Module 3: Designing Your Own Early Learning Environment

Course Learning Outcome

Demonstrate a genuine love for children by creating a child-friendly, safe and secure learning
environment.
Lesson 1: Designing an Indoor Early Learning Environment
Lesson Outcomes: By the end of the lesson, you will be able to:
1. discuss the DAP guidelines on designing/setting up the indoor (classroom)
environment for early childhood;
2. discuss indoor environment design for learning;
3. determine areas of development for various learning centers; and
4. design an ECE classroom floor plan.
.

Activate
Looking back in your early childhood years, what were the things/materials do you remember
inside your classroom? Among the materials what did you like the most and why? Write your
answer in the space below.

Way back in my early years, I was a kid who enjoyed playing inside the
classroom. The area that I love the most is the dramatic play learning center,
where I learn to socialize and make friends. The play house inside our
dramatic play area contains dolls and accessories, a kitchen set, play money,
pretend food, a living room, a grocery store, and many other items. Among
those materials I mentioned, the kitchen set is my favorite one because I learn
to socialize, practice math skills, and increase my motor skills as I pretend to
cook for each other or have a small pretend dinner party. This learning area
helps me explore different roles and situations as I play with the items and
tools adults use in everyday life. Furthermore, role play helps me learn about
the community, the surrounding environment, and a variety of careers.

Acquire
 NAEYC Physical Environment Standards
The program has a safe and healthful environment that provides appropriate and well-
maintained indoor and outdoor physical environments. The environment includes facilities,
equipment, and materials to facilitate child and staff learning and development.
An organized, properly equipped, and well-maintained program environment facilitates the
learning, comfort, health, and safety of the children and adults who use the program.
What to look for in a program:

  The facility is designed so that staff can supervise all children by sight and sound.
  The program has necessary furnishings, such as hand-washing sinks, child-size chairs and
tables, and cots, cribs, beds, or sleeping pads.
  A variety of materials and equipment appropriate for children’s ages, skills and abilities is
available and kept clean, safe, and in good repair.
  Outdoor play areas have fences or natural barriers that prevent access to streets and other
hazards.
  First-aid kits, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and other safety equipment are installed and
available.

Spaces for children ROOM LAYOUT FOR 0–5 YEAR OLD

“In a well designed area, children are engaged and feel secure.” Anita Olds

Activity areas “Activities should be as numerous as the keys of a piano, and call forth
infinite acts of intelligence when children are offered a wide variety of
options.” Loris Malaguzzi

1. Welcome area  Whether in an entry or in the room, your welcome area is the
threshold between a child’s two worlds. It makes a statement
about your ethos and deserves careful planning.
 This is where child, parent and key person connect each day, so
it’s a good place for cultural signs and displays, conveying
respect for children’s backgrounds. If there is enough space,
parents relax and feel free to linger.
 Of course each child needs space for personal belongings. One
early year professional says, “In many nurseries we have set up
cozy welcoming areas within the room that invite a child to come
in and pore over their Learning Journey. Learning Journeys
should be displayed at child height.
 Remember this is the child’s document, co-owned by the child,
parent and key person. For older children, we set them on low
shelves with a table, chairs and cushions nearby, plus pens and
whole punches so children can add to their Learning Journey.”
2. Construction  These are often combined in one area, where children build
and small-world miniature environments and act out scenarios using vehicles and
 “Activities should be as numerous as the keys of a piano, an call
forth infinite acts of intelligence when children are offered a wide
variety of options.” Loris Malaguzzi 4 human or animal figures.
 This area needs maximum floor space and ample storage, and it
must be protected from through traffic so children’s constructions
don’t get bumped. If this area borders role play, materials can be
readily shared; large construction frequently evolves into role
play.
 While reconstructing life in miniature, children develop their
knowledge and understanding of the world as well as fine motor
control. There is firm evidence that block play strengthens all
areas of learning. (Gura)
 Talking to a five-year-old about fulcrums and centers of gravity is
probably a waste of time, but a child building a lopsided tower
soon discovers how to distribute weight to balance the blocks!
Frank Lloyd Wright, a renowned American architect, attributed his
interest in design to the block play he did as a child.
3. Role play  This area should be spacious enough for children to act out
various situations and 55 stories. You’ll want something to store
cloth and dress-ups, and child-sized furniture is a must.
 Best is versatile furniture that can become anything from a
kitchen, to an office, to the doctor’s surgery or the hairdresser’s.
Arches, windows, and mirrors intrigue children and enhance role
play.
 Include open-ended materials such as corks, dough, lids and
cloth scraps which readily become anything a child envisions.
Tremendous social interaction takes place during role play, and
imagination flourishes; children need long stretches of time in this
area to develop their ideas.

“Children need to master the language of things before they master

the language of words and numbers. Words and numbers are
meaningless unless children have the underlying concepts which
these symbols represent. And young children learn these concepts
best by active and yes repetitive, engagement with manipulative
materials.” David Elkind
4. Book area  Ideally this is situated in a corner away from noise and bustle.
Children learn to love books when they are provided in a
comfortable attractive space. Soft seating encourages curling up
with a book or a friend, and this homelike quality is particularly
important in settings where children spend long hours; they need
cozy quiet places to retreat into during a busy day
5. Science and  Since science is a process of investigation, this is a very exciting
discovery area part of your room. The science/discovery area is often combined
 with wet play, as children learn so much while experimenting with
water. You’ll want to include magnifying glasses, magnets,
pulleys, funnels and other intriguing tools and materials.
 Some sort of nature display should be the heart of your science
area, where children and teacher discover fascinating wonders
together. Children are instinctively drawn to nature.
 Some schools have ant or worm farms, and if the teacher is
comfortable with classroom pets, children enjoy the responsibility
of caring for fish, guinea pigs or gerbils. One nursery even has a
much loved old dog – but it is usually found in the book area!
6. Math Area  The Math center is the perfect place for that when you
intentionally plan and set up a Math center, rich in materials
that promote Mathematical exploration. Remember research
tells us that learners need concrete hands on activities, and
the opportunity to manipulate materials to develop math
skills and concepts. Let’s make your Math center
fun, engaging, and hands on for your little .

 Some Math manipulative that every classroom should have

are linking cubes, counters, linking chains, pattern blocks,
dominoes, bingo chips, number manipulative, scale,
measuring spoons/cups, dice, math playing cards, ten
frames, ice cube trays, and fun manipulative (buttons, etc.).
7. Wet area  Learning is profound in the wet and messy area, which should be
near the sink. Ideally, it includes a water table, a wet-sand table
and a dry-sand table as these materials invite involvement and
are very different from each other.
 Don’t forget pebbles and seashells! If this area is near your exit,
wet activities can be brought outdoors. Practioners often
incorporate malleable into the wet area or the art area. Dough,
clay and similar materials are excellent for sensory investigation,
and children use all kinds of tools as they roll, indent, and shape
their creations.
8. Art area  The art area should be near the sink with tools and materials
readily accessible.
 It should offer recycled and natural materials are excellent
additions to commercial art products. Teachers must always bear
in mind that the process is more important than the product.
 Creative activity here builds children’s confidence and self-
esteem. It opens avenues of discovery – as when a child is
thrilled to realize what happens when blue and yellow paint mix!
“[Art is] both an approach to the world and a manifestation of
life’s grandeur, [not] a narrowly defined set of activities in a set
location.” Jim Greenman
Provision for the youngest
“A baby room needs to combine a sense of spaciousness with intimacy, allowing free
movement for mobile children and a quieter area for babies not yet able to move by
themselves.” Goldschmied and Jackson

 Babies and toddlers have somewhat different needs from older children. They learn
primarily through sensory input and physical movement, a stage that Piaget termed the
sensorimotor period.

 Babies and toddlers use their entire body to discover and process the world around
them. They develop physical and cognitive skills and learn through becoming fully
involved with their surroundings.

 Babies’ senses are awake from the beginning. The sense of touch affects newborns as
their mothers caress, cuddle and care for them.

 As babies gain control of their movements, they reach up to touch the face above them;
they like to feel with their feet too. They need objects of various textures to explore. The
sense of sight is active as a newborn studies his parents’ faces and looks into their eyes.

 Pictures or contrasting patterns placed in a cot can provide visual stimulation. Babies
love to watch movement and enjoy mobiles. If a cot is placed beneath a tree, the infant
will contentedly watch interplay of light and shadow through moving leaves.

 Babies find birdsong and classical music soothing, but best is the human voice; a baby
loves to listen to a familiar voice 10 speak, croon or sing. It’s exciting when babies
“discover” their own voices and start making purposeful sounds. They also learn to make
sounds by shaking or banging objects.

 Because babies learn through all their senses, we must provide suitable opportunities
and materials. Many nurseries use treasure baskets filled with everyday items of varying
tactile qualities for babies to scrutinize, squeeze, rub, bang, shake, and mouth at leisure.

 A treasure basket may include objects such as a whisk, measuring spoons, bottle
brush, lemon, fir cone, sponge, leather glove, sea shell, and wooden spoon.
 Practitioners maintain safety and cleanliness as well as adding new objects to keep the
babies’ interest.

 In People under Three, Elinor Goldschmied and Sonia Jackson introduced heuristic play.
“Heuristic” means helping to find out or discover and has the same root as Eureka!
 Heuristic play was conceived with one- and two-year-olds in mind, offering opportunity to
experiment with a wide range of objects.

 Children of this age love to sort or arrange objects and do things with them, so it is
essential to provide large quantities of each item. Regarding babies’ physicality, they
develop with amazing rapidity: from helpless newborns to confident crawlers or novice
walkers in just one year!

 When adults are responsive, predictable, and nurturing, infants gain the self-esteem and
courage needed for further development. They have an inborn drive to continually
stretch their abilities, so the whole environment must support this urge to interact with
everything around them.

 It is important for the when babies learn to sit; they can suddenly observe much that
previously they could not see. This excites them, but can also be frustrating as they
notice objects and activities lying out of reach. This is one reason that the treasure
basket is such an asset, as it offers opportunity for exploration in spite of the child’s lack
of mobility.

1. Active play  Babies and toddlers need an environment that encourages

area movement. The active play area has ample floor space and a
nursery gym or similar structure on which children develop their
spatial awareness, their physicality, their sense of balance and
their feeling of well-being.
 A small amount of furniture to support emergent role play, small-
world play and block play complements this area too
2. Wet area  This area should be located near the sink and include malleable
and sand for sensory exploration. Many settings also incorporate
a floor easel and basic art supplies into the wet area. This space
doubles as a mealtime area, and the tables can be used for
feeding, art and other messy activities.
3. Safe crawl  Contained and cozy for non-mobile babies, the safe crawl area is
area the perfect place for a little sensory corner. Infants who feel safe
start exploring their world. Have some fleece and a treasure
basket available on the floor for your small explorers. Walls can
be decorated with attractive objects of varying texture such as
mirrors, CDs, crackly cellophane, rubber, and emery paper.
4. Quiet area  In the quiet area, children can relax and sleep, spend time with a
key person, or enjoy a book. Cushions and soft seating are cozy,
attractive additions to this area. A glider is lovely here to support
bonding

Designing for Logistics

In your preschool classroom, you will need spaces for group activities, privacy, and storage and
display.
Places for Group Activities

Although children learn primarily through play, it is also important to plan areas for large-
group meetings or activities. Morning meetings and story times build classroom community and
literacy skills. Having designated spaces for these activities and designing them to minimize
distractions can help you make the most of these times. This doesn’t mean you need a spot just
for group activities. In some smaller classrooms, this simply is not possible. Teachers in such
classrooms can get creative! The block area can be a perfect space for large-group activities.
Simply covering the shelves with sheets, or flipping around shelves on wheels, or adding a stop
sign can help minimize distractions and support children’s successful engagement with the
group. In other classrooms, the library or music and movement area is a natural home for large
group activities. Just ensure there is enough space for everybody to sit comfortably.
Regardless of where you meet, it is important to think from a child’s point of view. We all feel
better when we know how to be successful. For a preschool child, this might mean knowing
where and how to sit, where to focus attention and what to do. Nametags, seat cushions and
mats or other simple markers can help define children’s individual space within the group.

Places for Privacy

 Preschool classrooms are high-energy places. Similar to adults, children sometimes
need time and space to relax on their own. You can help children meet this need by offering
spaces that are limited to one or two children. The library, a cozy corner, quiet games or other
spaces of your room can help children calm themselves. Consider how the use of sheer fabrics
or the placement of furniture can help create these cozy nooks and still provide good visibility.

Places for Storage and Display

Preschool classrooms require many materials! Toys, books, games, and other resources
are regularly rotated in and out of active use. It is important to plan for at least three kinds of
storage in a preschool classroom: open storage for children to access, closed storage for
teacher materials and storage for personal belongings (Dodge et al., 2010). It is also important
to plan for storage and display of children’s assessment materials and artwork.
 Open Storage: For materials that are in active use, teachers should store them on open,
labeled shelves. As discussed next, open storage promotes accessibility.
 Closed Storage: Tools such as office supplies, cooking utensils or cleaning fluids should
be stored securely when not in use. Again, it is important to designate and carefully label
secure locations for these items. This will help you maintain inventory and ensure
children’s safety.
 Personal Storage: Children and adults need spaces to store their personal belongings.
Children’s personal storage should be labeled with pictures and words. This helps send
the message that each child belongs here. It can also help ease drop-off and pick-up
routines. Personal storage spaces for children also allow them to easily access their
personal items (e.g., a blanket, or gloves in preparation for going outdoors) when needed,
supporting their autonomy. For adults’ personal storage, it is important to store items out
of reach, as items such as purses or backpacks could contain materials unsafe for
children (e.g., make-up or medicine).
 Display: Storing and displaying artwork and portfolios sends powerful messages to
children about the value of their work and helps you do your job more effectively. It
communicates to children this is a place to test their ideas and helps you more easily
track children’s developmental progress.
 Regarding tables:
 Any table should have multiple uses. Why crowd a room with tables used only for
meals? • Tables must be lightweight and moveable.
 Tables should be height-adjustable so they can be raised for stand-up
activities or for older children.
Seat height (cm) 13 17 20 25 30

Table height (cm) 30 36 41 46 51

1 year old 50% 50%
2 years old 60% 40%
3 years old 100%
4 years old 40% 60%
5 years old 100%
Aesthetics
In the introductory lesson, we addressed that high-quality preschool programs send
numerous positive messages to children. One of the best ways you can communicate to
children that your classroom is “a good place to be” is through the small touches you place
throughout the room that express the personality of the class.

Home-like
Children are more likely to feel they can be themselves and have a sense of belonging
when their classroom environment is like their homes. There are many ways you can add
personal touches to your classroom to create a home-like feel (we will address this more in the
Materials lesson). For example, you can include:
 Soft furniture, such as a couch or large armchair
 Nontoxic plants
 Natural or soft lighting, through the use of window or lamps
 Throw pillows, cushions
 Other decorative touches, such as area rugs or repurposed furniture
 Family photos from the children and staff
 Inexpensive frames to hang children’s artwork on the walls
 Neutral paint colors
Remember children may spend several hours a day in your classroom. Creating a relaxing,
home-like environment is critical. It can be overwhelming to spend eight or twelve hours in
spaces that are visually overwhelming, with bright lights or bright colors. A home-like
environment, in addition to places for privacy and quiet areas, offer children the opportunity to
seek calm when they need it.
 Including pictures of the children and their families, in conjunction with personal storage
and displaying children’s artwork, is another great way to communicate that this spaces belongs
to the children. When displaying pictures or adding decorative touches, remember to hang or
offer many items at children’s eye level to reinforce that they are valued members of the
classroom space.

Inviting Engagement: Provocations

You can also offer items of beauty or wonder in the classroom that invite children’s
exploration and engagement using provocations. A provocation is a picture, experience or item
that provokes thought, interest, questions or creativity (Edwards, 2002). In the Materials lesson
ahead, we will address different considerations when selecting materials for your classroom.
Provocations can help “provoke” children to use, think about or see materials in new ways.
When designing your classroom, it can be useful to think about how you will incorporate
provocations. Your inspiration for what provocations to offer will often come from children’s
current interests and their learning goals. Provocations could be:
 And how might a provocation in certain areas help extend or focus children’s play?
Provocations are Pictures: Including pictures of children’s interests can help extend
exploration of certain concepts and sends the message that children’s ideas are valued in
your classroom. Use pictures of real items as much as possible.
 An Event or Experience: For example, go on a field trip, a nature walk outdoors or host
a “tea party” in your classroom. You can also take pictures during the event to display
later. Pictures like these, in conjunction with personal storage and children’s artwork, also
communicate that this space belongs to the children.
 Books: Strategically placing books relevant to children’s current interests around the
room can change their play and engagement. For example, offer a book on robots next to
a bin of recycled materials.
 Items from Nature: This includes items you have collected from outside, such as leaves
or nuts, or a vase of fresh flowers.
 Simple Changes in Display: For example, adding a child-safe mirror in the block area,
laid flat with some toy boats on top, could help children think more about water
transportation and spur them to create different ships and barges out of blocks.

 Consider the placement of your provocations. What are you hoping children will do
within each interest area? What concepts are you currently exploring meant to be a
guide or a point of inspiration for how children can engage with certain materials or
spaces, but remember they are not meant to be an ultimatum for what children are
supposed to do in each area or with the materials. For example, perhaps you set up a
restaurant scene with corresponding props in the dramatic play space, but today, the
children are using it as their home kitchen. That is alright; not every provocation will
interest every child. If children consistently ignore certain provocations that can be a sign
they are no longer interested in that particular concept or idea.
 Designing for All

 When you look to design or redesign your classroom, you need to consider the needs
and learning goals for all children. Each time a new preschooler enters your room, you
should consider what changes need to be made to best support their engagement in the
classroom. For children with special needs, it is important to speak with the child’s family
and your trainer, coach or supervisor so you know the child’s particular needs and what
supports will help them. As we will discuss in the Materials lesson, assuring that your
classroom is welcoming to children from diverse cultural backgrounds is also critical to
supporting the success of all children in your room.
 In terms of environmental design, you may need to consider the physical space within
interest areas or pathways between interest areas to assure children with physical
disabilities can easily move around and participate. In addition, all children, but
particularly children with social or behavioral needs or certain developmental disabilities,
may benefit from a designated “cool down” area, where they can easily access materials
that help them soothe themselves and where they can spend some minutes alone. In the
“cool down” space, you could also offer pictures of children expressing different
emotions to help children identify what they feel, and pictures with words about different
calming strategies (e.g., “take deep breaths”). For children with autism or communication
difficulties, it can also be helpful to provide multiple visual cues for how to use the
spaces and materials. This could include providing a picture of children safely playing in
the space within the “entrance” to each interest area, or offering a small series of
pictures showing how a child could pinch or roll the clay with their hands or use the
available clay tools next to the clay in the art area. See Learners Included Together (KIT)
for more ideas on how to support children with special needs in your setting
(https://www.kit.org/who-we-are/our-work/).

Materials to Use in an Early Childhood Education Program

 Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences in organizing categories
1. Linguistic: 
 children’s books of all kinds, magazines for cut out, alphabet letters of different sizes and
shapes, storytelling area, drawing implements and paper to practice emergent literacy;
alphabet stamps, dolls that speak in different languages, word blocks, magnetic letters;
2. Logical-mathematical: 
 things to count, sort and classify (e.g. buttons, coins, rocks, color swatches), number
blocks of different sizes and shapes, scale to weigh things, measuring tape, measuring
cups, calendars, clocks, and other time-related materials, cash register, play computer,
magnets, lacing, beads, pattern puzzles, pattern blocks, abacus;

3. Spatial: 
  pictures of all kinds, drawing, painting, and collage  (paint, colored chalk, pens, collage
materials, paste, play dough etc.); easels, puzzles, pegboards, parquetry sets, telescope,
microscope, different colored materials to look through, maps, geometric shapes,
cameras;

4. Musical: 
 percussion instruments, electronic keyboard, drums, auto harp and other stringed
instruments, music to listen to, containers with “mystery sounds”; stage for karaoke,
everyday materials to create their own musical instruments (e.g. cardboard tubes, oatmeal
box etc.), stethoscope to listen to things with;

5. Bodily-kinesthetic: 
 hands-on manipulative;  dry sandbox with age appropriate toys (including bulldozers, small
shovels, and other sand processers);  wet sandbox; building materials (e.g. large legos,
large wooden blocks, stacking blocks etc.), water table with cups, pans, cans, (to play
“sink or float” etc.), gymnastic equipment,  housekeeping toys (e.g. broom, dust pan etc.),
balance beam, jump rope, tricycles and other transportation vehicles, ballgames, clay and
mud areas, carpentry equipment and work bench, space to run, jump, and climb on ropes,
ladders, nets, trees; building materials to create forts and other play spaces, containers
with mystery tactile experiences, little doctor’s kit, space to dance, bean bags;
6. Interpersonal: 
 household furniture, dress-up clothes for make-believe, doll house, dolls and stuffed
animals of all kinds, miniature figures for play, puppets and puppet theater, stage for
impromptu drama, board games, materials for creating playing at store, farm, village, or
other social institutions;  parachute, huge ball, tunnels, miniature vehicles, action figures,
walkie-talkies;

7. Intrapersonal: 
 private spaces to be alone, recorder to record voice, mirrors, sand play with miniature
people, objects, houses to create worlds;

8. Naturalist:
 aquarium, terrarium, class pet, outside garden, indoor plants, materials for measuring
weather (e.g. weather vane, rain gauge etc.), binoculars for bird watching, gardening
equipment, miniature farms, and farm animals;

9. Tasting and Smelling: 

 cooking and baking opportunities with an adult,  containers with mystery smells; child-
sized kitchen play are
The Environment: Materials

Culturally Relevant

There are many simple ways to expose children to positive images of people from a variety
of backgrounds:
 In the dramatic play area, include clothes for men and women.
 Display pictures of men and women in a variety of jobs (police officer, construction
worker, teacher, nurse, chef).
 Include items that represent cultures from around the world (cookbooks with pictures of
foods, fliers from ethnic grocery stores, fabrics, cooking utensils, traditional clothing).
 Ask family members to lend you items from their homes.
 In the block area, add figurines or dolls that represent a range of ages, races and abilities.
 In the music area, offer musical instruments from around the globe and CDs of traditional
and contemporary music.
 Stock your classroom library with books that give positive messages about age, gender,
race, culture, special needs, family types and linguistic diversity.
 Look for games and toys that allow children to work together, take turns and celebrate
each other’s successes.

Developmentally Appropriate

Toys and materials in your classroom should be developmentally appropriate. This

means they should match the stage of development of the children in your care. Because
children develop at different rates, choosing developmentally appropriate materials means you
should have a range of toys available that can accommodate differences between individual
children’s skills, interests and characteristics. A classroom stocked with developmentally
appropriate materials “fits” the child—the child should not have to adjust to “fit” the classroom!

Between the ages of 3 and 5, children’s brains and bodies continue to develop. You will
learn more about this in the Cognitive and Physical courses. Developmentally appropriate toys
allow preschoolers to experiment and solve problems. Materials can encourage children to play
with others, take turns and share. Preschool children also need toys and materials that let them
move their bodies and that promote physical development.

Examples of developmentally appropriate materials for preschool-aged children include:

 Wooden blocks for building
 Baby dolls
 Balls of various shapes and sizes
 Floor puzzles with large pieces
 Simple games that require no reading and few pieces (e.g., Chutes and Ladders)

As you learned in the Safety course, you should also ensure the materials you provide are
safe. All materials in your classroom should be made for preschool-aged children. Make sure
your classroom is free of toxic materials (e.g., plants, art supplies, natural materials). Carefully
supervise materials that could be difficult for developmentally younger children.

As part of selecting developmentally appropriate materials, you also want to assure that the
developmental needs of all are considered. Information from the Learners Included Together
(KIT, see https://www.kit.org/who-we-are/our-work/) can help teachers think about materials that
may be especially useful to children with special needs. For example, some children with social-
emotional or attention needs may benefit from fidgets, or small comfort items, that help them
release energy (KIT, 2012). Examples of fidgets include:
 Pieces of felt
 Small bean bags
 Small plush toys
 Pipe cleaners
 Squishy balls
 Bendy material

Fidgets can be great items to include in your “cool down” area, or other quiet and calming
spaces in your classroom, as they can help with self-soothing. For some children, fidgets can
also be helpful during group meeting time, as they offer a release of energy in a quiet,
nondestructive way, which helps them to focus more easily on the experience at hand. Just
ensure the children understand the proper use of fidgets and comfort items (e.g., you may have
to explain what they are for and they are to remain in one’s lap).

Linked to Children’s Interests

Children learn best when adults incorporate their interests. Whenever possible, adults
should provide materials that capture children’s interests and extend their learning. For
example, if a few children are very interested in construction equipment during the summer
months, the teacher could turn the sensory table, block area or a portion of the playground into
a construction zone. Providing hard hats, shovels, measurement tools, gravel or toy
construction equipment can help spark children’s imaginations. If children are interested in fairy
tales, this would be a good opportunity to stock the dress-up area with fancy outfits and “magic”
wands, and to include fairy tale books in the library area. You could even offer recycled
materials in the art area for children to construct their own fairy tale castles or forts.

Perhaps a child had her first airplane trip recently, and airplanes and flying have become an
interest to other children as well. To capture this interest and extend children’s learning in this
area, you could do one or more of the following things:
 Read and display books about airplanes in the library.
 Set up the art area to allow children to construct their own “planes,” which they could
experiment with “flying” in the discovery area.
 Make an “airport” area in the dramatic play area with appropriate materials and props
(e.g., scarves, pilot hats, uniform pieces, plastic cups and food, large boxes that can be
used as airplanes, small pieces of luggage, etc.).

By incorporating children’s interests when choosing classroom materials, you can help
children make connections that extend their learning to new areas. For example, the creation of
a “construction zone” might spark children’s interest in learning about bridges, which could lead
to discussions about the ocean or types of transportation that move through water. Supporting
children’s interest in fairy tales could lead to a discussion about magic, which could prompt
some children to become interested in magic shows or simple magic tricks. Or, children might
become interested in creating their own fairy tale stories (oral or written) with the help of a
teacher. As discussed in the Indoor Environments lesson, provocations are a great way to
incorporate children’s interest and help guide children’s play in productive, engaging ways.

Varied Toys and Activities

Not all toys are created equal. Some toys spark imagination and some hinder it. You
might have noticed that young children are often more interested in the box than the toy that
came inside it. Why? Because the box can become anything. It becomes a drum when you hit it,
a house when you put a doll inside it, a hat when you put it on your head and a mask when you
play hide and seek behind it. The possibilities are endless. Children learn and explore more
when a toy is only limited by their imaginations. Consider the following list and think about why
toys spark or limit imaginative play.

Toys that may limit imaginative play:

 Action figures or plastic dolls with preset accessories or movements
 Toys that talk, sing or dance
 Toys that are branded, such as with a TV show or popular character
 Work books or sticker books; art activities with a clear product

Toys that spark imaginative play:

 Dress-up clothes
 Large boxes
 Tools and items a child might find in the home
 Baby dolls
 Musical instruments
 Arts and crafts materials
 Items that are “open-ended” or can be used in a variety of different ways (e.g., blocks)
Linked to Learning Goals

It is perhaps most important to think about why you have selected the materials in your
room. Ask yourself: how will this toy help children learn? What will they learn from the material?
Use your knowledge of learning standards and the guidelines outlined by your curriculum to
shape your classroom decisions. Look for toys that promote math skills like sorting and
patterning, literacy skills like letter matching and rhyming, social skills like turn-taking and
problem solving, scientific knowledge and knowledge of the social world around children. Here
are some examples of learning goals and materials that address these common learning goals:

Math Skills
 Dice
 Calendars
 Pattern blocks

Literacy Skills
 Alphabet magnets, beads, stamps, blocks
 Variety of writing tools and surfaces
 Variety of print materials
 Puppets

Social Skills
 Simple cooperative board games (e.g., “Count Your Chickens”)
 Cooperative movement games (e.g., wagon pull —children take turns pulling each other
in wagons)

Scientific Knowledge
 Magnifying glass
 Magnets
 Interesting items for the natural environment
 Ramps and scales

Knowledge of the Social World

 Maps
 Play money and cash register
 Dramatic play items that relate to different occupations.

Apply
 As a future teacher, what learning center should be found in your classroom? What
materials are expected in every learning center? How will it contribute to the child’s knowledge
and development? Use to the table to answer to show your answer.
Learning Center Materials Contribution to Child’s Learning
 Cubbies This area of the room provides a
 Lockable storage location for parents to leave and
1. Welcome area receive messages and/or talk with
 Adult chair
 Bulletin board a teacher as the child comes and
 3-ring binder goes.  Teachers who make a point
 Welcome sign of having pleasant interactions daily
build a collaborative partnership
 Memo pads
with each child’s family. Teachers
and parents use this area to share
the children’s milestones and
accomplishments.
 Containers for This area is the ideal platform for
materials nurturing children's imaginations
2. Construction from a young age. This play
 Carpet
and small-world  Unit blocks provides them with an opportunity
 Lego to explore new materials, act out
 Tower building set scenarios from real life, build
 Magna-tiles language, practice social skills, and
gain an understanding of the world.
 Ring construction
Small world play also benefits
set
parents and caregivers, allowing
 Tinkertoys
them to engage in a fun and
 Gears meaningful way with the child at the
 Vehicles child’s level. It also offers an
 Road sign important glimpse of the world
 Large wooden through the eyes of a child.
 Multi-ethnic dolls This area helps to develop
 Doll bed & children's language skills because it
3. Role play requires children to be expressive.
bedding
 Dishes Since they will be playing with other
 Plastic flatware children, they talk freely with each
 Pots & pans other, and they become comfortable
 Cooking utensils with speaking in a group. It helps
children to consider other
 Unbreakable
perspectives as they recognize
mirror
various roles of people in their lives
 Pretend food
and communities. When children
  Play money engage in dramatic play, they
 Dress-up items deepen their understanding of the
 Phones world and develop skills that will
 Child-size sofa serve them throughout their lives.
 House cleaning
tools
 Cars
 Book display This area allows teachers to have
shelf the great joy of watching their
4. Book area learners crack the code on reading
 Pillows &
cushions to begin their journey toward
 Mat or carpeting becoming lifelong proficient
 Assorted books readers. Not only do sharpened
 Flannel board reading skills and build a child’s
 Book & CD confidence, they also help them
cultivate language skills, fluency,
 Big books
and writing ability. Additionally,
 Assorted puppets
reading exposes students to the
 Alphabet chart magic of literature—expanding their
 Props to support imaginations, teaching and
retelling inspiring them about the world
around them.
 Display shelf A science center or discovery table
 Open storage for young kids is an excellent way
5. Science and for kids to investigate, observe, and
containers
discovery area  Tables explore their own interests and at
 Color paddles their own pace. When children
 Magnifiers make discoveries, they are eager to
 Magnets share their excitement with others.
They want to talk about their
 Collection of
investigations, ask questions, and
natural objects
share experiences. This helps them
 Trays
expand their vocabulary by using
 Protective scientific terms that are appropriate
goggles for their age group. Encourage
 Magnet wands them to extend and embed their
 Balance scale learning through related literacy,
 Kaleidoscopes numeracy and creative activities.
 Science books
 Science lab kits
  Assorted math Math learning centers are areas in
manipulatives the classroom where students have
6. Math area the opportunity to work on a variety
 Sorting trays
 Open storage of math activities in order to
containers practice skills that have already
 Lego been introduced. With each math
 Counting cubes connection, the child becomes
 Puzzles more familiar with the basics of
math, allowing them to build on
 Dominoes
those ideas to learn more complex
 Bingo games
math ideas, which lead to
 Dice and spinner becoming a problem-solver in the
 Pegboards future. Moreover, this area builds a
 Bead/strings foundation for basic math concepts
that they can use as they enter
elementary school and beyond. 
 Storage A wet learning center encourages
containers children to participate in sensory
7. Wet area
 Water table w/ lid play. Children can learn water and
 Waterproof learn to share with others as they
smocks play in the learning center.
 Sieves or Including water play sets in the
strainers learning center can also help
 Water wheels broaden children's sensory play
 Water pump experiences and encourage
creativity as they use them to
 Basters
explore their senses. Furthermore,
 Mop
children strengthen their small
 Soap and bubble muscles as they mold and scoop
making tools water. They develop fine motor
 Measuring skills and eye-hand coordination
containers working with materials.
 Molds
 Paint brushes An art learning center serves as a
 Scissors great creative outlet for children to
8. Art area help express their emotions and
 Playdough tools
 Whiteboards w/ ideas. Children can experience
erasers different textures and use different
 Trays for finger materials as they create their works
painting of art. Fine motor skill development
 Paper punches and improved hand-eye
  Double easel w/ coordination are other ways an art
clips learning center will benefit the
 Storage self children in the learning center.
 Table and chairs Children often talk about what they
 Stampers are doing and respond to questions
 Staplers about their creations as they
 Papers engage in art. Furthermore, an art
center can also foster vocabulary
 Pencils
development as children often talk
 Water colors
about what they are doing and
respond to questions about their
creations as they engage in art.
 CD player This area encourages children to
 Speaker be physically active and gives them
9. Music and opportunities to experiment with
 Headphones
Movement  Rhythm sound and music. A music and
instruments movement center can also promote
 Drums self-expression, foster creativity,
 CD’s (assorted and help children relax. Movement
styles of music props aid creative expression and
offer additional fun activities for
 USB
children in the learning center.
 Xylophone
 Dance &
movement props

Assess

Discuss the Developmentally Appropriate (DAP) guidelines on designing and setting up

indoor environment for early childhood based in your understanding.

Guidelines Explanation (using your own words)

Children learn best when adults incorporate their
Linked to Children’s interests. Knowing this shows a good relationship
and bond, which are crucial for development in
 Interests the early years. As a future educator, it is our
responsibility to use our skills to identify and note
down children’s interests. This can be mainly
done through observations during play,
interactions with a child, and discussions with
parents. Discovering a child’s interests when
they first start to enter the classroom is an
important part of guiding them in the process,
showing the child that the environment they are
in is a safe, fun and interesting place. By
incorporating children’s interests when choosing
classroom materials, teachers can help children
make connections that extend their learning to
new areas. In this way, we can make it easier to
understand how the child is learning.
Toys engage a child’s senses, spark their
Varied Toys and imagination and encourage them to interact with
Activities others. When used correctly, they will become
amazing allies in the classroom, but there are
things to consider: not all toys are created equal.
Some toys spark imaginations and some hinder
them. So, it’s important to keep in mind that kids
learn best by doing. As teachers, we need to
purchase the correct materials that will spark
imaginative play in the children and to make full
use of them. Thus, materials need to be:
interesting to children, sturdy, age appropriate,
offer variety and choice, and be arranged in such
a way as to encourage independence and
creativity.
The most important aspect of a high-quality
Linked to Learning learning environment is the selection of
developmentally appropriate toys and materials
Goals that fit the child, not the child having to adjust to
fit the classroom. It is important to recognize that
each particular group of children will be unique
and that they will benefit from classroom
customization to ensure that their needs are
being met. Thus, teachers should use their
knowledge of learning standards and the
guidelines outlined by the curriculum to shape
classroom decisions. Looking for toys and
materials that help promote holistic development
and extend the child’s learning experience is
vitally important in the classroom environment.