Hush HabitatHow Hush Habitat Works
Hush Habitat turns the sound level in a room into something children can see: shy animals arrive while the room is calm and hide when it gets loud. Here is how it works, and what it can and cannot do.
The idea
Instead of a red bar or a score, the display rewards calm. While the room stays below the noise limit, animals wander in. A sudden loud moment sends them hiding, and they return after a few quiet seconds. There is a different scene to choose from: savanna, coral reef, deep space, prehistoric, forest, jungle, arctic and a seasonal Halloween scene, plus a guest animal that changes every school day.
How the room is measured
Your browser gives the page access to the microphone only after you allow it. The page measures how strong the sound is many times a second. The numbers are used on the spot to move the meter and are then discarded. No audio is recorded, stored or sent to any server.
Automatic room adjustment
Every room and microphone is different. A laptop microphone may hear a quiet room as "30" and a noisy room as "60", while another device reads differently. By default, Hush Habitat looks at the lowest typical level of the room over time, treats that as the quiet baseline, and shows noise relative to it. This is why the meter works in a new room without set-up. You can also choose Fixed (use the Calibrate button during a quiet moment) or Off for absolute readings.
Noise modes and the limit
The noise limit is the line on the meter. Three modes set it for you: Silent work, Partner talk and Group work. You can set the limit by hand, change how quickly animals arrive, and choose whether animals hide or the display only pauses when the room is too loud.
Tools alongside the meter
- Timer and lesson routine for phases such as silent 10, then partner 5.
- Class goal of calm minutes, with a celebration when reached.
- Session summary and history stored on your device.
- Printable Quiet Class Certificate.
- Nine languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian and Welsh.
Privacy
There are no accounts and no sign-up. Class names, settings and history stay in your browser on your own device. Read the full privacy policy.
What it cannot do
Hush Habitat is a visual guide for classroom behaviour. It is not a calibrated sound-level meter. It cannot measure decibels accurately, and it should not be used for hearing-safety or health-and-safety measurements.
Ready to use it? See the setup guide, or open the noise meter.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hush Habitat free?
Yes. There are no accounts or fees. The site may be supported by advertising in future.
Does it measure decibels?
No. It shows noise relative to your room, which is useful for behaviour but not for exact measurement.
Does it work offline?
The microphone needs no internet. Browsers often keep the page cached after the first visit, but a connection is needed the first time.
Which languages does it support?
English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Polish, Romanian and Welsh.