The Science
of Soft Seating

How can bean bags aid learning in Primary education?

Originally published : 2014
Updated: 2024

Key Findings

Classroom environments

Teachers have been adapting their classroom environment to meet the needs of different learning activities. Bean bags offered comfort and relaxation for pupils that no other structured furniture could provide; increasing comfort, improving concentration and elongating time spent reading.

Reading engagement

With a national focus on improving literacy amongst primary school children, teachers use bean bag furniture as a motivational tool to encourage engagement with books and e-readers or reward positive pupil behaviour.

Classroom displays

Multifunctional themed classroom displays were also popular. Teachers used the animal or cross-curricular themed soft seating from Eden Learning Spaces as part of an engaging, memorable or visual lesson reminder and learning aid.

Outdoor learning

Since the ‘Learning Outside the Classroom  Manifesto’ in 2006 there has been an increased focus on outdoor learning resources and activities. Waterproof bean bags offered a safe, practical, and portable soft seating solution to aid teaching and group work outside of a traditional, indoor classroom set up.

Class sizes

In response to growing classroom sizes and ‘bulge classrooms’, bean bags were considered useful in facilitating ‘pop up’ learning spaces  – as portable, versatile and comfortable seating anywhere, any time.

Inclusive learning

Teachers found that bean bags were a useful tool for providing a calming, safe and sensory learning environment that all learners could benefit from. Specifically bean bags provided proprioceptive input for learners on the autistic spectrum or with sensory processing disorders.

The link between physical learning environments and student wellbeing

Published: 2024

In 2024, Eden researched the elements of learning spaces that can contribute both negatively and positively to student wellbeing. Through thorough analysis of existing research and by speaking to practicing education specialists, recommendations have been made regarding improvements that education settings can make to support the wellbeing of learners, and – indeed – the whole school community.

Key Findings

Student wellbeing

As educators at every level, in every setting, as well as government ministers, look for ways to better support student wellbeing, we discover the significant benefits that certain changes to the physical learning environment can have on students and their education outcomes.

Sensory stimuli

Much of our findings link directly to the impact the physical learning environment has on the senses, and how this, in turn, impacts wellbeing. Light, temperature, acoustics, colour, texture and comfort all play a significant part in how learners fell about and respond to their environment. Neurodivergent learners and pupils with SEND often particularly benefit from sensory considerations and adjustments in the physical environment.

The impact of nature

Our research has also highlighted the much-studied positive impacts of nature on wellbeing. Outdoor learning spaces and bringing aspects of the natural world into indoor learning spaces has an overwhelmingly significant positive impact on wellbeing.

Flexible learning spaces

As the education landscape changes and develops, so must our learning spaces. Flexible learning environments support different types of activities and different styles of learning. Adaptable learning spaces can also support learners’ independence and the development of social skills, while making the most of classrooms where space is limited.

Small changes – big impact

We found that improvements to the physical learning environment needn’t cost vast amounts of money, nor require huge amounts of time and effort, to positively impact student wellbeing.