If you’re looking for a cute, simple student work space to set up for remote learning for your kids, this may be just what you need.
I’ve been on a mission to create a good setup for remote schooling for my 6-year-old, and a neighborhood friend. Our district is doing a hybrid plan, so he’ll be doing classes from home at least 3 days a week, possibly more if we have to switch to full remote. And I know I need to be prepared so that I don’t lose my mind.
I’ll also be working from home, and I’ll have my toddler with me a few days a week as well.
I want a designated space to use as a classroom/office (which is what I’m currently scrambling to get set up in our basement). But I also need something that’s flexible and moveable for the times I can’t supervise kids downstairs. There are so many ideas for cute student work spaces, but I don’t need anything too elaborate.
I stumbled upon a solution that I just tried for myself, and I’m really happy with the results!
Another mom named Angelina Harper shared on FB her DIY poster board workspaces for her kids, and I thought it was worth giving it a try.
This is an inexpensive and customizable way to have a space designed just for your child that provides both flexibility and privacy.
You can get everything you need at stores like the Dollar Tree, Walmart, Target and Staples. I’d start at the Dollar Tree if you have one locally, and then go from there, since they have such inexpensive stuff!
Staples carries the right size of foam board, so if you don’t feel like searching around you can cut to the chase on that one.
You can also order the supplies you’ll need on Amazon, and I’ll link to the items below.
Supplies
For the most part, these are only recommendations. You can customize your station however you like.
You’ll definitely need the poster board (you can get a regular “non-foam” board, but the foam will be more durable. The 36″ x 48″ size is important – you will end up cutting it down in half to make this work.
Other than the foam poster board, everything else can be tweaked to fit your needs and preferences.
- 36″ x 48″ Foam Poster Board
- Kids headphones for remote learning
- Glue Gun or Gorilla Glue
- Book Light
- 3M Command Hooks
- Office Clips
- Pencil Pouch
- Sheet Protectors
- Letter Stickers
If you want to watch a quick video overview, Angelina Harper shares hers on YouTube.
How to Make a Portable Student Work Space
Once you have your supplies, the process is super quick and easy.
- Cut the poster board in half, so that it’s not too high for your child to see over. That will leave you with two tri-fold sections, which is nice if you need work spaces for siblings!
- Decide how you want to layout the components on your board.
- Using your hooks, clips, and glue, secure your various components to the board.
- Decorate the workspace with colorful stickers, notes, etc. Make it cheerful!
3M Command hooks worked well for me. They’re strong enough to hold up my son’s headphones.
I secured the pencil pouch with a combination of clips and Gorilla glue.
I got a little reading light for only $1 at – The Dollar Store! Way to live up to your name, Dollar Store. I also linked to a nicer book light that will probably last longer in the supply list above.
The sheet protectors are useful to hold worksheets, schedules, a calendar – whatever you need. I put a map in as a placeholder until the kids get their actual school work.
Tip
- Try not to over clutter the board. It’s tempting to go crazy because it does look cute. But you don’t want to add too many distractions.
Results
I really like how these work stations came out! They create a sense of privacy which will be really important, especially as kids could be doing their school-work in high traffic areas of the house, like the kitchen.
If you have more than one child working together from home, this allows for them to have a communal space but should cut down on distractions and allow for better focus.
Because the work stations are so easily portable, you’re not locking yourself in to a setup that you may find doesn’t work that well. Just grab your station and go!
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