Creating a Cozy Corner: The Secret Ingredient for Your Child's Magical Space of Self-Discovery

All the best daycares have what they call a cozy corner. This is an important part of a good early childhood setting because it gives the children space to be … well, just to be! As adults, we need space from people or situations for a while. Sometimes that’s just an imaginary bubble around us and our glass of wine, but it’s definitely still a space. Believe it or not, children have the same requirements of their bodies and feelings. They also need a break from following the directions or minding the rules. They need to simply exhale and be themselves once in a while. Enter the cozy corner. In that soft and warm space, they can be left alone with their thoughts and feelings. They can hug a lovie or read a short book that comforts them. From that little perch, they can fly off and join their family and regular surroundings again.

Sometimes we micromanage our children without meaning to. Yep, even you! It’s just because we want to make sure that they are doing, feeling and learning in a way that’s good for them. But we have to accept the fact that our child is an entirely separate individual from us. It’s easy and natural to get wrapped up in the sentiment of children being ours. But even when they’re little, even when they’re really little, they’re theirs. Even if they grew inside us for 9 months (more or less) and they came out of us (whew!) and we fed them their first milk and saw their first cry, burp and walk, they are actually not extensions of us. And so, like we treat other people, we give them respect, allow them their space and listen to their silence. Oftentimes, that is the best thing to do as a parent, to grant them this space.

Here are 5 things you can easily implement into a little space to transform it into a cozy corner:

1. Fabric - Hang it on the walls to differentiate the space with texture and pattern. Do you - go wild with faux fur or keep it tranquil with some simple cotton.

2. Cushions - We’re talking softness and comfort, right? That means adding as many pillows as possible. Go cushion crazy!

3. Art - Something pretty to look at can be soothing as well as inspiring for our tiny dreamers. You can put their own art up or pick something out they like together.

4. Lights - Little string lights or a simple dimmed lamp can do wonders in creating an ambiance of stillness.

5. Activities - Remember, we’re thinking small (and cozy) here. A bin of good books and another with lovies gives them some options for comfort and quiet.

So fix up a beautiful cozy corner in your child’s room. Make sure it’s a space that is not walked on or passed by constantly. This will all go a long way in helping your child feel that they have their own space, their own time to quiet down. And they can choose what to do there: read, cuddle or even sleep! What a gift to give them. And hey, what a gift to you! You can hang in your own cozy corner with that glass of wine. Uh, I mean.. a good book.