Let’s be honest: Distance learning wasn’t exactly a piece of cake the first time around — and distance learning school supplies? Are you kidding me? Post-Its and desperate scribble-scrawl don’t cut it, you say? Huh. Well, I would go so far as to say that distance learning, virtual schooling, online whatever you ended up doing when schools closed last March due to the COVID-19 pandemic…it was all pretty awful.
Sure, some kids excelled with distance learning, but many, many kids did not. Kids’ mental health started to take a toll, there were tears, and bribes, and more tears. Everyone felt like they were failing. It can feel like distance learning offers more questions than answers: How much time should you spend on it? What will be the long-term effects on your kids’ education? Even teachers are hating distance learning with their own kids. But everybody, take a breath: It doesn’t have to be that way, and thanks to our guide to distance learning, you’ll be set up for success with some of the most delightful “school” supplies to make the whole thing a fun experience for everyone involved. 2020’s got nothing on a mom on a mission, right?
After all, this is a new school year, and a chance to start fresh. Whether your kid is doing a hybrid in-person school model, full-time distance learning, you’ve made your own homeschool pod, or you’ve decided to screw it all and travel America in a camper for some “unschooling” — no choice is the easy choice. But if you’re going the distance-learning route, it doesn’t have to be as painful as it was last March. (We pinky-promise.) From cozy sound-canceling headphones and cute planners to blue-light-blocking glasses and a chair that lets your kiddo wiggle while they work, we’ve scoured far and wide and rounded up your guide to distance learning essentials, with everything parents and kids need to make the whole process a breeze. Yes, seriously. A breeze.
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A non-slump seat
Sitting still for so long can wreak havoc on your body, especially for kids. This active chair lets littles wiggle while they work and engages their core for stronger backs and healthier postures. It also helps fidgety kids (aka all kids) with concentration, and is flexible enough to move side to side and back and forth. It’s the perfect way to stop slouching and keep kids’ bodies active while they’re sitting in front of their computer or studying, and comes in a toddler size or a little kids size.
A way to make scheduling fun
With distance learning, it’s more important than ever for your kid to stay organized, and on top of their assignments and projects. Bando has released some gorgeous and fun planners for 2020/2021 that go one step further than to-do lists and phone numbers. Each month is assigned a personality trait for you to focus on that is designed to help you set intentions and reflect on your progress. The month opener is also inspired by each word and is created by a badass woman artist. An intention-setting page kicks off each month with space to set goals and make plans, and a reflection page closes out each month — the perfect way to transition into a new trait. And if that weren’t enough, it has pages of stickers, fun activities, even a postcard to mail your future self.
An eye-saver
We’ve been beat over the head with warnings about too much screen time for years, and now that even school is online, we’re more aware than ever of the dangers of blue light and its effects on the body. These glasses block artificial blue light and will help your screen-learning kid still be able to doze off at bedtime. These blue blockers can also help prevent digital eye strain, headaches, and fatigue. Zoom exhaustion is real, and these glasses are here to save the day.
Learning just got cuddly
Kids are getting stressed out with distance learning, and one way to help calm and center frayed nerves is with a weighted blanket. Aside from the sleeping benefits, keeping a weighted blanket over your lap while you work on the computer can feel like a constant hug, and the deep pressure helps to relax your restless kiddo. This blanket is made with 100% cotton, and comes in a myriad of patterns and colors.
A notebook-screen combo
Instead of stacks of notebooks and looseleaf paper cluttering up your kids desk, this LCD boogie board writing tablet eliminates the need for all that paper (how environmentally friendly!) and reduces everything down to this one lightweight tablet. It also has an anti-erasure lock so there’s no accidental blank-outs, and it’s a fun alternative to pen and paper.
So much more than a chalkboard
If you have toddlers who are at home doing distance learning, they don’t really need a desk like your older kids do, but they still need somewhere to express themselves and assert their independence. The learning tower from Little Partners is just that. Designed by a former Montessori school principal, the Learning Tower lifts your toddler to kitchen-counter height to encourage interaction and togetherness between children and parents. It also has an activity center that includes a chalkboard, paper holder and shelf to store your little one’s belongings. As close to a teeny classroom for your teeny learner as you can get.
Bright writing
Gel pens are a bright and bold way to make schoolwork a little more colorful. Now, your kids Zoom meeting doodles will be in technicolor, with 12 rainbow colors and extra-fine tips.
Block out the noise
Headphones are key for distance learning, and these Soundcore headphones are noise-canceling (they reduce ambient noise by up to 90%), super cozy, and have a battery life that just won’t quit. And when you’re in a rush, charge Life Q20 active noise-canceling headphones for 5 minutes and get 4 hours of listening, a mere fraction of their 60 hours of nonstop playtime.
Sunshiney scribbles
Your kiddo may be doing most of their work online, but everyone needs some paper for doodles, taking notes, working out math problems, and did I mention the doodles? This adorable notebook from Bando is sure to brighten up dreary distance-learning days.
Make math magical
Kids learn in a variety of ways: seeing, hearing and doing. Since distance learning doesn’t exactly allow you to reach through the screen to work with 3D objects (Looking at you, Willy Wonka), it’s a good idea to have some in-person manipulatives your kiddo can work with, like this multiplication board that’s educational and looks good sitting on a shelf. It’s made of high-quality wood and helps to improve color and shape recognition, sorting skills, and fine-motor development.
A total spine-saver
Since your kiddos are working from home, sitting at a desk all day might not be the best to keep them focused. If they need to move around, or go sit outside with their computer, a lap desk is a must. This one is super comfy with a padded base and adjustable top for ultimate typing comfort, and it comes in a rainbow of colors.
Plan it out
Planning may not be your kid’s strong suit, but this magnetic planner is magnetic, so it can stick to your fridge, and it’s a great way to organize tests, due dates, and projects. If you have little ones, it’s the perfect format to write the day’s schedule, be it Zoom circle time with their class or a picnic lunch outside. Being able to visually see the plan for the day makes it easier for your kiddo to transition from thing to thing — and by proxy makes it easier on you as the parent.
An endlessly reusable “worksheet”
While “letter of the week” at school was fun, this double-sided letters and numbers magnetic board brings tracing letters to a whole new level. Using a magnetic pen, kiddos can trace the colorful forms, and as they trace, ball bearings pop up to complete the letter. It’s a great replacement for workbooks and worksheets that just get tossed away.
Brain food
Vitamins and immunity boosters are always important for kids, but this year they are especially vital. Smarty Pants Organics is a delicious gummy multivitamin for kids with probiotocs, Vitamin D3, B12, and Omega 3s. Making sure they start the morning off right has never tasted so good. You’re definitely going to be tempted to steal some for yourself, but don’t worry: They make adult gummies too.
A total tech dock
With all the electronics required for distance learning, you’re going to need a good charging situation that doesn’t result in a tangled mass of cords and a pile of scratched-up screens. Enter, the Hercules Tuff charging station. It’s a fast-charging six-port USB station with cables included, to make charging a neatly organized cinch.
An art break
Since screen time limits have basically gone out the window, don’t forget to include some breaks in the day to get your kids outside and to build, draw, or craft something. Kid Made Modern has great all-in-one craft kits with different themes so your kiddo can exercise their creativity: make their own zoo with creautres found of the wild, or dream up their own species. The kit comes with pom poms, fuzzy sticks, animal print fabric sheets, fuzzy beads, glass eyes, and cord to let their imagination run…well, wild.
An emotional well-being boost
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, your little ones mental health is of the utmost importance, and kiddos are going to have a lot of really big feelings about this year’s insanity, and about seeing their teacher and friends over the computer instead of in person. The Feels from Slumberkins were created to support the emotional well-being of your child, and helps little ones become more aware of their emotions, recognize them as healthy, and offers tools to help express and support them. With The Feels, you’ll get 5 mini feels (the emotions of worried, sad, mad, scared, and calm are each represented by a mini Slumberkins Yeti with the word matching the emotion embroidered on their back) and a Slumberkins mountain pillow, which is ultra soft and has pockets on the back to store the yetis. You’ll also get The Feels Book, a 24 page hardcover book that joins Yeti on a journey of self-discovery as she meets her feelings and learns how to take care of each one, and a parents resource guide- because parents need help too! The resource guide provides reflection questions and activities to support parents and caregivers to best use this tool with little ones.
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