Community topic

Calm and quiet spaces

Calm spaces do not need to be expensive sensory rooms or beautifully styled corners. Sometimes the most useful spaces are small, familiar and simple enough for children to move towards when the room feels too loud, too busy or too demanding.

Let's talk

What makes a calm space actually work in your room?

It might be a chair tucked beside a bookshelf, cushions under a table, a small tent, a quieter part of the verandah, a familiar basket of objects or simply an educator sitting nearby without asking lots of questions. What have you noticed helps children genuinely use the space?

Educator Community

Want to join the conversation?

Sign in to read educator contributions, add your own experience, reply to other educators and share safe photos of ideas being used in real early childhood settings.

Practical resource

Developmentally Appropriate Spaces

A practical resource to help educators think about how early childhood spaces can support children's movement, regulation, participation and development.

View PDF Download PDF

Ready to share with families

Children are affected by the spaces around them. Simple changes to an environment can make it easier for children to move, regulate, play, concentrate and participate. This might mean creating a quieter place to retreat, reducing visual clutter, allowing more room for movement, or making everyday materials easier for children to access independently. Small environmental changes can make a big difference to how a child experiences their day.