Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Free Time (and Space) Should Be A Priority

  • By Dietmar Lang
  • 04/01/19

Experts, teachers, and students agree: learning is not just about the input and output of information. More than ever before, research is recognizing the immense value of play, freedom, exploration, and discovery in education, and just how vital these elements are to the learning process. At every level of learning, from preschool to the college level, the inclusion of free time and space can have an incredibly positive impact on education.

How Free Time Connects to Innovation

The interrelation of creativity, innovation, and free time has been extensively explored at the highest echelons of corporate culture. This alone demonstrates the value of free time for productivity and the development of new ideas. It’s interesting to note that “the best places to work” are those that implement the most flexible and creativity-forward seating solutions, mirrored in the use of soft seating for schools.

Often the most intelligent students squirm and suffer distraction under traditional circumstances, while those for whom stimulating intellectual factors (free time, challenging and engaging exercises) and conducive physical factors (ergonomic furniture, freedom of movement) are more likely to excel.

Extending Free Time into Free Space

For students who feel mentally restricted by the rigor and inflexibility of traditional classrooms, restriction of space can be just as harmful. This principle applies to individual furniture pieces, as well as the overall layout of the classroom. Ergonomically correct furniture that supports a wide range of natural movement is key. For classroom activities that emphasize creative alone time as well as collaboration, educational soft seating can also help to create a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere in which optimal learning is prioritized.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management April/May 2019 issue of Spaces4Learning.

About the Author

Dietmar Lang is the director of Marketing & Product for VS America. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Featured

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • California K–12 District Finishes Renovations on Multi-Sport Stadium

    The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) in Alameda, Calif., recently announced the completion of a renovation project on the Encinal Jr. & Sr. High School stadium, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) and Bothman Construction on the facility, and funding came from Bond Measure B.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.