An experiment on the installation of small calming spaces in childcare rooms - Frequency of use with internal sound absorption

In this study, a field experiment was carried out in a kindergarten classroom for 5-year-olds where a small spaces for calming down were installed. The small space has a box shape for one person with a width, depth, and height of 42, 57, and 74 cm, and two units were installed with different inside sound-absorbing conditions. The noise attenuation due to the small space was about 6 to 7 dB above 500 Hz bands with additional internal sound absorption. The experiment was performed for two months in a room with short and long reverberation, respectively, during which the use of the space was automatically observed using a mat sensor and the room sound was recorded at the same time. As a result, the frequency and duration of use of the spaces increased in the room with longer reverberation. Also, the duration of use of spaces with internal sound absorption tended to be longer.