A good study area looks nice; a great study area boosts productivity and makes learning enjoyable for the kids.
When it comes to designing a study zone for the kids, you need to think beyond just aesthetics. Sure, having a cute table-chair set, cute stationeries, and some posters may make a study area look vibrant and un-boring. But the important question we need to ask as parents is: does this setup help your child focus and concentrate on their homework or projects?
As the name suggests, a study area is a zone dedicated to studying and learning. So you’ll want to create an environment that’s conducive to learning for your kid. Not sure how to go about it? We’ve got some simple tips here to help you get started.
1. Ergonomic furniture is a must-have
Your child may not be spending long hours studying on a daily basis. But there will be days like exam season when you can expect your child to be at their study area for longer periods than usual. When that happens, you’ll want to make sure the kiddo is able to study comfortably without straining their backs or damaging their posture.
As such, it’s really worth investing in an ergonomic chair and table for your child. Not only do these provide good back support that helps with posture, but ergonomic furniture also grows with your child too! They are specially designed to be adjustable to your child’s height as they grow. No need to worry about forking out another huge sum just to get another table and chair when the kid grows too tall for their current set. And just think: if you would invest in an ergonomic chair for yourself, your child deserves one too!
2. Lighting is key
It’s not as simple as installing a ceiling light or desk lamp. You want your kid’s study area to be brightly lit but not overly glaring to protect their eyes. The benefits of good lighting go beyond eye comfort – research shows that it’s capable of improving your child’s academic performance and may even motivate them to learn more.
A good place to set up your kid’s study area would be somewhere near a window, so they can take advantage of natural lighting during the day. You should also get a study desk lamp that is adjustable in terms of height and brightness. This is so you can get the lighting just right, no matter day or night, rain or shine.
Pro-tip: One good option is BenQ’s MindDuo Study Table Lamp, one of the leading eye-care lamp company’s latest home products. This is a super smart table lamp that’s able to automatically adjust its brightness by detecting the ambient light and features adjustable 2700K to 5700K colour temperatures (from soft lighting to bright daylight). So here’s the thing: you don’t always have to manually adjust the lighting. This study lamp has an auto-dimming feature that will self-adjust to provide you child with the ‘just right’ brightness, whether they’re reading books or digital-based learning. Having the optimal brightness when studying is so important because it can affect your kid’s productivity. Anything too dim or too bright can strain the eyes, which may make your kid tired or uncomfortable. Speaking of tiredness, the MindDuo Study Lamp also has a timer that will trigger its indicator light to flash every 30 minutes, reminding your child (and you) to take a break and rest their eyes. But it doesn’t stop there – this lamp has a built-in infrared sensor that switches itself on when your kid is at their desk. It also automatically turns the lights off when your child leaves. No more nagging the kiddo for leaving the lights off – a big win!
3. Some peace and quiet will help
Space at home can be scarce, especially in Singapore. But here’s the good news: you don’t necessarily need to have a dedicated room for a study area. While that would be ideal, you can also make do with spaces at home that are far from the TV and with little foot traffic.
The main idea is that you want your child’s study zone to be free from anything that might distract them. The best choice would be to set it up within your child’s bedroom if they already have their own room. You could also carve out a corner in the living room for it (not facing the TV, of course), using a bookshelf, curtains, or even a simple folding screen!
4. Allow room for a plus one
Most school projects would require your child to collaborate with their classmates. There may also be occasions where your or your spouse’s help is needed to tackle a tricky subject. It would be great to have an extra seat, stationeries, and wide enough lighting to welcome another party.
Think of it as designing a study area that’s spacious for one and cosy for two. It should be comfortable enough for your child and a friend (or yourself) to spend time in the study area you’ve created. This is also so that they won’t feel cramped and resort to doing their work in other areas around the house that may not be as conducive to work as the study area.
Pro-tip: This is where lighting again plays a huge role! Opt for a table lamp that provides wide lighting coverage for when your child has their schoolmates over. The MindDuo Study Table Lamp is capable of illuminating 95cm of desk surface (150% more than other lamps!) thanks to its unique curved design. If you’re wondering whether this wide coverage may mean that the further parts may not be as bright, rest assured that this study lamp has guiding louvers that ensure the light is evenly spread. Besides that, MindDuo’s is designed to allow flexible adjusting depending on your the users’ height and sitting posture. This means no more squinting or hunching for you when you join your kids at the desk!
5. Let your child add their own touch to it
You should definitely involve your child in the design of the study space. After all, you are creating it for their usage. Let them have a pick at the type of stationery they want, a cute calendar, maybe even a noticeboard with colourful sticky notes. Allow them to have a say in how they want their stuff to be arranged.
Giving your child a chance to personalise their study area is akin to giving them ownership of the space. It lets them know that this is an area that you’ve dedicated for their use. You want them to feel at ease and in their element while studying and learning in this area. The only thing to bear in mind is that you don’t want them to over-clutter the study area. There should still be adequate space for reading and work to be done.
Now that you’ve got all the basics nailed down, let the designing begin!
BenQ’s MindDuo Study Lamp is available for purchase on Lazada and Shopee.
This post is in partnership with BenQ.
