Five ways to keep children organised at school

It's never too early (or too late) to teach children how to get and stay organised for school. The skills they learn now will carry over into high school and ultimately their careers and home management as adults.

 

1. Establish a great homework routine

With your child, determine the best time for daily school work and stick with it. For some kids, it will be right after school. Others may need some downtime to play, and then it's time to hit the books. The most important thing is to stick to the schedule so your child knows what is expected.

2. Set up the space

Have a designated study area, such as the kitchen table. But for unique assignments, allow for some flexibility such as moving to a rocking chair for reading chapter books.

3. Make sure you know what's going on

Instruct children to unload their backpacks as soon as they come home. Have them hang up their bags in a designated area for easy access tomorrow and bring homework to the designated study area. Check in each day so you're aware of their workload and take special care when they seem overwhelmed.

4. Encourage the use of lists and planners

The older children get, the more homework and activities they'll have. Teach them to manage their tasks with the use of simple lists or a planner or calendar of some sort. When they learn of upcoming assignments, tests, or events, they should write them down in their planners.

5. Encourage colour coding

Colour affects our mood and memory so let children pick the colours of their folders and notebooks to correspond to different classes. If green reminds them of science, then they'll know instantly to grab the green notebook when looking for their science notes.