Build a desk/Lego Building Table for your children. Place them side by side or face to face. Lego building blocks teach small motor skills; design; engineering; colors; creativity etc. Also use toys as art. Make a bulletin board with your children using cast off or orphan toys like game pieces or cars to make a border for the board, attach with strong non-toxic glue. Let your children choose what types of educational materials to use in their room definitely make a bookshelf that is accessible for all their favorite books and supplies. Enjoy.

My 6th grader went to state in the GeoBee last year. As he was doing the class and school competitions, all the kids that did well had a map up in their rooms. We have US and world maps up in the toy room and a globe they've had for years, all beat up and hammered now. We don't bother with electronic devices for the kids, but they all love reading (6th grader's AR level ranges to 12th grade), so their bookcases are full of books. He does have sports trophies and art projects too, don't worry

I second the map idea. I bought a giant wall-sized map mural and had it cut and mounted on six styrofoam board posters. Then I hung all six about 2" apart. The map thing is huge. Also - periodic table, timelines, posters of presidents with some facts about each - that stuff sinks in.

Also - have organized storage, but make sure books and other items are VISIBLE. If they are not in plain sight, they are less likely to be used.

They will learn from whatever they can see. For this reason, I favor actual books over devices for younger kids. They will browse their books, so a great selection is critical.

One word: BOOKS. Lots of them, fiction and nonfiction, picked up for next to nothing at used booksales: http://booksalefinder.com/

Why books are important: "Book owners have smarter kids" (Make your kid "the kind of person who owns books") http://www.salon.com/2010/06/02/summer_book_giveaway/

For the books you will need lots of bookshelves. Make sure they are sturdy and attached to the walls (it helps if you shim the bottom front to make them lean back slightly against the wall).

Also a desk, a large wall map, and a detailed globe are helpful for curious learners. And you will need to read some of those books with them to encourage them, as well as let them see you read all the time.

1. Books in the bedroom and a cozy place to read them. In addition to bookshelves (40 linear feet of them), we had a whiteboard with a plastic gutter hanging underneath to hold markers and erasers and display favorite picture books or the current books checked out from the library.

2. Games are also important, but can't be played alone! - Q-Bitz, Qwirkle, Cathedral, Othello, Make 'N Break, DaVinci, Abalone, Spin and Trap, Wordsters, Bananagrams (Fast Scrabble), Quinto, Quixo, Quarto, Quiddler, Once Upon A Time (Storytelling game) were some of our favorites.

3. The maps went on the bathroom wall right in front of the toilet - a new one every month from National Geographic!

Bookshelves filled with books that are utilized on a daily basis, walls painted with calm colors containing animals, bugs, etc., a whimsical clock, toys that are educational. If you don't read to your child daily, begin to do that, it gives them a head start on communication.

You didn't say the age of your kids. I would say from infant and up the most important thing is a large bookshelf they can reach, stocked with lots of great books.

At kindergarten age, I would say add a desk, pens, and paper, and keep making sure you have great books -- picture books, chapter books, your books, library books. Get your child a library card, and go weekly.

After that, building (legos or other blocks) and pretend play (kitchens, costumes, props, dolls) for both boys and girls for 2-8.

Huge wall maps

A desk, a wired room so they can easily move their computer around, and a comfy reading nook. Even if its an old reclining chair, a nice place to read it important.

Music is also important for development - consider a radio or speakers for a lap top.

Turn the wifi off at night!

You need book space and pin-up space. A desk in each corner would work well.

My favorite subject - the home learning environment. A former school teacher, I removed my oldest children from school and home schooled all four for the next 20 plus years, the best years of my life. School or homeschool you can make a great learning environment for your children. However, note that most homeschool families turn their whole house into a learning environment, not just the child's room.

So, a few suggestions: A large world and other wall maps (great pictures of the map wall murals from the previous comments). The maps look great and they really do absorb a lot by having it there everyday. A history timeline - this can be done like a wallpaper border at mid-wall height. Lots of ideas online for creating one or buying a kit to help you. It is a great learning tool and creative, too. Display corner for collections (rocks, plants, bugs, etc.), bookcase and cozy spot to read, art supplies in mess zone, bulletin boards. Sorry I don't have pictures I can post, but there are fantastic ideas with photos on numerous websites for homeschooling that everyone can apply. Have fun with it. So many good ideas in these comments.

One thing I will add (after seeing a couple of comments) DO NOT allow your child to have a computer connected to the internet in their room. No matter the age of the child (teens especially) because you open your child up to being a victim of those trolling the internet for unsupervised children and teens online. Yes, I'm talking about those who are your worst nightmares: pedophiles and traffickers.

I think the most important thing to do to support learning is to give them autonomy.

Our seven kids range in age from 13 to 1 1/2. Other than to tuck in at bedtime and put clean sheets on the littles' beds, I rarely go in their rooms without an invitation. I don't clean up unless they ask for help--that "mess" is often a very important set-up for creative play. They put away their own clean laundry, strip the sheets off their own beds, organize their drawers in a way that makes sense to them. I offer guidance if it looks like they need it. My bossiness is not always welcome! I am invited in multiple times a day to see set-ups or to admire a freshly organized drawer, or to mediate a dispute ;) I like knowing that they want my company!

They share bedrooms and each have their own bed, however they choose which bed they sleep in--this varies from night to night as the littles and middles like to mix it up. I don't feel privileged to tell anyone who he or she must or must not sleep with, even a child. As they get into their tweens they naturally gravitate to more personal space and privacy.

We have structure and guidelines: Saturday is clean sheets/bedroom cleaning day, Monday is laundry day, no devices until grade seven and they get plugged in in a public space at 9:30 pm, etc. but if something is not a true safety hazard or a matter of basic respect I butt out when they're in their rooms. It's their space.

And, books. Everywhere.

Oh, and about the internet fear, two things:

1, they and their friends have their computer in their pocket at all times so keeping a computer out of their room will do zero to protect them.

2, teaching any person how to be safe and smart in the environment they are residing will always protect them better than prohibition. Teaching Internet safety and earning their trust so they feel safe telling you or another adult if they get in trouble or make a mistake is a much more effective way of protecting them.

A telescope is a wonderful way to encourage exploration. Provide an instruction book on locating interesting "Astro-finds." Be sure you participate in setting it up. Your enthusiasm is an essential paper of sparking interest. Also set up a microscope. Everything from dust bunnies to an eyelash is fair game with one of those. Mobiles are also great for inspiring interest in the arts and science.

Bookshelves with lots of books and a cozy spot to read (love seat, bean bag chair, armchair...), organized rooms, a little desk with paper and writing materials, good lighting to read...

Sorry, I have a different idea on children rooms. Of course books are great and all the above ideas are fine. I believe the family room, den if you do not have one use the living room. I believe children need interaction with family and it is more important to have unity and development instead of swishing them off to a room. The computer in a den. Walls of books etc. It is their home also. As a professional being there is important for development and guidance. My children shared a room and bedrooms were for reading their favorite books, quiet time and sleeping. Family.

Keep magnet/felt/chalk/story/etc boards, books, interactive materials at reaching height! You will may create frustration and an end to the desire of working/learning if your child can't reach it. At reaching height it promotes independence too! Don't be afraid to ask your child about his/her favorite learning games in school and set them up. Have your child be apart of the process. This gives them ownership and they will most likely want to use the materials. Good Luck!

I agree with MAC... children need to be around family and reinforce learning. Bedrooms should be for rest, and quiet play/reading. My son didn't care to play in his room alone - ever. We used a family room for play and 'teachable moments.'

When my boys were young it was maps and space posters from Art.com! And a small kitchen table (painted) for building legos, a a tall book shelf with soft-colorful-bins from Target for toys and lots of books. At ages 13 and 11 the only thing that has changed is the posters! We are into race cars now ;) I will add that both kids rooms have trundle beds. They are great for when the boys wanted to sleep together, (which was often) or have a friend over. They are now used for extra blankets and toys.

Great question! One of the most important things a child can learn, especially early on, is independent responsibility. Having a closet with low hanging rods, baskets and shelves allows kids to learn to put their own things away, developing their independence and instilling a sense of responsibility.

Creating a designated work space is another great way to get kids excited about learning. Because when they're having fun, kids learn twice as fast!

BOOKS! You've gotten other great suggestions for "stuff." I echo two other comments. Don't be a neat freak - posters, toys in various stages of play, as long as it's not a safety hazard, let them play, and let some stuff persist overnight! Also don't restrict the learning to just their room. Allow the play and creativity to expand throughout the house. Give up on having your house look like photos in a Houzz article

Keep in mind the primary function of any bedroom is sleep. Brain researchers tell us that a good sleep is necessary for optimal learning and that distractions in the bedrooms like phones, computers and televisions negatively impact sleep. I imagine trying to mix that space with stimulation is not going to produce the results you hope for in the long run. While bed time reading is a good part of a child's routine and is actually used as a quiet and calming solution for sleepless episodes, I recommend against using a child's room for an educational space.

I agree with the others comments above about a bedroom being for sleep, quiet time and reading. Their brains are growing so fast and need quiet space with minimal stimulation so it can heal and recharge after a day of learning and activity. We are fortunate enough to have a second living space that we use for our kids. The computers are there and under supervision since in a public area and they have their games and Legos and etc there. We have a world map on one wall but I love the suggestions about more maps, periodic table , etc so I need to add more cool stuff to our walls. They do their homework/projects at the kitchen table and dining table and I'm right there to help and answer any questions. My boys are grades 4, 6 and 7. We have lots of books and bookshelves in nearly every room. Two of my boys are reluctant readers so I try to rotate and refresh the books and we go to the local library frequently.

Some of these ideas work for adults too. I put a world history chart behind our photocopier at work. It was a big hit. Why stare at a wall for thirty seconds when you can learn something new instead.

I would take the end wall in their bedroom and paint it with chalkboard paint. It encourages creativity and is a way to keep track of homework that needs to be done.

Also have a student desk for each of them with a good light. Have them keep the surface clean indicating it is only for homework/art projects. It is very conducive to learning to have a nice, accessible space to work from.

I got a tippie tent - awesome play, read or learn the world place!

Highly recomending :)

btw its located in a family room not son's bedroom

^so cute!

Books.

Hello Emily H,

You should take a look at this link :

http://petitandsmall.com/modern-furniture-kids-room-styling/

and at our Ideabooks, especially the one called "Nursery/children's room" !

Best of luck,

Atelier Armbruster

http://atelierarmbruster.com/

No TV in room --- ever.

Blackout curtains.

Dresser, accessible clothes storage.

Shelf and boxes where they can sort whatever they collect -- when younger

A place for having peace and quiet (can be in a den or another room).

Also, our kids never, ever used a desk. They did homework at the kitchen table when younger and in bed when teenagers.

They went ivy league schools, so something was conducive to learning :)

As a homeschooling mom for 18 years, I'd say first that children grow and change, so thematic rooms and specialty learning areas that have a narrow focus are quickly outgrown. I'd echo many others who say to make space for BOOKS BOOKS and more BOOKS somewhere in your home along with a cozy, quiet spot for your children to curl up and either read to themselves or enjoy a family reading time. Also, you can't go wrong with posting maps and/or having a globe somewhere in the home to refer to when reading or having a conversation. A space for collections of whatever interests them at the moment and a place for projects, such as art, Legos, and so forth encourages them to pursue an activity that they might be passionate about. Beyond this, your best bet in encouraging learning is to talk to your children, read to them, and allow them to experience life alongside you and to use naturally teachable moments. Breathing room and time to just daydream and be a kid is invaluable, so don't insist that every moment be devoted to active learning, lessons, or other scheduled activities.

Depends on the age. If they are school age and have homework, and you plan to have them doing it in their rooms, then it is a desk and lamp and things like rulers and compasses and a globe, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc. (When I was young, my parents had an encyclopedia and we read it subject by subject and learned a lot and my parents had us bring one new topic to the dinner table every night, but that was school age.)

my 3year old knows more than 15 carlogos, since our walk to preschool is a game each time :) he also knows way too many things for his age - not because being exceptionally smart but the main reason - he plays A LOT, and i let him, and i play along, afterall it is his main job, playing is learning for all ages! specially outside the box (or room)

Books and a reading nook. That's it. I would keep the stimulating and other fun stuff in the family room. The bedroom is for sleeping and maybe a little wind down reading. I have a collection of educational placemats that I swap out from time to time. My sons current favorite is a placemat that shows all the presidents and gives a little bio for each. We also have arithmetic tables, multiplication, world map, map of the U.S. Placemats Etc.... In the family room we keep plenty of books, a globe and educational games.

Some people don't have the luxury of a family room. And some families have children in different developmental stages who can benefit from space to spread out their "mess" without interfering with someone else's "mess."

If we are going to focus on sleep health here, the experts also say never to read in bed either. Bedrooms are to be strictly for sleep and sex. So allowing only books but no toys is technically not more conducive to sleep.

I'll go back to my original statement: let your kids be. I don't mean ignore or neglect them, rather let them have autonomy over increasing areas of their lives. Their bedroom is a great place to start.

Ever heard the phrase "educated idiot"? People can know an awful lot, and have no sense whatsoever. As parents we can mitigate that by fostering independence.

Our most loved and utilized feature for years has been a colorful meandering alphabet snake, which meant staying in motion. Cut out letters were taped on the floor at a step's distance to create a walkway. This has served for countless activities, including the awesome ones the children created themselves. Many times I thought they are too old for it now, or bored with it, but then someone came up with a new game. After reading the other valuable posts on this question I may assure you that the children never perceived it as a learning device, they simply flew to it.
Some examples (besides singing, running, jumping, riding, driving along, singing the ABC song):
Calling out names of family members and friends and racing to the starting letter or collecting toys that start with the same letter.
Matching small letters from a wooden puzzle with the capitals on the floor.
Match a paper card with "at", "it" etc. on it and see how many different words can be made by taking it for a walk.
Someone stands on a letter and the other one finds out which it is.
Driving toy cars along and inventing names for places that start with the letter.
Take the teddy bear on a ride along, he meets a bee on B, has a cup of tea on T and so on.
Of course, sometimes the letters are worn out, ripped or soaked from cleaning. Then even more motor skills are employed in drawing, cutting and scotch-taping the replacements. Seeing what an enduring sensation this has become, I'd carve them into the floor boards or cut the out of the carpet. Come to think of it, then it would be a puzzle, too!

Make learning fun from an early age. Start in their room but spread learning throughout the home. I had an alphabet rubber mat by the crib that we would sit on to play. It was used as a puzzle when I would ask my daughter to put the blue "A " in its space and colors were taught too. When I gave her a bath, shaving cream was spread all over the tile and she would play forming shapes, words, and letters and just having fun. My house was labeled so that words and letters were familiar. My daughter played games on the computer in my room only when they were challenging by asking her to calculate to solve problems that were part of the game. No internet at an early age. My daughter knew her alphabet at 2 and read by age 3. Write stories together after outings and read, read, read. When we were going in the car I would ask her what book she was taking with her and so she got use to taking a book instead of a stuffed bear. Love of books and stories needs to be developed before they go to school. It takes conscious effort but it is worth it. Did I mention that I was a reading teacher?

By spending time with them; reading, etc.

You can find different ideas, with animals, letters. Or maybe a map?
https://new.pixersize.com/wallmurals/p2?q=maps&order=recommended

I bought a National Geographic map for my son last week, a map is a must...u can ask them to memorize a country and it's capital each week, a globe, an illuminated one is better( of course, for an older child), lots of natural and artificial light, a pallette and an easel for painting, a magnetic board, a toy chest for storing toys, vertical and horizontal bookshelves (filled with books:the classics and modern books, I learnt how to read at age 3 cos my mom taught us to read early, kids should have books most of the time:in the car, on holidays, airport, while traveling, I don't encourage electronic games and the playroom shouldn't have a TV!

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We recommend sustainably produced, natural products like these and others for your children's rooms. Enjoy!

If you include a map of the world they can have fun while learning

@emilyh Old thread, but so relevant today: in times of COVID-19 distance learning rules. Now the "featured answer: ban electronics" does not apply, laptops, internet connections are a must. Actually now I was searching for examples of multifunctional bedrooms with a computer desk, charging station, and of course the bed. @emilyh Could you please point me in the right direction? the "search tool" top 2 results are dated 3-4 years ago, and an even older HouzzPoll is 7 years ago.