Nature View Classroom Reading Nook with Floor Mat

The Whitney Brothers Nature View Reading Haven with Floor Mat Set is a classroom reading nook built like a small wooden house. Its curved clear acrylic roof is printed with a spreading tree canopy, two built-in shelves display books on one side, and a soft floor mat lines the inside. At 39.5 x 39 x 38 in, it is sized for preschool and pre-K classrooms with children from about 3 to 6 years old. It is made in the US by Whitney Brothers, model WB2190, as part of the Nature View collection.

How This Classroom Reading Nook Works

Children enter through tunnel openings at each end. One side panel has viewing cutouts that let light in and let staff see inside. The other side panel carries two built-in book display shelves, so books face the children with their covers showing. Overhead, the curved roof is a shatter-resistant acrylic panel with a realistic tree canopy image, which gives the inside the feel of sitting under a tree.

The floor mat covers the inside and gives children a soft place to sit or lie down with a book. The space is roomy enough for children to read side by side, yet it still feels like a separate place within the classroom.

Whitney Brothers states that the set meets state requirements for a quiet space in early learning classrooms. Licensing rules differ, so check the wording that applies to your program. The Reading Haven received a 2020 Teachers' Choice Award for Preschool and a 2020 Spaces4Learning New Product Award.

Built for Daily Classroom Use

The frame is birch plywood with a non-toxic natural UV finish, which the manufacturer says will not yellow and stands up to heavy use. The roof is acrylic rather than glass. The set is GREENGUARD Gold certified, a certification for low chemical emissions that many schools look for in classroom furniture.

Product Details

Is This the Right Reading Nook for Your Classroom?

A classroom reading nook needs three things: room for more than one child, a way to show books, and clear sightlines for staff. The Reading Haven covers all three. The built-in shelves keep a small rotating library inside the nook, and the open ends, cutouts and clear roof let adults see in from across the room.

For a toddler room, the smaller Nature View Toddler Reading Retreat is sized for children from about 1 to 3 years. If space is tight, the Play House Cube gives one or two children a quiet spot in a smaller footprint. The Reading Haven also matches other Nature View pieces, such as the Nature View Radiant LED Light Table, for a classroom with one calm, nature-themed look.

Where It Works Best

• Preschool and pre-K classrooms. A preschool reading nook and quiet space in one piece.
• Kindergarten classrooms. A place for independent reading during centers.
• School and public libraries. A destination reading spot in the children's area.
• Special education classrooms. A defined, predictable space for breaks.
• Churches and museums. A welcoming reading spot in family areas.
• Childcare centers. A quiet space for older children in mixed-age programs.

A classroom reading nook pairs well with a hands-on wall on the other side of the room. Our sensory wall panels for schools give children an active choice, while the nook stays the quiet one. For planning the room as a whole, see our guide on how to create a sensory room in schools, or browse the sensory room equipment collection.

Ways to Use This Classroom Reading Nook

Most classrooms use it as the reading corner: a few picture books face out on the shelves and change every week or with the current theme. Pairs of children can read together, or a teacher can sit at the end opening and read to two or three children inside. Some teachers keep a few nature books and leaf or bird cards on the shelves to match the tree canopy above. Others make the nook the classroom's quiet space and keep active toys out of it, so children know what it is for.

Setup

1. The set arrives by truck freight in two large boxes. Plan for a clear path from the delivery point to the classroom.
2. Follow the Whitney Brothers assembly instructions. Two adults with hand tools make assembly easier.
3. Place the nook on a flat floor where staff can see the openings from the main area of the room.
4. Fit the floor mat, add books to the shelves and check that all fasteners are tight.

Safety and Care

Use this classroom reading nook indoors with adult supervision. Do not let children climb on the roof or stand on the shelves. Keep cords, blind strings and heaters away from the nook.

Wipe the wood with a soft, damp cloth and a little mild soap, then dry it right away. Clean the acrylic roof with a soft cloth and mild soapy water. Avoid ammonia, alcohol and abrasive cleaners, which can scratch or cloud acrylic. Wipe the mat with the same mild soap solution and let it dry before use.

Why Buy From BumbleBeeSmart

BumbleBeeSmart is an authorized Whitney Brothers dealer, so this set arrives new and eligible for the manufacturer's warranty. We carry it alongside our own handcrafted sensory wall panels, so one order can cover a reading nook and a tactile wall for the same classroom.