29/07/2026
🌿 Is your classroom designed for children... or designed to impress adults?
This thought-provoking post from Hygge in the Early Years reminds us that the learning environment is much more than decoration—it's a powerful teacher in its own right.
At Mirembe Education Foundation, we believe classrooms should be places where children feel safe, calm, curious and inspired to learn. While colourful resources certainly have their place, every display, poster and learning material should have a clear purpose. Less visual clutter can create more opportunities for children to focus, think deeply, play creatively and develop independence.
As we continue supporting schools through teacher training and classroom development, we're encouraging educators to ask an important question:
"Does this environment help children learn, or is it simply filling the walls?"
What are your thoughts? Do you prefer classrooms with lots of displays, or calmer, more intentional learning spaces? We'd love to hear your experiences in the comments. 💚
📖 Original inspiration: Hygge in the Early Years
I want you to look around your early years environment and ask yourself a question…
Is this space designed for children… or designed to impress adults?
Years ago, when I first started teaching, my classroom looked very different to the environments I now advocate for.
The walls were lilac.
The display boards were covered in bright primary-coloured paper.
The tables and chairs were red, blue, yellow and green.
There were washing lines of laminated number lines, alphabet strips and colourful posters hanging everywhere.
And I genuinely thought I was creating an exciting, stimulating environment.
Because that’s what we had been led to believe children needed.
More colour.
More displays.
More things to look at.
More “learning” visible on every wall.
But over time, through experience, reflection and research, my thinking changed.
I began to ask:
What is all of this visual information doing to a child?
Research into classroom environments has highlighted how visual clutter can impact children’s attention and ability to focus. Fisher, Godwin and Seltman (2014) found that highly decorated classrooms can be distracting for young children, making it harder for them to concentrate on learning tasks.
The environment is not just a backdrop.
It is the third teacher.
Every colour, texture, object and image sends a message.
Children need environments that feel calm.
They need spaces that reflect the feeling of home — a sense of warmth, belonging and softness.
Think about the spaces where we feel most comfortable as adults.
We don’t usually surround ourselves with hundreds of competing colours, posters and visual information.
We choose objects that matter.
Textures that feel inviting.
Lighting that creates atmosphere.
Spaces that allow us to breathe.
And children deserve this too.
Now, this isn’t about creating beige classrooms.
A calm environment does not mean a colourless environment.
Colour can be thoughtfully added through soft furnishings, cushions, beautiful natural materials, a bright green plant, children’s own artwork, seasonal displays, or even a gentle watercolour wash on a wall.
The difference is intention.
Instead of colour shouting for attention…
Colour becomes part of the story of the space.
Within my Hygge in the Early Years™ approach, I believe we need to move away from environments that overwhelm children and towards spaces that nurture them.
Children don’t need a room that constantly demands their attention.
They need a room that allows them to slow down, connect, imagine and play deeply.
So I wonder…
If you removed half the visual noise from your environment tomorrow…
Would children lose something?
Or would they finally have space to see, think and wonder? 🤍
www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk
