Creating a Culture of Calm
Hygg-Ed
Creating a Culture of Calm | Menopause in the Classroom | Back to Basics
"Caring for Those Who Care for Others"
Hygge in EYFS
Hygge isn't simply about making things look 'pretty', (although attractive invitations are undeniably appealing to children), and Hygge in the Early Years isn’t a new idea, but there are so many different approaches to setting up an Early Years setting, that at times, it can actually become a little overwhelming. It can leave us asking a number of questions such as -
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Which approach is best?
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Which will suit our learners and our setting?
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How do we want our setting to feel?
For me, there is only one possible response - Any, so long as they feel safe, secure, loved and happy, which is why more often than not, I cherry-pick the best bits from each.
We need to look beyond the glossy curriculum brochures and consider what our youngest learners actually need during these precious, formative years. If childhood really has to be a frantic race to meet regulated milestones, then the very least we can do is to create an environment that serves as a sanctuary to protect a child's right to feeling a sense of belonging and security.
Bringing a Hygge ethos into the Early Years is about intentionally designing a space that satisfies their most fundamental needs:
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A True Sense of Belonging: Before a child can listen, track, or explore, they must feel entirely safe and secure in their environment. A comforting, nature-rooted space tells a child that they are valued, helping them transition seamlessly from home into a wider school community.
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The Natural World as a Canvas: Incorporating natural elements, soft lighting, and organic materials isn't about creating a specific visual trend. It is about lowering sensory overstimulation, deepening focus, and connecting children directly to the calming rhythms of nature.
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Considered Risk-Taking: True autonomy means trusting children to navigate their own space. An environment that permits autonomous risk-taking allows young learners to build authentic confidence, problem-solving skills, and a realistic understanding of their own capabilities.
These early years are the most informative of a human being's life; if we do not lay down a stress-free foundation of trust and connection now, we compromise their ability to truly thrive later in life.
Hygge in Primary
As children move into Key Stage 1 and beyond into Key Stage 2, the educational landscape changes dramatically. Standardised tracking, assessment metrics, and rigid desk-bound schedules become frameworks for their daily routine.
Tables and chairs play a much more prominant role. Children are suddenly expected to sit still and ‘perform’ in a way that is completely alien to a child of 6, 7, or even 10 years old. Sitting silent and motionless at a desk is simply not natural child behaviour (or even HUMAN behaviour!). Moreover, their entire previous experience of education has taught them to believe, and trust that school is a place for child-centred, play-based learning.
Look beyond the shell and you would see a class of mini amygdalas all freezing the frontal cortex while they focus on what they're going to do to 'survive' this new and potentially overwhelming situation.
No one can deny the importance of the learned curriculum at this stage, but if we stop to consider how a child may be feeling in this new situation, which is frequently topped off with a much more sterile environment (even a new environment can cause alarm) then it would be clear that we need to use the environment as a tool for calming their nervous systems, not when they enter the room, but long before they arrive at school.
Even before leaving home, children need the comfort and security of knowing that they are going to a place where they feel safe and secure, and a place that they feel is ‘theirs’.
Hygge in Secondary
Something that always strikes me is the stark contrast between our primary and secondary settings.
Hygge isn't childish. It has undeniably been widely adopted by early childhood environments, yet there remains an enormous void between Hygge in the Early Years and Hygge for adults seeking a calmer path in life. Why are we choosing to leave that void completely empty for our teenagers?
Many years ago when I was doing my teacher training, the impact of the environment was something we focused on, even though it was fleeting!
In Reggio, the learning environment is recognised as the third teacher. Why is it, then, that when children are between the ripe old ages of 11 to 18, they are expected to thrive in a room that is more bland than a bowl of unsweetened, stodgy porridge?!
Imagine the message we are sending to our teenagers by stripping away their warmth the moment they grow older.
A textured rug
Indoor
Plants
Framed
Posters
Soft & Warm Colour
Soft
Lighting
Quick & easy fixes - long lasting, positive impact, for pupils and educators
Colour carries proven scientific benefits for a pupil's learning and can profoundly affect their attention—deepening focus and driving engagement in lessons. My heart painfully sinks whenever I walk into a sterile secondary corridor.
Do our teenage learners not deserve a welcoming and
secure environment to learn in?
Would we not trigger a reduction in the disruptive and challenging behaviours that flood modern high schools if we were to create truly purposeful environments for our older pupils?
When an environment is clinical and cold, it heightens internal stress. Disruptive behaviours have a hugely negative impact not only on a child's immediate academic focus, but also on their emotional regulation, daily mood, and relationships far beyond the school walls.