How many children can sit down quietly without making too much noise? They can scream loud, clang, bang, and buzz. These sounds are defined as unpleasant or unwanted sounds. It can be a nuisance as time passes. You need to come up with some acoustic solutions to solve it.
Noisy classrooms can be trouble. Preschoolers won’t be able to focus on what they are speaking and get distracted easily. It will be reflected in their behavior and school results as they have already lost concentration.
Sometimes, you don’t need all the children to make the noises to trigger noisy acoustic levels. The classroom layout itself may be the trigger. Hard, flat surfaces can cause reverberation, and it can soon become excessive, and noise will seem to spiral.
Studies have shown that classrooms often have noise levels higher than what is recommended, and it will affect children. You wouldn’t want their learning process to be affected. Find out some of the best acoustic solutions to enhance your learning environment.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #1 – Insulate Floor-Ceiling Assemblies
Sound transmission can occur through the floors and ceiling, creating unwanted noise and distractions in the classroom. You may be walking gently on light feet, but if your building is two storeys and above, without the proper material, those quiet footfalls may turn into thunderous stomping for those below.
To reduce the noise, the space between the floor above and the ceiling can be insulated. Installing sound-absorbing ceiling panels can also help minimize the problem and create a quiet learning space for children.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #2 – Shut The Doors And Windows
Shutting the doors and windows is a simple and effective way to control acoustics in a preschool classroom. It can be noisy outdoors. When the doors and windows are open, the noise outside can easily enter the classroom.
If you are worried about airflow, consider getting some silent fans for your classroom. It can help to keep the room cool if you decide to keep the doors and windows shut. Consider getting a floor fan that is quiet and comes with a remote control. It allows you to control the fan easily and help improve the air circulation for a larger area.
You will want to check for cracks and open spaces around doors and windows. Fix it if there is any, as it can also help reduce exterior noise.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #3 – Cover Chair Legs
Image Credit: Shopee
Sometimes, children just can’t sit still. They will be moving or dragging the chairs across the floor. They can create a lot of noise that can distract teachers and students. Consider adding neoprene tips to chair legs.
It can help to reduce noises created by chair movement. It can be very helpful when floor rugs or carpeting are not possible or practical. Some children may be allergic to latex, so avoid it. So it is better to stick with safer materials such as neoprene.
Encourage the children to move chairs carefully to help reduce noise levels in the classroom. Teach them to lift chairs instead of dragging them. It may be too heavy for them, but lifting it can still help reduce some noise.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #4 – Sound-Proof Your Partition
Image Credit: Space Plus
Many preschool classrooms today have retractable wall partitions to maximize their space. But it can be ineffective when it comes to noise transmission. Partition walls can often be thin and allow sound to easily travel through them, which can cause distractions and interfere with learning.
Adding sound-proofing panels to your wall partitions can prevent and reduce noise transmission. It is also a great option, especially if you have drama and music lessons where these lessons are often the nosiest.
Sometimes there will be gaps or holes in partition walls; seal them to reduce the noise levels as sounds can travel through the holes. You can seal it with weatherstripping or caulking to reduce the noise levels.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #5 – Make Rooms Smaller
Image Credit: Screenflex
If your space is larger than necessary, you want to make your room smaller. Larger open spaces can create more echo and reverberation, making it difficult for children to hear and focus on what is being taught.
Studies show that a larger distance between the source and the receiver means lower speech intelligibility. Children may not hear clearly. They can’t learn properly if they can’t hear clearly. Consider using sound-dampening partitions to reduce large spaces. By dividing the classroom into small spaces, you can help reduce the sound bouncing around and create a more controlled learning environment.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #6 – Turn Of Noisy Equipment
Many electronic devices and equipment, such as air conditioning units, fans, and projectors, can produce a significant amount of noise. These noises can interfere with learning and create distractions, but some devices or equipment may be necessary in some classrooms.
If it is necessary for your classroom, turn them off when it is not in use. It can cut down the distraction that may otherwise disrupt learning. Children have a better range of hearing compared to adults. They may hear sounds from the equipment that isn’t detectable to you. It doesn’t mean you need to keep it in another room when not in use. You can try keeping it under a fabric cover when not in use for further improvements.
Acoustic Solutions For Preschool Classroom #7 – Place Carpets Or Mats
Hard flooring surfaces such as tile or wood can reflect sound and create echoes. Sound-absorbing floor coverings can reduce reverberations in preschool classroom settings. The larger, the better.
For better results, it is recommended to install wall-to-wall carpet. But if your preschool classroom is impractical or undesirable to install carpet, consider adding smaller rugs. It may not be as good as carpet, but still able to reduce the noise to a certain level.
Speak with The Experts
Planning to get started at your kindergarten but have no idea about it?
Childcare Center Renovation Singapore is a reliable company for renovation and interior design. They have about ten years of experience in this field and have a good reputation among customers.
Call us now to get your desired kindergarten design ideas now!
