Work From Home Can Include Your Child: Tips for Creating a Co-Working Space for Kids to ‘Pretend’ Work By Shiela Mie Legaspi, President — Cyberbacker
Stanford University reports that US employees clocked over 25% of their workdays while working from home during the first months of 2023. The flexibility to work from home and care for young children has enormous benefits, but the task can prove distracting without establishing proper boundaries.
Many parents find that the workday goes more smoothly when they take time to creatively include their kids. By setting up a pretend working space in your office, you can create an environment that allows your child to be near you, explore what you do, and play while you accomplish your tasks.
How pretend play benefits both you and your child
Stimulating your kids’ imagination through pretend play is not just a way to distract them during your workday. Mounting research indicates that pretend play is vital for cognitive, social, and emotional development.
In a roundup of recent studies, the Scientific American reports, “Systematic research has increasingly demonstrated a series of clear benefits of children’s engagement in pretend games from the ages of about two […] through ages six or seven.”
Pretend play helps children learn about the world, themselves, and others. It is one of the first ways they explore their likes, dislikes, interests, and abilities. When your kids pretend, they find a safe way to express new ideas and feelings. Pretend play allows them to learn how to solve problems, think creatively, develop empathy, regulate emotions, and build self-confidence.
In addition to these benefits, pretend play provides an opportunity for you to participate in your children’s imaginary worlds. You’ll see what they’re interested in and talk about it together, all while still managing to get your work done.
How to create a space for pretend play in your work-from-home office
The first step to include your kids as you work from home is creating a quiet space near your desk. If you can spare the floor space needed for a kid-sized desk or table, that is ideal.
For lighting, bright areas near windows with natural lighting are best. But if windows are not available, try adding a fun lamp to brighten the workspace. Take time to make your kids’ workspace feel welcoming and comfortable by decorating it with bright colors and adding their favorite air freshener sent.
Additionally, mirrors and green plants can make the area warm and inviting. Finishing touches like a dry-erase board, mini bulletin board, and calendar are fun ways to complete the office. Above all, make sure you choose supportive and comfy chairs for your kids.
When the workspace is decorated, stock it with activities such as books, Legos, puzzles, and coloring supplies. These materials give kids something to focus on when you need to wrap up an important phone call or draft and send out a last-minute email.
Above all, be sure to demonstrate to your children how important it is to keep their workspace clean and clutter-free. Just like adults, kids find clutter distracting and even stressful.
How to set a work-from-home routine for your kids
We all know kids thrive on routine, so why not print a nametag and design a uniform your children can wear on “workdays?” This establishes a set schedule and lets your kids know when you need them to work independently.
As much as we’d like our kids to sit and play quietly all day long, we know this is not possible. Keep your expectations realistic, offer kids attention between tasks, and break up the day with times to run and play.
A visual calendar blocking out the daily schedule with picture cues can help your kids stay on task. It’s easy to make this calendar by snapping photos of your kids as they engage in daily activities like eating lunch, cleaning the desk, and coloring.
When you need to remind your kids how to “work” appropriately in the pretend office, use a quiet, gentle tone. Remember to talk to them with the same respect you use when speaking to your coworkers.
One final trick to help your kids make it through their pretend workday is creating a calm corner. Make the area inviting with a soft rug, bean bag chair, blanket, or pillow, then find a few items like a favorite stuffed animal or stress ball. Everyone needs a place to relax, after all, and this area is like the breakroom adult employees escape to throughout their workday.
Children need to know how important it is for you to focus as you work from home. By allowing your kids to be a part of your day through pretend play, you can help them have fun while learning valuable skills.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
