Hi friends!
Our preschool year has officially begun, and my sweet little students and I have been working hard on getting our daily rhythm down and adjusting to our new routine. So many beautiful things have been happening in this little classroom, and I’ll be sharing more with you over the coming weeks. For now, I thought I’d give you a peek into one of my favorite parts of my new (old) classroom- our cozy corner!
You may remember my last post in which I revealed the “before” photos of our space- the two front rooms of a small home built in the 1930’s. If you missed the photos, you can see them here. Please excuse the hazy quality of the photos- I took them with my phone.
One of my main goals for my classroom is to make every child feel like they are at home- I want the room to be warm and comforting, like a hug from an old friend. This corner, flanked by two windows that let in loads of natural light, is the perfect place to snuggle up with a friend to tell stories or share a book.
It also makes a great place to take a few minutes of alone time when you need a breather, like after school is over and your mom is a teacher and she won’t stop taking photos of her room 😉
To create our cozy corner, I mostly scraped together things that I already owned. A toddler mattress that belonged to one of the twins serves as the base, and it is covered with my one splurge- an old quilt that I found at a junk/antique store for less than $20. The random mishmash of colors absolutely makes my heart sing. But the coolest part? This hand-stitched tag left by the maker of the quilt- Granny Buddard. Wherever she is, I hope she’s happy her quilt has found a second life welcoming my sweet toddler friends!
I wanted to drape fabric from the ceiling above the bed, but after looking at our fire codes I settled for some Waldorf-inspired wall draping using some old window sheers that I already owned to define the space and soften the corner. Although, I must admit, my pompom garland and crazy quilt are a bit more boho than Waldorf. Bohldorf? Whatever it is, the children love it, I love it, and it feels like home. Mission accomplished.
The textured pillows are a big hit, too. They are perfect for snuggling, hugging, sitting on, and even building towers with. One of my littles likes to pet them and say “Baa” over and over again.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, there is some occasional jumping on the bed. When teaching 2 and 3-year-olds, you just have to roll with the punches. And that’s why I love my job!
Our room is very much a work in progress, and I’ll show you more parts as I finish them up. I hope you liked this peek into my sunny little cozy corner!
It looks so beautiful and I love the idea of a cooperative daycare. Where in Texas are you? We are in Houston and this is something I might be interested in.
Thanks.
It’s a very homely space. I would love it Steph if you are able to share the rhythm of your days. How often do the kids meet? It would be so great to hear a little more about what happens in this lovely preschool.