How to Refresh Your Classroom
7 min read
Smart Ways To Spend End-Of-Year Funds
As the school year ends, many educators are faced with leftover funding that needs to be allocated or lost. These funds are perfect for updating your learning spaces with a fresh, sensory-friendly approach. A calm classroom supports all students, not just those with sensory processing needs, by promoting focus, self-regulation and emotional wellbeing. Whether you are looking to decorate a classroom, sensory room or hallway, equipping the space with versatile sensory tools can make a world of difference for students. Here are some ideas for how you can refresh these spaces to create an engaging, calming and regulated learning environment for the year ahead.
Build a Calm Classroom That Supports Focus and Wellbeing
A calm classroom is a space that provides soothing sensory input to promote concentration on the task at hand. All children can benefit from an environment that boosts their focus, but it is especially important for those who struggle to reach a state of sensory equilibrium. Students with sensory processing disorders often find it difficult to learn when they are trying to satisfy their sensory needs. Once the sensory system is calm, the mind is free to pay attention, process information and create new synapses as kids learn.
These classrooms are often decorated with calming color palettes and soothing lighting and outfitted with an assortment of tools for sensory breaks. Teachers may keep minimal decorations on the walls, to avoid visual clutter. Various shades of blue and green are common because of their psychological associations with peace, health and calmness. Light Covers are a great way to soften harsh fluorescent lighting often found in classrooms.
Consider adding flexible seating to encourage gentle movement while helping restless students stay engaged. A well-stocked Break Box, with an assortment of calming tools, gives students choices to manage their sensory needs. Soft textures can also be incorporated into the classroom. Weighted lap pads and weighted stuffed animals come in a variety of materials to satisfy different needs and provide grounding proprioceptive input.
Create a Calming Corner or Calm Down Area
Honing in on a corner of your classroom for a sensory refresh can be a low-cost and high-impact approach to the end of the year. Choose a low-traffic spot in the classroom to minimize distraction for the student using it, as well as for the other students in the room. (Learn more about how to avoid disrupting other students with sensory corners here.) Make sure the space is clearly delineated with Gel Tiles, Spot Markers or even a soft area rug. You can decorate the walls with sensory boards or Touch ‘N Brush Wall Panels to promote quiet activity and contemplation.
Educators need to consider their students’ needs when choosing tools to include in a classroom calming corner. Popular items include comfy seating, like bean bag chairs and cushions, as well as fidgets to keep hands busy. The SensaSoft™ Compression Canoe offers a snug spot to get deep pressure input while staying in the classroom with peers. A Bubble Tube is an incredible source of soothing visual input for many children. The gently floating bubbles are a great way to help kids calm and reset. (Read more about how to set up an effective classroom corner here.)
Sensory Tool and Layouts That Support Every Student
Sometimes your classroom might benefit from some reorganization in addition to updated tools. Identify the common activities that take place throughout the day and consider creating zones for each. This is a powerful tool for many sensory classrooms, as it allows educators to be more intentional about their decor choices and placement. For example, a reading nook in a classroom for children with autism may feature LED lighting to reduce visual stimulation. An ADHD-friendly classroom setup is likely to include active seating options, such as Wobble Chairs, and an area with tools to provide focused vestibular input, like a Bounce Board or Sensory Pathway Decals.
Decorating Tips By Grade Level
How To Decorate a High School Classroom
Appeal to older students with mature themes and colors throughout the space. Incorporate visuals that are relevant to their current stage of life and interests, whether from books or cultural references. Make sure that you look at sensory tools that are functional for teens. Don’t forget about wearable supports, like sensory clothing. These can be a discreet way to provide students with all-day support.
How To Refresh a Middle School Classroom
Students in their pre- and early-teens may require additional support when it comes to emotional regulation and focus. They are experiencing many changes to themselves as they get older, moving from childhood into adulthood. When looking to refresh a middle school classroom space, look at tools that promote social-emotional learning and a sense of security. If children feel safe, then they are more likely to be able to self-regulate effectively and turn their attention to learning. Include weighted items for grounding deep pressure and tactile feedback, sensory cushions for subtle seating support, and chewies to safely satisfy oral motor needs.
Kindergarten and Preschool Ideas
At such a young age, there is usually a greater focus on hands-on learning than in older classrooms. Use visual schedules and timers to encourage independence. Tactile seating options are great for circle time and other activities throughout the day. You can decorate parts of the classroom thematically; choose a topic of interest for the students, the current season or a lesson you’d like to focus on more deeply. Change up the wall decor and colors accordingly to keep kids engaged.
Classroom Walls
You can transform the walls of your classroom into interactive, regulation-friendly spaces that support sensory input throughout the day. Due to the sensory nature of these ‘decor’ pieces, many of them can also qualify for end-of-year funding. Below are a few of our favorite additions to a classroom:
Refresh your classroom with our soft, child-friendly felt board sets. They are perfect for calming corners and creative play areas. Each themed pack encourages vocabulary building, fine motor skills and imaginative thinking while keeping kids engaged.
Add hands-on exploration to engage students. Students can explore cause and effect with the ball run, in addition to the other tactile elements of this panel. The board promotes visual perceptual skills and fine motor development through short, structured breaks that help kids reset.
Give your classroom a new look with these noise-reducting felt tiles. Easy to install and endlessly customizable, you can create exactly the look you want for your classroom. The tiles help reduce auditory distraction from hallways and neighboring spaces. Plus they double as a bulletin board for added functionality.
Make the Most of Your School’s End-Of-Year Funds
Investing in your school’s sensory tools is key to improving student wellbeing, engagement and, ultimately, their success. Take the time now to inspect your current equipment for safety– check for frayed ropes, torn fabric or worn out materials, and replace any items showing wear and tear to ensure a secure environment. As you plan for the upcoming school year, think about how you can improve on the sensory measures you had in place. Incorporating these tools and strategies can enhance your school environment, transforming it into a place where all students can flourish.
Connect with our team before budgets reset. We can work with you to find ways to make the most of leftover funds, so that you can equip classroom corners and sensory hallways with the best tools for your students.
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