Are there students in your early childhood class who need some extra help managing their strong emotions? Create a cozy corner Being in your classroom can help your child learn how to manage their strong emotions. The cozy learning center provides a safe space for young children to calm down when they are feeling angry, sad, nervous or any strong emotion.
Where to put the cozy corner
There are many benefits to creating a designated space in the classroom for children to practice social-emotional regulation. The first thing you should know about creating a safe space is that you don’t have to place this area in a corner. It doesn’t matter where you put it or what you call it – safe space, calm corner, calm nook, safe place.
It is important to have a dedicated area in the classroom to teach children how to safely manage their emotions. Ideally, you should place quiet spaces away from the noisiest areas of the classroom. Easier said than done, Am I right?
Safe space does not mean timeout
Another important thing you should know about the Comfort Corner is that it does not fit pause. This is not a place where you send an angry or upset toddler to isolate them from others.
The purpose of a safe space is to provide young children with opportunities and tools to regain control of their emotions. But this isn’t a “set it and forget it” area, you can put in some calming activities and tools and then expect the kids to know what to do with them.
Create a safe space in the classroom where students can practice problem solving and managing emotions. Learning how to problem-solve and self-regulate emotions are particularly important social-emotional skills. Your students need to learn these skills now so they can succeed in school and in life. Without these skills, they will struggle in both areas.
Your calm zone should be no It’s for punishment. Rather, it should help teach and support the social and emotional needs of students in the classroom.
What to put in your calm corner
Now you know what a cozy corner is and what it isn’t. Let’s take a look at items you can add to your calming corner.
Some items will make your space comfortable and inviting, while others are tools for developing important self-regulation skills. Choose what you think will work best for your classroom and students. Putting too many things in your cool corner may cause more problems, so choose wisely.
When young children have difficulty controlling their emotions, they may cry and handle materials roughly. Therefore, it is important to remember that items placed in this area need to be durable and easy to clean.
How to introduce your calm corner
teach children Classroom routines It helps them feel safe. Establishing a classroom routine is one of the first things to do at the beginning of every school year. Without proper classroom routines, any teaching will be difficult to conduct.
Introduce your calm corner like any other corner Learning Center In your classroom. You can start by reading a book about Books about big emotions Come to your class during the entire group time.
Next, students are shown the center’s tools and modeled how to use them. Then, pass one of the items from the center and invite your child to touch and feel them.
Finally, move on to the procedures for using the space. Discuss with your students the appropriate times to visit the center. Explain the activities they can do there.
Demonstrate how to use the materials provided. Instruct them on the proper procedures for cleaning up after themselves. This doesn’t have to be done in one day, you can spread the process over several days.
A calm area for a small space
If you don’t have enough space in your classroom for a completely calming area, no problem! You can place some books and calming tools in a tub, bin, or basket and place them on a shelf anywhere.
Security Center
I get a lot of questions about safety centers or comfort corners, so I’ve provided answers to some of the most common questions below.
Q: What if my child just wants to play in a cozy corner?
It depends on what you mean by game. If your student chooses to be there during center time that’s fine. Children learn through play; if they use materials as intended, this should not be a problem.
Q: What if my child doesn’t want to go to the quiet corner?
When young children have difficulty controlling their emotions, they will refuse to do anything they are told to do. Instead, use carefully worded statements and questions to invite them there. For example, say in a very calm and steady voice: “I see the corners of your mouth are turned down and your eyebrows are drawn together. Would you like to go to a quiet corner and squeeze a stress ball?”
In the example above, you began by verbally describing what you saw on the student’s face. Then you give the child the choice of going to the center and give examples of what he can do there. But there’s no guarantee that your child will want to go to a quiet corner. If this is the case, you would want to follow up with something like, “You know what I do when I feel (name this emotion)? I like to take deep breaths like this (demonstrate). This is a reminder to students that they can use A way of managing emotions using different techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions about Comfort Corner Hotel
Q: How many children do you allow in the safe space at one time?
Like any new center, it will be very popular once introduced to your students for the first time. During this introductory phase, you may notice that more students are visiting the center than you would like. Just know that this is normal and will decrease over time.
Initially, you may want to limit the number of students who visit the center until they are more familiar with the center and the materials available there. Remember, when they come to this center, they are practicing self-regulation, which is a good thing!
Q: What if I have a student who has a complete meltdown due to extreme behavior such as throwing and hitting? How can I get them to a safe place?
When a toddler has a tantrum, safety is the top priority. Keeping your children safe is important. We also need to ensure the safety of other students in the classroom. Don’t worry about the safe space at this time, it is designed as a teaching tool, children cannot learn or be taught while having a meltdown.
Keep other students away from the child in crisis. Remove anything that could harm you or your child in a crisis.
Instead, you can teach, model, and practice using calming strategies and safety centers with your students during large or small group activities (rather than during meltdowns). Stay calm and speak softly during difficult times to help your child manage strong emotions. It’s important to maintain a steady voice to avoid making things worse.
Keep in mind that developing self-regulation skills is difficult for many young children, and it doesn’t happen overnight. Whatever you do, don’t give up— There you have it!
