Information for Families Learning at Home

Updated: May 1, 2020

Creating a Home-Learning Environment

Families may want to begin thinking about and planning for the best place for your children to access school curriculum and activities.

Location/ Virtual School Desk: Think about where your child will be most comfortable and do their best work. This could be at their desk in their bedroom, at the kitchen table, on the couch.
Be sure the location can support whatever electronic devices your child may need.
If your child is on a device, they should be in a common/ visible area.
Minimize other distractions during school time. If you have preschool and school-age children, try setting up a workspace for both as the younger ones are likely to follow the lead of their older siblings.
In general, 2-4 hours a day of school work at home is comparable to a full school day.

Consistency helps students focus, so start with a daily schedule.
Use the provided assignments to create a basic structure for each day, supplementing them as needed with activities that round out the curriculum.
Structure academic activities around kids’ attention spans.
Most elementary school kids can work on assignments for around 25 minutes before they need a break.
Use a timer or other device to arrange breaks, which can also become transitions to new tasks.
Avoid online videos or graphic novels until the end of the day. These make good rewards, but can be distracting.
Create a schedule that has a variety of table top activities, project based or hands on activities and outdoor activities.
Make sure to have active breaks in between screen activities. Limit non-academic screen time, and focus on quality vs. quantity.
Consider maintaining a routine or schedule for device use.

Apps, websites, and video games to inspire running, jumping, and more to stay active
Cosmic Kids Yoga: www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga