As children develop, the ability to develop relationships with their senses creates the foundations needed for a lifetime of social interaction.
Many educational settings strive to achieve a balance between learning, fun and sensory development that enables their imaginations to grow and flourish. Schools cater for children of different abilities and needs and where there needs to be focused activity to encourage these senses further, furniture can be developed to create different environments through uniquely designed pieces.
A library isn’t just for reading and being quiet. It’s to explore different types of books and discover new and exciting things. Unique bookshelves, seating and tables provide a different experience and can be designed with a variety of purposes in mind.
Other rooms or sections of rooms can be designed for calm and relaxation, and where some children can be easily overwhelmed or become over sensitive children can explore, discover, and grow their imagination in their own way and at their own pace.
So, how can FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) maximise an educational setting?
- Media Walls. These aid teaching and learning and help. They can be bespoke in design, enable easy access for electrical items such as TVs and monitors and are a great addition to any classroom.
- Seating. Different and unique types of seating encourage different levels of play and activity. Floor seating can be created with patterns and different colours for listening time while seating cubes and benches encourage playtime, teamwork and conversation.
- Tables. Specifically designed tables that include spaces for boxes and containers to be slotted in to, allowing for items such as sand, dried beans and pasta to be used for creative play. Tables can be created with lids which can lift off. They can then be filled with activity objects, emptied and put back to be used as a fully functioning table.
- Soft furniture. Creating soft furnishings that children can move around themselves and are comfortable and safe to use when settling down to complete an activity can add colour and vibrancy to a room or a specifically designed theme.
- Bespoke components. There is no limit to the unique and functional furniture which can be created for different educational settings. Island display units, soft seating and mobile book storage are all examples of how furniture can make learning fun and create a welcoming environment.
Let furniture define your educational environment and help to create colour, functionality and themes to continually develop children’s senses and to also provide a place of calm and relaxation when it’s needed most.
See how we created such a space for Kembell School in Stoke on Trent.