Classroom Calm Corner Guide

Use this guide to set up and maintain a cozy, calming sanctuary in your classroom. Organize by these five key areas.

1. Furniture & Layout

• Seating Options: Floor cushions, beanbag chairs, small bench.
• Work Surfaces: Low table or lap desks for drawing and writing.
• Storage: Small shelves or cubbies to hold materials and sensory tools.
• Arrangement: Create an open, inviting shape (circle or semicircle) so students can enter and exit easily.

2. Decor & Ambiance

• Color Palette: Soft pastels (light blues, greens, lavenders) to promote calm.
• Lighting: Fairy lights, salt lamps, or dimmable desk lamps—avoid harsh overhead lights.
• Textures: Soft rugs, plush pillows, weighted blankets.
• Nature Elements: Small potted plants, artificial greenery, or nature-themed posters.

3. Sensory Tools & Activities

• Fidget Tools: Stress balls, fidget spinners, textured rings.
• Mindfulness Prompts: Laminated cards with breathing exercises or guided visualizations.
• Creativity Supplies: Coloring pages, crayons, markers, simple puzzles.
• Reading Corner: A small basket of picture books or calming storybooks.

4. Rules & Etiquette

1. Time Limit: Set a 5–10 minute maximum per student, then rotate.
2. Quiet Voices: Whisper or silent reflection—keep noise low.
3. Sign-In System: Clip chart or cards to track who’s using the corner and for how long.
4. Respect Materials: Use items gently and return them to their place when finished.
5. Safe Behavior: No roughhousing or distracted movement—focus on calm and respect.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

• Materials Manager: Checks supplies daily—refills crayons, replaces mats, cleans tools.
• Timekeeper: Monitors sessions and gently reminds peers when time is up.
• Safety Captain: Ensures the corner stays tidy and that students follow the rules.
• Reflection Reporter: Briefly shares what strategies helped them feel calm that day.

Tip: Rotate roles weekly so every student gains ownership and practices leadership. Use Sanctuary Creation Plan to guide your groups through designing and refining these elements in real time.

Mood Board Craft

Materials

• Magazines, catalogs, or printed images
• Colored paper or cardstock
• Fabric or yarn scraps (optional)
• Texture samples (e.g., sandpaper, ribbon)
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
• Pencil and eraser

Steps

1. Introduction (2 minutes)
   • Explain that a mood board is a collage showing colors, textures, and images that capture a feeling—in this case, calmness.

2. Explore & Select (4 minutes)
   • Flip through magazines or printouts to find pictures, patterns, and textures that evoke calm.
   • Choose color swatches or fabric scraps that feel soothing.

3. Arrange Layout (2 minutes)
   • Lay out colored paper as your base.
   • Arrange your cutouts and texture pieces on the page without gluing—move them until you like the composition.

4. Glue & Decorate (8 minutes)
   • Once your layout feels balanced, glue each piece down.
   • Use colored pencils or markers to add subtle accents, doodles, or labels explaining why you chose each element.

Reflection Questions

• Which colors or textures did you choose, and how do they make you feel calm?
  
  
  
• What image or texture on your board best represents a peaceful moment? Why?
  
  
  
• Which items from your mood board would you include in our classroom sanctuary, and how would they help us feel focused?
  
  
  
• What did you find most challenging about creating your mood board?
  
  
  

Design Rubric

Use this rubric to evaluate each group’s sanctuary sketch and planning process. Circle the score that best matches the group’s work for each criterion.