10 Ideas for Setting Up a Homeschooling Room (Plus, Scheduling Tips)

Location, location, location! If possible, set up a homeschool room in a space with several windows and ample sunlight. A sundrenched learning space will naturally energize your students, lift their moods and keep them engaged throughout the day. The view beyond the homeschool room windows can also serve as quick-and-easy inspiration for art projects, writing worksheets and science lessons.

Homeschooling multiple students at different grade levels in the same room can be tricky. Lifestyle blogger and home educator Markëta Howard shares her go-to approach to making it work with two kiddos. "Although my children are at different learning levels, they enjoy working together," says Howard. "I always keep materials they both like available and encourage my son to help my daughter with things he’s good at (and can be patient with!) like helping with her reading practice or with identifying numbers. If you have children of multiple ages I encourage you to give them opportunities to engage in both independent and collaborative work." Find more homeschooling tips and inspiration from Markëta on Instagram @SchoolatHomeandBeyond.

The secret to a successful homeschool room for middle and high school students is removing as many external distractions as possible. Caitlin Carter, a high school teacher, stresses the importance of creating a clean, comfortable and phone-free zone in the learning space. "Phones are the biggest distraction for high schoolers so eliminating/minimizing that distraction is key," she explains. "Have your child keep their phone in a different location from where they are working or put their phone on Do Not Disturb."

All students need a break sometimes. Create a mini, built-in break area in your homeschool room with a plush rug, a small table for snacks or crafts and opaque storage cubbies filled with playtime activities. Experienced homeschool educator Markëta Howard chooses to keep fun activities on hand that tap into her kids’ creativity during break time. "During breaks, my kids like to build structures and marble runs with Magna-Tiles and wooden blocks. They create play scenes with animal figurines, peg dolls, Sarah’s Silks, toy cars, dolls and their Way-to-Play Roads. They also enjoy arts and crafts, playing games like Twister, Uno, chess, and charades, science kits like the ones offered by Kiwi Co., and spending time outdoors."