6 Tips for Creating the Perfect Study Space for Your Kids

While it won’t guarantee them a place at Harvard, having a room or designated space in your home for studying can help kids focus on their homework. Here are 6 tips for creating the perfect study space for your kids:

1. Brighter room, brighter mind

Lighting is one of the most critical features of a productive study space, especially as night comes early during much of the school year. Add a desk or floor lamp if the room’s main light isn’t bright enough.

2. A door — that closes

Shut out distractions — such as the sound of dinner being made or younger siblings watching TV — with a solid door that minimizes outside sound. If a door is not possible, foam earplugs, white noise machines or soft background music can help fight encroaching buzz.

3. Banish distractions

Make the room a phone-free zone and if there’s a TV, take the remote during study time to reduce temptation.

4. Consider color

The color of the room can affect kids’ ability to concentrate. Elementary school-aged kids do best when surrounded by warmer colors, like yellow and peach, while older students focus best with cooler hues, like blues and greens, according to psychological color studies.

5. Clear clutter

Towers of magazines, piles of mail and even baskets of laundry can distract kids from homework. Help them focus by keeping the space, especially the desk, as clutter-free as possible.

6. Talk to an expert — your kid

Perhaps the most important factor in creating a great study space is finding out your child’s unique preferences. You might love the expensive ergonomically correct chair, but your kid might find it easier to read for long periods from a giant beanbag on the floor.

Article originally appeared on RE/MAX.