Springboard Supplies’ Guide to Reading Corner Furniture

Reading CornersAndrew Hall
Springboard Supplies’ Guide to Reading Corner Furniture
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If this is your first time kitting out a classroom reading corner yourself, or if you’re a seasoned master of the reading corner looking for ways to refresh, we’ve got you covered with our reading corning furnishing guide. 

Read on to find out what to look for in childrens’ reading corner furniture that will provide everything you need for focus, comfort, safety, functionality, and imagination. 

If you feel like you’re at the starting line with your reading corner, use our blog for inspiration and resources:

Pre-Built Reading Corner Units

If you’re on the hunt for easy kids reading corner furniture or need to fit out several classrooms or even a library, you might be interested in pre-built reading corner furniture. This takes the time and effort out of putting one together from scratch.

A pre-built reading corner unit is a structure that contains seating, a reading corner canopy, tables, shelves and other features that are needed in a reading corner. The unit is self-contained and can be constructed in the corner of a classroom or library for children to use when reading or doing activities. Here are two reading corner units we love:

1. The Tree House Library Corner

 

 

This unit is made in the shape of a tree with a soft canopy over the top, two seats on either side can sit up to four children in total. The tree features pre-drilled holes to make customisation easier.

2. The Maple Reading House

 

 

For more spacious reading corners or libraries, the Maple Reading House contains two desks facing away from one another along with shelves to store books. The house features a roof that covers over the top making it feel cosier. This structure is great for promoting focus and concentration. 

Pre-Built Reading Corner Units vs Doing it Yourself

Pros

Cons

Less time spent on set-up.

Requires construction.

Professionally made unit is compact and ergonomic.

Less opportunity to create a unique space.

Assured to be safe and child-appropriate.

 

We cover pre-built units in a bit more detail in our article about DIY reading corners. One aspect that attracts people to pre-built reading corner units is the fact that they offer a snug, enclosed space. But the same effect can be achieved with craft supplies and imagination. Read our article Reading Corner Canopy Ideas for help making a cosy space.

Reading Corner Rugs

A nice, thick, soft reading corner mat is a staple, an essential first step in creating any successful reading corner. Start strong with a reading corner rug that your students will be happy spending a lesson on or bedding-down on for a quiet storytime. 

Find 10 of our favourite reading corner rugs in our article 10 Reading Corner Rugs Teachers Love. We cover all sorts of rugs from reversible classroom carpets to folding mats that turn into seats.

Things to Look for in a Reading Corner Rug

  • Anti-slip backing: for safety.
  • Easy to clean material to keep your rug hygienic despite inevitable spills of all kinds. 
  • Fray-resistant edges: to keep your carpet looking good for a long time and avoid any trip hazards.
  • Soft, thick, heavy-duty pile: necessary for maximum comfort and to cushion any accidental knocks or falls. One that will stand up to lots of treading and scuffing.
  • A design that is suitable for the age of your class. One that can be used for a long time without becoming obsolete. We offer reversible rugs which are great for changing up your classroom look every once in a while. Check out our woodland, grass and lily pad, and undersea themes.

Reading Corner Seating

Seating is highly important in your reading corner if you expect your students to stay there for any length of time. Make sure you provide ample seating that is comfortable and will support children while they read or work. Giving them this necessary support is important to help them focus and retain energy.

There are so many different routes you can choose with reading corner seating, you might want to combine a few different kinds to make the area more interesting. Here are some options:

1. Cushions

 

 

Cushions are probably the most versatile type of seating you can add to your reading corner. Great for using as a seat when sitting cross-legged, scrunching up to lean on, as a pillow for napping, and as a backrest against the wall. 

Compact, grabbable, and cost-effective, adding a few cushions to your reading corner is a great idea that won’t cost the world. Choose from small, functional cushion dots like our Multi-Carry Cushions, great for activities; larger, snugglier cushions like our 2-Seat Oval Pods that can fit up to two kids each; or more structured cushions that give you added height, like our realistic Tree Stump Stool Set.

2. Built Seating

     

     

    If you want your students to have the opportunity to sit up properly in the reading corner, built seating is a good idea. While chairs can fulfil this requirement, bench-style seating can run along the wall or even be fitted into the corner of the room, like our Junior Reading Corner with Cushions. This means you can save on precious space.

    Our larger reading corner with cushions and big book boxes comes with extra storage so that your reading corner is almost complete just with this seating unit. 

    3. Modular Seating

       

       

      Modular seating toes the line between installing built seating and customising your seating how you want. Buy multiple modular seating units and use them together to create your own customised seating unit. Our modular seating means you can make your reading corner as large or small as you want. Modular seating is particularly useful if you need to deal with an awkwardly-shaped space. 

      Our Rainbow Modular Seating range comes in red, blue, yellow, and green meaning it goes with pretty much any reading corner design. You could go with one colour or select a pairing that complements your space. 

      If you have a nature-themed reading corner, or already use furniture from this exciting range like the Back to Nature Corner Rug and Back to Nature Story Cushions, the brand’s modular seating caterpillar might find a good home in your classroom too. Starting with the Back to Nature Caterpillar Head Seat, make him as long or short as you need with body seating sections. 

      4. Bean Bags

       

       

      Bean bags are a favourite among kids and if you add a couple to your reading corner you’ll definitely be popular. Bean bags are versatile and easy to grab and move around like cushions, but also provide added support to backs and necks, especially ergonomically designed bean bags like these Bean Bag Reading Chairs.

      We also love these realistic print Hay Bale Bean Bags, great for imaginative reading corners. 

      Reading Corner Storage

      Naturally, your reading corner will give students access to books, toys, exercise materials, stationery, and anything else you need to make the space fulfilling. This means you’ll need to think about storage to keep everything tidy and protected when not in use.

      Our Recommendations

      The storage you go for depends on your specific needs. Do you have a lot of large books that don’t fit on normal bookshelves? Do you spend a lot of time in the reading corner doing exercise work that needs to be put safely away? Find some great, versatile storage options here. 

      1. Horizontal Wall-Mounted Book Rack
        1. Holds books on six individual shelves for maximum storage space.
        2. Book covers can be displayed and become part of the reading corner decor.
        3. Mounted flat against the wall, the rack is an excellent space-saver.
      2. 3-Sided Mobile Book Stand
        1. Display lots of book covers on this stand with 30 rows of storage altogether.
        2. Castors mean the stand can be easily pushed to different parts of the room.
        3. The rotating stand means you can still access all books even when it is stationed in a corner.
      3. Single-Sided 1,200m Book Stand
        1. Robust, built shelving unit which looks stylish and keeps books protected.
        2. Encourage learning about how to store, care for, and organise books.
        3. Adjustable shelves mean you can store books of all sizes.
      4. Big Book Unit
        1. Pack away extra-large books safely.
        2. Waterproof wallets protect books from spills and dirty hands.
        3. Adapt to protect and store art projects and large pieces of work.
      5. Callero Library Unit
        1. Low height of the unit is ideal for children to use and transport.
        2. Castors make it easy to move the unit.
        3. Trays are removable, with lots of space in between for easy access.
      6. Desktop Book Rack
        1. Compact and can easily fit on small tables, desks, and in busy spaces.
        2. Display book covers on six shelves.

      Other creative reading corner furnishing ideas can be found in our blog:

      Reading Corner Wall Decorating

      Once your reading corner is all furnished and ready for little ones to use, you’ll need to make sure the walls are covered in displays that are fun and immersive to inspire them. Perhaps you could create a backdrop to help transport them into another world, or put together a collaborative wall they can add to each time they visit the space. 

      We’ve got a huge range of resources about creating reading corner displays in our blog.

      Tags: Reading corners

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