Cozy Corner/Safe Place

SAFE PLACE (Click here to download the Cozy Corner/Safe Place Quick Reference Guide) 

How to Create a Safe Corner for Preschoolers

Anger, sadness, loneliness and fear are normal human emotions experienced by even young  children. Children lack the life experience and communication skills to  understand and handle emotions on their own. Preschool teachers and parents can  help young children understand and master emotions through many techniques. One  strategy used by preschool teachers is the “safe corner” or “peace place.” The concept consists of a designated area in the classroom where a child can go to calm down, be comforted or resolve conflicts with another child.

            

 Instructions:

1. Decide ahead of time what the purpose of the safe corner is. Some teachers use the safe corner as a place for children to go when they need time alone. Others send fighting children to the safe corner to resolve conflict. Use the safe corner for several purposes, but do not use it as punishment. Teachers can recommend that a child visit the safe corner, allow the child to choose.

   2. Talk about the safe corner with the children, explaining that it is a place  for a child to go when he feels sad, angry or just needs some quiet time. Typically, one child is allowed in the safe corner at a time, unless the children are resolving a  conflict.

   3. Enlist the children’s help to build the safe corner. Decorate an old appliance box with paint, stickers or photos of the children. Put a few soft pillows in the corner, as well as some books on feelings. Add an erasable “doodle board” so children can write about or draw their feelings. Place the safe corner in a designated spot of the room away from active play areas, such as blocks.

   4. Set up boundaries and rules for the safe corner with the children. For example, pillows and books stay in the safe corner. Only one child may visit the safe corner at a time. The safe corner box is not to jump on.

   5. Invite children to visit the safe corner when they become upset or  overstimulated. Stay close by to offer the child support and comfort, or to help  children solve conflicts.

   Tips & Warnings

• A safe corner is most effective when teachers actively teach social skills  throughout the day. For example, at group time, tell stories about children  solving conflict, describing the steps to go through and the words to use to  share a toy or take turns. Talk about emotions, why we sometimes feel angry or sad and what we can do to resolve these feelings.
•  Many teachers use social stories to help children manage challenging situations. For example, if a young child is afraid to stay at school without a parent, take photos of the school, the teachers, the children and the activities, as well as the young child. Develop the photos and place them in a book, along with a script that describes the child going through a typical day at preschool, surrounded by fun activities and good friends. Reinforce the concept that mommy or daddy always returns at the end of the day.
• Parents can recreate a safe corner at home for their child.
• Some children may use the safe corner to avoid challenging tasks. Watch for a child who always visits the safe corner at certain times of the day and encourage the child to participate in the task with your support.
• It is normal for a child who has experienced a difficult life event, such as a death, divorce, or the military deployment of a parent, to express anger and sadness. Seek outside support, though, if the child is not participating in classroom activities after a few weeks, or seems extremely sad or angry.

Adapted from article by Julie Christensen on ehow.com