Create a Preschool Cozy Corner
Help your little one regulate emotions with a preschool cozy corner. They provide a safe place for kids to relax and calm down independently.
What is a Cozy Corner (and what it isn’t)
A preschool cozy corner can go by many names: a reading corner, a calm-down corner, a ‘special place,’ or even a hideout.
It’s a place where little ones can go to help regulate their bodies. Both the kids and the grown-ups expect what to do at the cozy corner to help make it as beneficial to the preschooler as possible.
A preschool cozy corner is NOT a time-out spot. It is not intended to be a place for punishment.
This article may contain affiliate links to products that may help you when homeschooling preschool.
Why Have a Cozy Corner
Teaching children to self-regulate their bodies and emotions takes work. Providing tools and spaces facilitating self-regulation is critical to helping preschoolers learn this vital skill.
Preschool cozy corners don’t only have to be used when a little one is upset. Some little ones may go to the cozy corner to get a break from the noise and stimulation of the house or classroom.
Cozy corners can be used preemptively to avoid meltdowns or overstimulation.
Some kids like to use cozy corners because it’s fun, and that’s fine, too (as long as they are following the rules you have set).
How to Create a Cozy Corner
The hardest part of creating a preschool cozy corner is finding a space in your house or classroom that you don’t need.
- Clear out the corner you intend to make into a cozy corner.
- Find something soft for the floor (like a bean bag or a rug) for preschoolers to sit on.
- Add a table or a bin with calming things to do, like fidgets or sensory bottles.
- Put a collection of books in the cozy corner.
- Include some soft pillows and *maybe* some fairy lights.
Ideas of Things to Include
Bean Bag Chairs
Perfect for sitting on and feeling like you are being wrapped in a hug.
Small Area Rug
It makes the preschool cozy corner a bit more cozy and welcoming.
Dog Bed
A large dog bed instead of a bean bag chair and a rug can be used. They are comfy to sit or lay on and are built to last.
Fidgets
Small toys keep your preschooler’s mind and hands busy. Having an assortment is nice because preschoolers can choose the one they want to use that day. They also don’t get bored with them as fast if there is an assortment.
Throw Pillows
Throw pillows help to make the preschool cozy corner a bit more cozy. They can also be used as pillows when lying in the cozy corner or propped behind the preschooler’s back when sitting by a wall. Pillows can also serve as a weighted item to provide pressure on the body if your little one likes that.
Fairy Lights
String some fairy lights around the cozy corner to create a calming atmosphere. This linked set plugs in and has a remote control, making it easy to turn them on and off. The brightness can be adjusted, and a timer can be set.
Shower Curtain Tension Rod
Some kids may like a bit more privacy while in the cozy corner. You can provide this space by hanging a shower curtain on a tension rod.
Have the tension rod go from one wall to the other wall so that the corner where the cozy corner is is blocked off.
Visual Timer
A visual timer will help your little one see how long they have left in the cozy corner (if you set a time). Some kids enjoy watching the timer get smaller and smaller to calm their bodies down.
Emotions Mirror
The cool thing about this mirror is that it comes with pictures to show what faces look like while they are feeling certain emotions. Kids can use the mirror to try to mimic the facial cues.
This is a way for kids to become more in tune with their facial cues and identify their emotions.
Stuffed Animals
Stuffed animals provide to cuddle or squeeze and get pent-up emotions out.
Calming Down Space for Preschoolers
Letting your little one flourish is one of the best joys of homeschooling. By creating a preschool cozy corner, you are helping your little onself-regulate their emotions andto flourish. Way to go!
