Beginning when my kids were preschoolers we set aside one of the bedrooms as a workspace for the kids to do their creative projects. As they moved into school this room became a kid's library and learning center.

Of course that was before computers, but when they were teens computers came into popularity and we installed one for the kids to use both for recreation and homework assignments.

For kids with learning disabilities this home space can become a quiet place to concentrate and work at their own pace on school assignments, or enjoy their leisure with books and crafts.

When the weather permitted we spread out to the backyard, went on outings, to dancing and piano lessons, and soccer practice. But, still, the quiet refuge of the kids' retreat space remained a place that was important all through the childhood years.

With a limit to the amount of time the kids were allowed to watch television, their workroom - educational room - became a place to read and write in the evenings and do the ever present homework.

I liked having this room in the house for the kids to congregate and help each other if needed for assignments. Teaching another is a great way to cement a concept.

About the physical layout of the educational room - ours had a large front window facing east and along the sill we kept seeds growing before transplanting into the backyard garden.

One long wall of the room held the computer desk alongside floor to ceiling bookcases and the end walls had 3 foot high bookcases. The radiators were under the window. We had a central overhead bank of 3 lighting fixtures and a pole lamp with fixtures that could be adjusted to point where needed. There was not much distraction from outside, because we were on the 2nd floor above street level.

On the wall with the tall bookcases were several cubbies for each child. This was convenient to hold supplies and projects being worked on. I used an indoor-outdoor wall to wall carpeting on the floor.

Of course you would want arrange the room to suit your kids' needs from preschool to teens.

With the kids grown the educational room has become more of a library; a restful place to spend some quiet time catching up on reading and correspondence.

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Article by Susan Kramer