Lighting in the kindergarten

Healthy development and security through appropriate lighting conditions

The aim of every kindergarten is to provide children with a loving and nurturing environment in which they can develop their social, emotional, creative and cognitive skills. Natural daylight plays a major role here, as sunlight stimulates the metabolism and therefore makes a significant contribution to health and well-being as well as physical and mental performance. Although a high proportion of daylight is therefore important in kitchens, it is not always available everywhere. This is where artificial lighting comes into play. The right lighting for nurseries complements daylight sensibly and creates an atmosphere in which children feel safe and secure and which increases the joy of learning and playing.

Promoting healthy development in a lively environment

Efficient combination of daylight and artificial lighting

Lighting solutions specifically tailored to individual areas

Your lighting project with Lights.ie

The lighting in the kindergarten depends on the use of the rooms and the associated visual tasks. The aim is to ensure bright, pleasant and glare-free lighting to support active play, create relaxation areas and increase safety. A well-planned combination of daylight and artificial lighting can create optimum conditions that have a positive influence on children's well-being.

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Lamps and luminaires for kindergarten lighting

A flexible lighting concept is recommended for lighting in kindergartens, providing customized individual solutions for every room and every activity. For this reason, a lighting concept tailored to the daycare center is preferable to a universal lighting solution. Appropriate kindergarten lighting improves the atmosphere and combines different light sources to promote concentration in the active zones of the kindergarten with healthy daylight lamps, strengthen the biorhythm and make learning and playing more fun. In addition, luminaires with warm-tone light are used to create cozy rest areas and relaxation corners.

Regulations for good kindergarten lighting

Lighting in kindergartens and daycare centers is subject to accident prevention regulations, the technical rules for workplaces and various standards such as DIN EN 12464-1 or DIN 5035. Compliance with the requirements ensures a supportive environment for the children. These requirements include, for example, a minimum illuminance value of around 300 lux. It is also important to reduce glare, which is why luminaires with UGR <19 or <22 are used. A high color rendering index of RA >80 is also important, as children should perceive colors as true to life as possible. As part of lighting design, it also makes sense to incorporate research into Human Centric Lighting (HCL). This involves the automated, intelligent adaptation of light to the harmonious course of the day and the biological needs of children. Light with higher blue components has an activating effect and promotes concentration and alertness. A higher proportion of reddish-colored light, on the other hand, promotes relaxation and a healthy wake-sleep rhythm.

Lamps and luminaires for kindergarten lighting

Lighting for group rooms and playrooms

The lighting in group rooms and playrooms enables kindergarten children to discover and explore their surroundings. A balanced lighting concept provides lighting solutions that achieve a brightness of at least 300 lux. In combination with a color rendering index of at least Ra 80, this ensures that colors and details can be recognized precisely in order to train visual perception. As a rule, warm white light (color temperature <3,300 Kelvin) is used, which is also perceived as cozy and comfortable by children. To minimize distracting glare or reflections and create a pleasant learning and playing environment, it is advisable to use matt surfaces and ensure indirect lighting and an even distribution of light. In particularly active areas, it should also be noted that luminaires must be impact-resistant and ball-proof. This prevents dangerous luminaire parts from falling off. This significantly reduces the risk of injury.

Lighting for the cozy corner

The lighting in the cozy corner should create a relaxing atmosphere. In contrast to the play area, where bright and activity-promoting lighting is required, it is advisable to choose ambient lighting with a higher proportion of red here. This light has a calming effect on children, especially before nap time or during quiet activities such as reading aloud. A recommended option is automatic adjustment of the lighting to the daily routine or manual adjustment to the respective mood. Dimmable ceiling or wall lights make it possible to regulate the light intensity as required. In the morning or during active play phases, the light can be set a little brighter, while it is dimmed before midday rest, for example. By adjusting the lighting, the children can enjoy their cozy corner even more and feel completely safe in it.

Lighting of the sanitary areas

The lighting in the sanitary areas of a kindergarten is used less frequently than, for example, the play area or the cozy corner. Automatic lighting control is therefore a good choice for efficient lighting in sanitary facilities. This allows the lighting to be switched on only when it is actually needed. This effectively reduces electricity costs, which not only makes economic sense, but is also more environmentally friendly, as energy consumption is significantly reduced. As far as the light quality itself is concerned, a warm white light color is also recommended here, as it creates a cozy atmosphere and conveys a feeling of security.