We cannot stress enough; quite how important quality acoustics optimisation in childcare centres and facilities is. You’d be surprised to learn that very few childcare centres are designed with acoustics in mind at all. While health & safety is always a priority, acoustics should certainly be high up on the list though is all too often neglected.

The detriment of poor acoustics in childcare facilities cannot be understated, particularly for any children who already suffer from poor hearing, autistic spectrum disorders or attention and hyperactivity issues. Simply put, anywhere where noise is an issue: children’s development suffers.

There are a number of reasons for this. The first and most obvious of which is why even as adults, we don’t enjoy being in terribly noisy places where sound ineligibility is an issue. It can be distracting, making it hard for us to concentrate on the task at hand. Let’s say for example you’re in an open plan office with poor acoustics: all around you there are going to be conversations, laughter, keyboards typing away and all sorts of background noise. How well do you think you’re going to be able to focus on your work when having to compete with that? Now imagine that, but as a child: much harder!

Why Proper Acoustics in Childcare Facilities is Important

• Appropriate voice intelligibility (being able to understand what their teacher or carer is saying to them)
• Having fewer distractions from noise outside
• Reducing the amount of noise pollution coming from the childcare facility (Particularly if there are offices and places of work next to a school or childcare facilities)
• Less excessive noise means reduced stress for teachers and carers
• Better acoustics means that children won’t have to ‘compete’ for their voices to be heard
• Its much easier to maintain order when sound intelligibility isn’t an issue
• Improved concentration when it comes to learning exercises
• Improved language development (Poor acoustics can significantly hinder a child’s speech and behavioural development)

When you see some of the major benefits listed above, you might be surprised to learn that having high-quality acoustics in childcare facilities isn’t compulsory. That being said, if you would like to create the most effective, comfortable and enriching learning environment for the children in your care, then you should seriously consider having high-quality acoustics installed.

There are many different things that you can do to soundproof your facilities and improve the acoustics, from: Ceiling and wall panels, waves, baffles and circles. Of course, the type of acoustic optimisation that you opt for will be highly dependent on the size of the area in question and what you’re trying to achieve.

Summary

When you are entrusted with the health and safety of young people, you must do everything that you can to ensure that they are kept in the appropriate facilities. But your duty to them extends far beyond their health & safety, but their ability to learn and develop as individuals. By creating a well-optimised environment with quality acoustics, you are also improving the quality of their learning experience. Again, this extends beyond your children as well; it is also your duty to create a comfortable working environment for your employees. Remember that working with children can be stressful enough as it is without the added burden of excessive noise!

Hopefully we have successfully highlighted the benefits of having quality acoustics in childcare facilities.