How to create a calm and peaceful classroom
with simple decor!
Use a Calming Transition Signal
For some students, traditional attention signals can jolt students out of deep thought and be harsh for their emotional well being. Find a calming signal that works for you and your students. Try different musical instruments, wind chimes, or turning a specific song to signal you need the students attention. If you like wind chimes, think of which sound would be most soothing for your children: The tinkling of metal, the soft sound of sea glass, or the tropical tones of bamboo. Ahhh, feelinng peaceful already.
For some students, traditional attention signals can jolt students out of deep thought and be harsh for their emotional well being. Find a calming signal that works for you and your students. Try different musical instruments, wind chimes, or turning a specific song to signal you need the students attention. If you like wind chimes, think of which sound would be most soothing for your children: The tinkling of metal, the soft sound of sea glass, or the tropical tones of bamboo. Ahhh, feelinng peaceful already.
Be Organized
As we all know, organized classrooms naturally provide a sense of calm. Along with organizing yourself, teach your students to keep the room neat and clean for an overall positive classroom environment.
Divide Space and Create a Soft Look in Your Classroom
Get creative and hang some calming sheers, curtains, or "dangles" (as I like to call them) from your classroom ceiling to divide spaces in your classroom. Secluded spaces allow students to stay focused and avoid distractions that may be occurring elsewhere in the classroom.
Princess bed sheers cover entire reading corners to create an area made for quite and focused independent or buddy reading time for your students. Beaded or ribbon curtains divide and define spaces to help students remain on task.
Get creative and hang some calming sheers, curtains, or "dangles" (as I like to call them) from your classroom ceiling to divide spaces in your classroom. Secluded spaces allow students to stay focused and avoid distractions that may be occurring elsewhere in the classroom.
Princess bed sheers cover entire reading corners to create an area made for quite and focused independent or buddy reading time for your students. Beaded or ribbon curtains divide and define spaces to help students remain on task.
Lighting: It Matters!
Research has shown that the type of lighting in your classroom has a significant impact on student behavior. Florescent lighting (the kind that most likely installed in your classroom) is known to cause students to feel anxious and overly excitable. Turn off the lights (or at least SOME of the lights) in your room and replace that light with more natural light by the way of floor lamps and string lights. Then, test the transformation for yourself. Keep a tally of off-task behavior when the florescent lights are on as compared to when the natural lighting is used. I know I became a believer!
Research has shown that the type of lighting in your classroom has a significant impact on student behavior. Florescent lighting (the kind that most likely installed in your classroom) is known to cause students to feel anxious and overly excitable. Turn off the lights (or at least SOME of the lights) in your room and replace that light with more natural light by the way of floor lamps and string lights. Then, test the transformation for yourself. Keep a tally of off-task behavior when the florescent lights are on as compared to when the natural lighting is used. I know I became a believer!
Diffuse Intense Florescent Lights
Flags, curtains, fabric, and tissue paper work wonders on diffusing the intense light given off by the florescent bulbs in your classroom. When pinned over ceiling lights, these light diffusing options allow the room to be illuminated, while modifying the light to a much more appealing and relaxing color.
Flags, curtains, fabric, and tissue paper work wonders on diffusing the intense light given off by the florescent bulbs in your classroom. When pinned over ceiling lights, these light diffusing options allow the room to be illuminated, while modifying the light to a much more appealing and relaxing color.
Absorb Echoing Sound in the Classroom
Tile floors and cement walls do teachers no favors in the area of creating a quiet and calm space for students.
Tile floors and cement walls do teachers no favors in the area of creating a quiet and calm space for students.
Combat the echoing sound with a few of these tips:
1. Attach soft feet to table and chair feet to dull the sounds of movement in your room. Puncture a tennis ball to cover each foot, and listen as your classroom becomes a quieter, more peaceful place.
2. Use rugs in high traffic areas to absorb the sounds of busy students traveling around your classroom.
3. Add fabric wherever you can to absorb echoing noise of class activities. Curtains, fabric dividers, pillows, cotton bulletin board backgrounds, and table cloths go a long way in stopping the echoing noise of your busy students.
Play Quiet, Calm, Instrumental Music
Quiet background music can dull the side conversations, teacher/student conversations, or occassional disruption that may occur in a classroom, allowing students to focus and remain on task through their entire work period. Music and be played throughout the day, or at especially intense, quiet work periods (like Writing and Reading time) to help student relax and think clearly.
Quiet background music can dull the side conversations, teacher/student conversations, or occassional disruption that may occur in a classroom, allowing students to focus and remain on task through their entire work period. Music and be played throughout the day, or at especially intense, quiet work periods (like Writing and Reading time) to help student relax and think clearly.
Think Happy, Feel Calm
Add motivational posters and happy thoughts to your classroom walls to make your students feel empowered, safe, and content in your classroom.
Add motivational posters and happy thoughts to your classroom walls to make your students feel empowered, safe, and content in your classroom.
Grow Plants!
Plants are shown to have calming effects on those around them. Add some greenery to your classroom and up the homey feeling your students have while at school. Prepare your room with plants, but also have your students plant seeds and watch them grow!
Plants are shown to have calming effects on those around them. Add some greenery to your classroom and up the homey feeling your students have while at school. Prepare your room with plants, but also have your students plant seeds and watch them grow!
Soothing Sounds
Use the peaceful sound of a babbling brook or water fountain to bring the outdoors in and add the instant feeling of calm to your classroom. Mini water fountains take very little space, but add a big impact to your calm classroom decor.
Use the peaceful sound of a babbling brook or water fountain to bring the outdoors in and add the instant feeling of calm to your classroom. Mini water fountains take very little space, but add a big impact to your calm classroom decor.
Additional Resources for Making a Calmer Classroom Environment
These books even more excellent, tried and tested, ideas for decorating your classroom in a way that calms students (and teachers!) and allows everyone an environment that is most suitable for learning. Check 'em out!
These books even more excellent, tried and tested, ideas for decorating your classroom in a way that calms students (and teachers!) and allows everyone an environment that is most suitable for learning. Check 'em out!