Interior Design Ideas for Sunday Schools
You may be the most enthusiastic and engaging Sunday school teacher in the world, but your lessons may lose some of their impact if your classroom is dull, dark and depressing. Even if your classroom is flooded with natural light and has brand new equipment, take the time to design and decorate your classroom to keep it warm and inviting for your students. Does this Spark an idea?
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Classroom Flow
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Depending on the age of your Sunday school students, design the flow of the classroom to accommodate your lessons and teaching. In a classroom for teens and adults, for example, you do not need open space for playing or a large crafts area, but you should arrange tables together to facilitate group discussions. For classes with children, arrange the room into zones according to activity to make it easier to switch from one activity to the next. Ideally, the room should have tables for arts and crafts and snacks, an open area for story time and play and plenty of storage for supplies.
Walls
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The walls of your Sunday school classroom can be both educational and visually appealing. Install large bulletin boards to display children's artwork, decorative items that enforce lessons and important class information. In a class with young children, create decorative items that feature each child's photo, name and important information about allergies or medical conditions. For example, the board could be titled "All of God's Little Lambs" and the photos and information placed on cutouts of lambs. In addition to bulletin boards, add cheerful decorative borders to the walls or framed, age-appropriate inspirational and religious artwork.
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Flooring
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Sunday school classrooms are high traffic areas, so choose flooring accordingly. Linoleum or laminate floors are durable and easily cleaned and are ideal for arts and crafts areas where paint, glue and glitter will inevitably find their way to the floor. However, especially in classrooms where children will sit on the floor, some carpeting is necessary. Choose durable carpet that will hold up to years of abuse and regular cleaning. Individual carpet tiles are a good choice if the budget allows, as you can create a custom design with the tiles and stained or damaged tiles can be easily removed for cleaning or replacement.
Storage and Furniture
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Adequate storage is key for any classroom, and while a custom-installed cabinet and counter unit is ideal, not all Sunday school budgets can bear the expense. Freestanding storage cabinets are inexpensive and have plenty of space for storing art supplies, books and snacks. Use paint to coordinate mismatched storage and furniture pieces. Look for pieces that can do double duty; for example, some manufacturers sell storage benches that also work as toddler-sized tables. The classroom should be stocked with plenty of tables and chairs in the appropriate sizes for the class.
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References
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