With COVID-19 upending the way people live their everyday lives, Americans have had to adjust. 2020 has certainly thrown the kitchen sink at the world, and one of the biggest challenges right now is schooling. How are parents and children adjusting to at-home learning? Perhaps you need a garage classroom setup.
With a new school year already upon us, lots of schools remain closed or are operating remotely. And even if schools in your part of Akron, Canton or the surrounding areas are open, many are uneasy about letting their kids return to school. As a result, it is likely we will see homeschooling continue on a widespread basis across North America.
Obviously, parents need to find an appropriate and workable solution between being full- or part-time teachers and working and taking care of other household responsibilities. It certainly is a lot to deal with. Could your garage come to the rescue?
Evaluating a Proper Learning Environment
What is the best homeschooling environment for your children? The fact is, if you do not have a dedicated home study room, your kids may find themselves working at the kitchen table or in the living room, which may not be the best environments for your kids. It may very will be that you could provide them with a garage to classroom setup!
Although creating a learning space for your children in the garage may seem like a far-fetched idea, it actually makes quite a bit of sense. A garage classroom setup is smart for many reasons. And guess what? You don’t even need a huge garage to make it happen.
The question is: What makes a good learning environment? As just about any child education expert will tell you, the best classroom environments help children feel safe, secure and valued. Learners become motivated and have an increased desire to do well in their studies. This is where the problem with high-traffic areas comes into play.
There are simply far too many distractions in the living room or at the kitchen table. And with families spending so much time inside thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is far too much background noise for children to concentrate on their studies, from dishes clanging in the sink to the television blasting. Conversely, if kids do their homework from the bedroom, it is far more difficult to supervise them.
Should You Consider a Garage Classroom Setup?
While it may seem strange, a garage to classroom setup can provide an excellent at-home learning space for your children. Not only is it safe and separated from their bedroom, it is far removed from the distractions abundant in the rest of the house. Since your garage is an extension of your living space, a classroom area there might be an excellent ideas. And even better, you do not need to have a huge garage to do it.
A garage classroom would help your children establish a structure to their day. They can feel proud of having a dedicated learning space without taking up real estate at the table or on the couch.
Your garage could also serve as a point for a socially distanced neighborhood. If local social gathering rules call for it, other parents can get together with a few neighbors, including yourself, or friends they trust and feel safe with to create a garage classroom for neighborhood kids. Who says not having a school will ruin everything? Neighbors are taking matters into their own hands.
Examining Garage to Classroom Logistics
Now, you are probably thinking, “How can I create a classroom in my garage?” It is likely you already use it to park your car, store household goods, and perhaps even to do laundry. Put simply, it all comes down to how your garage is arranged, both in size, shape, and organization.
One of the key factors of an effective learning environment is comfort. That’s why the first step is to ensure your garage interior is finished with a clean, modern design and features. You also need to ensure you have flexibility within the garage. You need to have the room to add a learning space, after all. Multi-purpose garage owners will tell you that organization is key.
This starts by ensuring you have cleaned your garage of the clutter. Too many garages are cluttered with all sorts of junk. You need to free up floor space so that you can setup your classroom somewhere without junk. You might want to consider helpful options like the Proslat 88102 Slatwall Garage Organizer or the Fleximounts 4×8 Overhead Garage Storage Rack.
The key is to use empty wall or ceiling space to maximize the storage in your garage. One of the most important parts of having a classroom in your garage is safety. If your children are going to use it as a learning space, you can’t have potentially dangerous items laying around. Having adequate storage space on hand will ensure a safe learning environment for your kids.
Turning Your Garage Into a Classroom
The final consideration as you find a space for your children to learn in the garage is how to make it feel familiar as a classroom. They key to this is including a few of the core features that will make the space in your garage feel familiar as a classroom.
Start with the usual desk and chairs. You may also want to hang an easel or whiteboard where your kids can jot notes or write their thoughts. These features are great for developing a child’s reading, writing, or drawing skills. A clock is also critical, as your child will need to know when class begins and ends.
Of course, the most vital aspect of your garage classroom idea will be ensuring your car has room alongside your child, that is if you park a car in your garage. If so, clear out a corner as you see fit and use that as your designated space. And if you are considering turning your garage into a classroom, you may need an insulated garage door as the winter weather approaches. Or perhaps you want a garage door with windows to let in natural light. Need help installing one? That’s where we come in! Contact us today and we’ll provide you with all the advice you need to install a garage door that compliments your new garage classroom!