Kids have started back to school and we know this year is going to be tough. It’s new for teachers and challenging for families. But since we need to make lemonade out of the lemons we’ve been handed, we thought it would be great to take a look at how to put the fun back into distance or virtual learning. Here are some tips for creating a fun workspace to keep your girls focused during this most unusual school year. 

Print Out A Fun Routine Calendar

As we discussed in the last blog, a routine can help keep everyone on track for the week. You can create a daily or weekly calendar to include everything your girls need to do for school and in between virtual classes. Depending on their age, you can reward them for completing tasks by placing a sticker on the item. 

Set Up A Dedicated Workspace

We’ve also discussed the idea of setting up a dedicated workspace. We encourage you to focus on the age of your girl to ensure that it’s the right mix of supervised and independence. For instance, smaller children may require a little more guidance, but older children can have more autonomy in their day and may work best if uninterrupted.

Use Bright Colors and Fun Accessories

Don’t be afraid to personalize your child’s space. Using fun accessories and colors that help stimulate the mind and engage their interest can help them concentrate and learn. Start with these color ideas: 

• Red boosts energy
• Yellow grabs attention  
• Orange lifts the mood
• Green encourages concentration 
• Blue enhances productivity

You can add pops of color in the accessories and learning tools your child needs day-to-day. Choose things that make your girls excited and happy about learning. Create a theme with a favorite animal or cartoon character to keep them engaged. 

Get Moving

I know we’re all feeling a little drained at this point. It’s understandable as we continue to shelter in place. But physical activity is essential for us and our girls, so don’t miss any opportunity to move. If the weather is lovely, go outside between learning sessions and run, dance, or play a game. You can also dance indoors or take some time every morning to practice yoga to stretch and center. 

Plant a Small Potted Plant 

Here’s a fun activity you and your girls can do at home this school year. Bring the outdoors in with a potted plant! You’ll need: 

• A small pot
• Potting soil 
• A plant

This is a great chance for your daughters to feel the soil and get their hands dirty while learning the benefit of having a potted plant inside. 

Some great instructions for the process can be found here. The blog even includes some ideas for low-maintenance indoor plants to get you started. 

What other ways have you found to make distance learning fun at your house?