The following is excerpted from The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood, by Diane Trister Dodge and Laura J. Colker©, Teaching Strategies, Inc., Washington, D.C. 1992. Reprinted with permission.
We are all affected by our environment. Our physical surroundings affect how we feel, how comfortable we are, how we relate to others, and how successfully we accomplish what we set out to do.
For young children, the environment is particularly important. The size of the classroom and outdoor play areas, the colors of the walls, the type of furniture and flooring, the amount of light, and the number of windows all influence how children learn.
You can do many things to create a supportive and interesting environment for young children. Thoughtful arrangements of the indoor and outdoor environments will support your goals for children.
A classroom for young children benefits from having clearly defined, well-equipped interest areas that are arranged to promote independence, foster decision making, and encourage involvement. When the room is divided into interest areas, children are offered clear choices. An area set aside for books, art, or table toys provides opportunities for quiet play. Areas set aside for dramatic play, block building, woodworking, or large muscle experiences give the children options for active play.
The following guidelines should be considered in arranging your interest areas:
- Separate noisy areas from quiet ones(e.g., blocks and house corner together, library and table toys on another side of the room).
- Clearly define each area using shelves and furniture.
- Display materials at a height accessible to children so they can see what choices are available.
- Separate children's materials from teacher's materials.
- Logically place interest areas near needed resources(e.g., art area near water).
- Ensure that teachers can see all the areas without obstruction.
- Incorporate a traffic pattern that keeps children from constantly interrupting each other.
In the Creative Curriculum, the environment typically includes space for the following activities:
- Blocks
- House Corner
- Table Toys
- Outdoors
- Art
- Sand and Water
- Library
- Music and Movement
To further enrich the program, add space for cooking and computers.
The following floor plan illustrates what a "e;creative classroom" might look like: 