes - I was thinking maybe a long counter or wall desk type thing with some storage under it for that stuff. 

And YES I'd love to know about the table. For now we will be using a beat up Ikea cheap kitchen table, but for the future, yes!

Well, dang, I'm searching but they seem to have changed up the various extendable tables and I cannot find the exact one I have. 

Now, the ones they do have now look *very* similar and with a redesign so there's not a seam in the middle when unextended.....but only one of them seems to have multiple sizes to choose from anymore. (although that is also the most "furniturey" looking one). 

So the names I found were Laneberg (which goes from seating 4 to 6), Ekedalen (which has the multiple sizes to choose from and looks really nice), and Vangsta, which I *thought* might be the one I have, but doesn't seem to have more than one size anymore, and they all seem to have changed to a way that makes them extend differently (which seems an improvement, honestly). 

All 3 seem to come in the same colors (well, the white and the brown-black) of the Hemnes stuff (which I love love love). Sorry that's not as helpful as I thought it would be! 

[Tap]

On the wall with the brown bookcase, it looks like sconces were once there due to plug in covers on wall.  I would put positional lights on those spots and tables underneath. Bookcases between each work station. I prefer flat tables that can be moved together to make large surfaces. By doing this, we used our desks for all different purposes over the years. I like adjustable height legs so the tables can fit the person sitting there but honestly me kids were a bit older when I did our school room, so the heights matched (which made it possible to put the desks together).  We used them for large holiday dinners and later, once we no longer had students, ds put them in an L shape, to make a large art table. I don't remember the actual style name, but the ones we had were styled like IKEA MALM. Simple and flat. 

Then I would put book cases between the desks. That gives each student thier own desk area which greatly reduces frustration of the other students, if you have a wiggly kid. If you put a cork board above each desk, they can have a spot for thier own art work, or for decorations, awards etc. More book cases on the wall at the end. 

I would put a couch in the corner where the sectional is. Big enough for read alouds, but also where you can sit with a lap desk and do some of your own work. 

A bench under the short window with cubbies for the preschoolers items. 

 

 

An alternative, would be to line the smaller wall (white couch wall) with bookcases and put a dining room style table that you can all sit at together in the middle of the floor. Again, I would use two tables pushed together to make it possible to pull them apart for a wiggly kid.  A couch or oversized chair for reading tucked in  a logical spot. 

 

Another idea would be putting a small bookshelf (secured of course) or large dollhouse in an L shape coming off of the 4" wall, to make a cozy area for the preschooler. I am thinking something like the IKEA shelf, with cubbies that can be accessed on both sides. 

Edited September 28, 2021 by Tap

[HS Mom in NC]

This is my 21st year homeschooling in 3 different houses.

The last year we homeschooled all 3 together they were 7, 14, and 16. Until 3 years ago, we always had a library/homeschool space.  Having one that's enclosed with a door was much better for us than having an open space due to sound and visual issues.  If that becomes an issue (it may not because of your carpet and limited openness) you can add fabric covered wall hangings to absorb the sound. 

You can also mostly enclose the space more by not putting bookshelves along the walls and instead create a false, partial height wall/partition with them leaving a doorway sized empty space to walk through. (This assumes you have sturdy/well balanced bookcases and no young children tempted to climb them.) Attaching them together at their sides and then to one room wall might be an option with another piece of wood attached higher up at the other side of the bookcases to the opposite room wall over head as a support.  I saw someone do that to create a bedroom in a loft apartment.  Since my husband has always worked from home while we've homeschooled, we're very aware of how sound moves in a space.

One of my children never could school alone for even part of her day. She needed to be within my view even at the end. So having in the back of your mind a space for a kid to do schoolwork around others while minimizing distractions is helpful. Arranging a desk area that faces a wall or corner can help, so can buying a desk with sides that limit visibility. Book shelves can be used to create a smaller nook space for one person that's still adjacent on one or two sides of the larger space. A corner with a rod(s) and drapes that can be partially or fully closed or cubbies or a table with fabric or paneling on the backside might work too to partially enclose a study area. A bean bag chair and lap desk worked for one of mine for quite a while. Some kids just love cozy little spots that are still connected to larger group. Just make sure whatever you do, you have some flexibility in your space and mind to minimize frustration for everyone if problems pop up.

Messy projects for us were always in what most would call the eat in part or adjacent area to our kitchen because they had hard flooring. We always eat our meals together at our dining room table.  Mine couldn't do messy projects over carpet-that level of constant awareness just wasn't in 2 of the 3 them. An oversized, sacrificial area rug, destined to be stained over time, between your carpet and table is one option if that's an issue. 

[Carrie12345]

We’ve never successfully homeschooled in our current loft. However, our new loft will be larger and less open to the main living area. (It’s “optional 5th bedroom” that we didn’t opt to close in.) I think the kids and I are more distractable with unseen noises than right in the thick of it!

My goal is for it to serve mostly as book/supply storage, but with desk space for me and whoever needs it, and a comfy space to have one-on-one instruction. I don’t necessarily expect the kids to do the majority of their work there; just a “home base”.

 I’m thinking along the lines of this, with my Billy cases, IKEA desks with drawers shoved under, and sofa/chair combo I probably won’t be able to afford right away, lol. And maybe open shelving above the desks for globes and stuff like that. I’m not going to go nuts with it until I see how we actually wind up feeling there.

 

 

[PeterPan]

My nemesis is PLANNING, sigh. No matter how organized I make our work space, I usually end up looking for some sprawling space to lay stuff out, make packets, or otherwise organize for the week. I also find that our overall stash of homeschooling stuff is not really conducive to the undistracted *peace* ds needs in order to work. 

I love the flexibility people are talking about and usually rearrange each year to fit ds' new developmental stage. I google classrooms for his age/grade to see what kind of seating they use, what kind of workspaces they create. So every year his office has been a different configuration to fit how he needs to be worked with. I LOVE looking at video tours of resource rooms, grade leveled classrooms, etc. to get ideas. There's such a movement in schools now to be homey, so things apply well. 

I need to update our office, sigh, because somehow the planning is all over my dining table. I've forgotten your dc's ages, but ds right now tends to need:

-a place for independent work (which may or may not be in that room but is usually within eyeshot)

-a place to relax (round comfy chair, etc.)

-a place to do 1:1 tutor/intervention level work together

-a computer desk for teletherapy sessions, must be snuggled in with physical barriers like bookcases or the round chair

-a computer with a proper seat to do his typing. This is where I dropped the ball, oops. I never got it set up last year, so we end up trading seats when he changes from therapy to upright/typing activities at his little computer desk. We LOVE the bamboo desk from IKEA btw. Super adorable. https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/lillasen-desk-bamboo-90278277/ 

-rug with double thick padding underneath (room is tiled, ouch) to define a floor work space for science kits, math kits, things we do on the floor

-place for an in box to turn in completed work

-whiteboards on every wall to write schedules, do analysis work together (grammar, math, etc.) whatever

-comfy chair for me to sit in for read alouds 

I've tried flex seating, and he tends not to use it, sigh. Sometimes, but not enough to justify the expense. At this point he'd rather just go to the living room for some things, which I'm fine with. In the living room (well actually on the main floor and in the basement) I keep charming coiled rope baskets I got from Target. Whoa, they're on clearance for $18!!! Check them out. They come in several colors and are the bomb, so handy. https://www.target.com/p/decorative-coiled-rope-floor-basket-white-threshold-8482/-/A-53192988#lnk=sametab

I have a variety of tables I've collected over the years (lengths, widths, some adustable), so I will use them to make divisions and create zones of work. All the ideas people gave you were great. I think mainly just think about your kids and the work they do and what spaces would make it easier to do those tasks. Then you start to create flow in the space. 

I do like having a science space btw that has a shelf above for microscopes, drawers to hold lab supplies, etc. You have tons of space in this room, but you'll want to go vertical. I use some white modular plastic shelving (the kind you get at Lowes or Walmart) to hold things like math manipulatives and LA manipulatives near the work stations where I use them. So I have a small round (42"?) table that we do together intervention work at and the shelving (something like this https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-14-25-in-D-x-22-in-W-x-48-in-H-4-Tier-Plastic-Freestanding-Shelving-Unit/50436502  ) can just out from the wall as a divider without being a tipping hazard. That one looks narrow. They come wider. I have a narrow one as a divider beside the IKEA desk and a wider one beside our together work table. One time I even used an old dresser that had a mirror over the top, just leaving the mirror/shelving unit off. Sometimes I turn a table out as a penninsula. Anything to create definition of space. 

Well this is getting me kinda psyched up. I do agree with @Chris in VA that you can put a lot of effort into making a space that isn't where you want to work or the kids want to work. But I think it's just personal and varies with the kid. By the time my dd was this age, she was all over the house. With ds, he really needs a lot more containment, supervision, and structure to function. It's unfortunate that our homeschooling is in the basement along with the main tv viewing area. We did finally make a play rug escape space with a swing, heavy bag (for punching), etc. I guess I could put up a table near that space. Some years I've done that, but that was mostly with dd or when ds was so young I literally strapped him down, haha. Now he just needs a lot of structure. 

You have a lot of walls btw. I've been doing things the last couple years with bulletin board sets from the teacher supply. I go find a set and then we'll read a book to go with each thing and hang it on the wall. Definitely leave some open space for ideas like that. 

[PeterPan]

3 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

 

It reminds me of the library nook on a cruise ship. Love it!

[PeterPan]

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/203154633171375909/  Good old pinterest. And the one board will lead you to more with titles like "flexible seating in the secondary classroom." 

Edited September 28, 2021 by PeterPan