Have you felt like your house is a little smaller than it used to be? In the past year, there has been a significant increase in our time spent at home. We haven’t been going away for holidays or going out for meals, nor have we been heading out to our offices as much, and schooling has primarily been done at the dining room table.
This increase in time spent at home has contributed to a new demand for garden rooms. These are an incredible way of using extra space in your garden to add a separate workspace for a small business, a fitness studio, or an entertainment space such as a home cinema or family room.
A bespoke garden room can also be used as a classroom for remote learning. Even if you only have limited small space in your garden, a custom pod from Garden Retreats can ease some of the space issues related to homeschooling your children.
In this piece, we will discuss why a designated homeschooling space is necessary, how you can best plan a garden room for long-term homeschooling and how the Garden Retreats pod can work for you. We will also cover some frequently asked questions regarding garden rooms.
Click on one of the links below to jump to that section:
Why have a designated homeschooling space?
Homeschooling your children is a whole new world for most people. Adding ‘teacher’ to your list of jobs is probably not something you ever anticipated, and there may be issues you never anticipated when it comes to educating your little ones on a more permanent basis.
It is important that you create a routine early on in your homeschooling so that children know when to be focused and settle down to study, and realise that they need to work just as hard as they would in school. This can be difficult to instil initially, but keeping at it is vital. Getting organised might also prove to be a challenge; you will need a whole host of materials that you are not usually aware of, including a desk and lesson plans.
Changing up their space is a great idea, as children can easily become bored and lose concentration at home. After all, it’s usually where they watch TV and hang out, not study every day. Altering their perception of the home environment to include schoolwork might be quite difficult to begin with.
An amazing way to create the delineation between home and school, even when they are homeschooling, is by creating a designated homeschooling space. This allows you to easily place any homeschooling materials in a single space, meaning nothing necessary for the day’s study is ever lost or misplaced.
It also takes children out of their usual environment; away from the television and other distractions, such as another parent working from home, older siblings who may not be part of their schooling, and even pets running around. It allows them to have a place that they can ‘go’ to school, and then ‘come’ home, which in turn can improve focus.
Not only that, but it allows you to switch off from schooling them and back into parent mode by creating dedicated spaces for you to wear both your hats!
Planning a garden room for homeschooling
A homeschooling room in your garden is a really brilliant solution to creating a classroom space that works. However, there are some considerations you have to think about before investing in your own garden building.
A homeschooling classroom in your garden needs to suit both your garden space and the size of your family. If your garden is smaller, you don’t want to overwhelm it with a larger garden room, but you will need to create enough space for your children to learn comfortably and effectively.
You also need to consider the shape that will best fit your garden, as well as the materials that are sympathetic to the look of your house and will withstand impact from the weather. Choosing a high-quality garden room is essential to creating a space that can work both now and in the long run, as your needs grow and change.
The Garden Retreats pod
The Garden Retreats pod is an excellent way to create the garden classroom you need now and for a long time to come. These modular pods come in three sizes, each individually priced based on the size you choose. This means that you can have a small pod to meet the needs you have now, and add additional pods to create extra space if your requirements grow and change.
Ideal not only for homeschooling but also small businesses, you do not have to worry about losing money on your investment as you can easily take your pod(s) with you if and when you move.
Created using carbon fibre rather than wood, the pods will not expand or deteriorate over time, and are clad in a composite material that will not cause condensation. This means that the space is suitable for homeschooling at any time of year, and won’t become uncomfortable in any season.
All you have to do is choose the colour, style and pattern of wall and flooring—all electrics and heating is included internally. You also have a choice of bifold or patio doors, so you can choose the finish that best suits your design requirements and homeschooling specifics. As the need for a home classroom grows, a Garden Retreats pod is an accessible way to make the space you require.
Frequently asked questions
What is a garden room?
A garden room is a small, self-contained building that can be easily erected in your garden to create extra space for working, socialising or homeschooling. It is a freestanding structure that does not usually require planning permission.
Why have garden rooms increased in popularity?
Garden rooms have increased in popularity over the several past months as people have spent larger amounts of time at home. This means that it is necessary and beneficial to create more dedicated spaces for changing and growing needs and to create a divide between personal and professional worlds, or to make a space to socialise with friends.