How to Create a Homework Routine For Kids

1 Set up a designated area for them to do their work each day.

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Clearing off any old surface in the house each day to complete homework immediately aids in throwing off your child's organizational skills within their routine. If they have a designated space to do their work each afternoon — whether it be the kitchen table or a desk in their room — it will help them feel more ready to do their homework each day just by sitting in their usual work spot.

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2 Keep all of their materials together.

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Although things like pencils and markers may go back and forth with your child to school in their backpack, there are several materials they may need for homework such as glue or a dictionary that they won't have readily available in their bag. Keep all of these types of materials in a caddy that can be transported around easily or kept in their homework space so that they never have to get up to get things they need and disrupt their work flow (and can be more independent!).

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3 Consider a high-up space they can stand at.

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Standing desks have become all the rage in offices, and your child could also benefit from being able to get up and move around while they work (especially if they're naturally fidgety). Consider setting up their homework spot at the kitchen island, or testing out a kid-size standing desk. Being able to stand up without stopping their work will help them stay active and focused.

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4 Create a daily checklist.

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It's likely that your child will have an agenda of sorts with all of their assignments in it, but consider having them (or you) write a big list on a dry erase board so that their assignments are more visible. Plus, they can make a big deal of checking each thing off, which will make them feel accomplished.

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5 Time it all out.

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Although most kids — and parents — want homework time to be quick and painless, the fact of the matter is that breaks should be welcome. For younger children, set a timer for 10-15 minutes of homework time followed by five minutes for a break. For older kids, increase the work timer to 20-25 minutes before their break. The five minutes in between will give them enough time to take a deep breath, stretch it out, and grab a drink before refocusing on their work with a clear head.

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6 Reward good work.

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Homework is a special hell for most kids — they sit in class all day and then are expected to go home and do more work on top of it before repeating the cycle the next day. Rewarding good work will keep your kiddos motivated to finish their work so that they can do something fun after, receive some kind of prize, or eat a special after-school snack.

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7 Keep it tech-free when it needs to be.

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Some of your child's homework will require the use of a computer or tablet, but for the plain old paper-and-pencil work, keep it tech-free. No TV playing in the background, no cell phone sitting next to them, and no loud music (though some low-volume, easy-to-listen-to music probably won't hurt, especially if they're not the type of kid that can sit in absolute silence).

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