HighScope Implementation Arranging the Active Learning Environment Setting up the Preschool Classroom

by Nancy Vogel

well-designed and well-orga- area. Use large area signs to label each nized learning environment area, and refer to areas by name when A that is inviting to children, talking with children. full of interesting materials, and set The interest areas should also be up to accommodate a range of activi- clearly defined by equipment, such as ties and play, supports children’s low shelving units or dividers. In addi- growth in all areas of development. tion, the equipment that serves as the A well-equipped learning space supports children's Any developmentally appropriate pro- exploration and active learning. actual focal point of the interest area, gram — whether it’s a half-day pro- such as a water table in the sand and gram located in an elementary school water area, or a workbench in the wood- setting, a full-day program in a child play and learning that naturally occur, working area, can also clearly define a care setting, a small space located in interest areas should be designed to sup- space. Other visual boundaries include a church basement, or a newly built, port children’s interests and activities. area rugs or a change in the surface of state-of-the-art center with spacious For example, a sand and water area the floor, boxes or crates used for storing and well-equipped rooms — can fol- encourages sensory exploration, a spa- materials, large hollow blocks, easels, low some basic guidelines to arrange cious block area encourages children’s or tables. In home preschools or day a learning space for young children desires to build and construct things, care settings, interest areas may be that will encourage their exploration, or a reading and writing area supports located in separate rooms, for example, creativity, and active learning. preschoolers’ discoveries of books and the art area and sand area in the home’s their early writing development. Setting Up Interest Areas kitchen or the toy and reading and writ- It’s important to choose names for ing areas in the family room. Children who participate in develop- the interest areas that make sense to In developing a floor plan for your mentally based preschool programs nat- children and are easy for them to identi- learning environment, consider the urally engage in a variety of types of fy. For example, choose to name the area fixed elements of the physical setting play and learning. They enjoy building, of the classroom with small manipulative (such as sinks, toilets, floor surfaces, pretending, creating, reading, moving, materials and toys the toy area, rather doors, natural and artificial lighting, writing, drawing, and making music. In than the manipulative area — likewise, and electrical outlets), as well as the order to encourage the various types of house area, instead of dramatic play traffic flow within and between the highscope.org ReSource Spring 2012 11 HighScope Implementation

interest areas. Adults should consider Making the Space Inviting to the activities that occur in each area and Children the physical features needed for those We want children to feel comfortable, activities. For example, locate the art safe, and free to explore, discover, and area near a sink or other water source learn when they enter into their learning and on a tile floor, or a reading and environment. In order to create an invit- writing area near a window in order to ing space for children there are several take advantage of the natural sunlight. factors to consider. Consider also how children’s activities Add softness. First, try to incorporate in one area may affect those in nearby softness into your space. Items such as areas. For example, house area play carpeting, area rugs, curtains, beanbag often spills into the block area, so locate chairs, pillows, sleeping bags, stuffed these areas next to each other. Similarly, animals, wall hangings, or quilts will locate areas for louder play, such as the create a sense of warmth and safety in woodworking, music and movement, your environment. Additionally, these In developing a floor plan, consider the physical fea- and block areas, within close proximity tures needed for activities. For example, locate the art soft items will help to absorb the loud area near a sink or other water source. of one another and away from areas sounds that come from different areas where quieter activities occur, such as and activities in the room, such as ham- the reading and writing area. mers pounding or blocks falling down. places indoors can include lofts, cano- Choose colors and textures care- pies, or netting that’s been hung from fully. If possible, choose simple and the ceiling, reading areas, and window To nurture children’s subdued or neutral colors for walls, floor seats, while outdoor cozy places can be independence, coverings (including large-group-time found in tree houses, playhouses, or by rugs), and equipment. It is best to start positioning a bench under a shady tree adults can identify or near a flower garden. materials with labels the program year with fewer colors, patterns, textures, and other visually Accommodating Storage Needs children can “read” stimulating items, adding more as the Aside from the essential materials on their own. program year progresses, depending on that remain available to children all the the individual needs and personalities in time (such as unit blocks in the block your class. Too many colors or patterns area or baby dolls in the house area), Although there is no set rule for the can be overwhelming, and can be dis- some materials will not always be in number of interest areas, there are at tracting to children who easily become use (e.g., props for dramatic play, large certain basic interest areas that all class- overstimulated and excited. balls that are occasionally taken outside) rooms should have; these include art, Use natural building materials and and should be stored in another location, block, house, reading and writing, and natural light sources. Whenever budget such as a storage closet, or on shelves toy areas. If space allows, additional allows, choose shelving units, cubbies, that are not within reach or the immedi- interest areas might include computer, tables, and outdoor climbing structures ate view of children. Too many visible music and movement, sand and water, that are made from wood, rather than materials can become overwhelming for and woodworking areas. As a general from plastic and other artificial materi- children, making it difficult for them to rule, it is better to have a few spacious, als. If you do have natural light sources make plans or to focus on their activities. well-stocked interest areas than to have available (for example, windows and Space to store children’s personal many small areas stocked with a few skylights), take advantage of them, rath- belongings is also essential. Individual materials. It is also possible to locate er than only relying on artificial light. storage areas for children should be some interest areas, such as the sand If possible, turn off overhead florescent easy for them to reach: cubbies, lockers, and water area, outdoors. lights. The flickering nature of the lights tubs, baskets, or boxes, and low hooks In order to make good choices about and the humming sound are thought to or shelves. Items that can be stored in where to go and what to do in the class- adversely affect some children. Secured those spaces include outerwear (jackets, room, children should be able to see all floor lamps or table lamps offer a light- mittens, etc.); notes to parents and class- areas of the room easily, without large ing alternative and provide a warmer room newsletters; children’s artwork, pieces of furniture or equipment block- feel to the room. writing, and other creations they want to ing their views. This arrangement also Provide for coziness. Finally, even take home; and other personal belong- allows adults to see and monitor what very active children need a little time ings, such as clothing that gets wet at the is happening in all areas of the room at to retreat and rest or snuggle up with a water table and needs to be sent home. all times. familiar adult and a favorite book. Cozy These personal storage areas should be

12 ReSource Spring 2012 highscope.org clearly labeled with a nametag and a Storage containers should be easy to dishes, beads, puppets, scarves, paper letter-linked picture of the child who see into and easy for children to handle. and markers, and musical instruments. uses that space. [HighScope’s letter Containers of various sizes can be used Other types of open-ended materials links name-learning system pairs a many different storage needs: kitchen- include those that are found and recy- child’s printed name with a letter-linked sized garbage cans can hold dowel rods cled: buttons, pieces of scrap wood, picture of an object that starts with the in the woodworking area; egg cartons empty plastic containers or food cartons, same letter and sound. More informa- with lids removed can hold small beads or large appliance boxes. Finally, natural tion about letter links and detailed in the art area. Keeping the lids off of materials, such as seashells, rocks, nuts, examples of nametags can be found in containers make materials visible and seed pods, sand, water, leaves and twigs, the book Letter Links: Alphabet Learn- easily accessible to children. (It may be or living plants, offer opportunities for ing With Children’s Names, available necessary to keep certain small objects, open-ended play and discovery, and through www.highscope.org. Also avail- which could pose a choking risk for offer a nice contrast to the many plastic able through HighScope is Letter Links some children, stored in a container materials that are available and present Online, a Web-based program that with a lid attached.) in preschools today. allows teachers to create and print out Choosing Appropriate It is also important for adults to links quickly and automatically on their Equipment and Materials choose materials that reflect the chil- computers.] dren’s interests. For example, for children The materials placed in a develop- To nurture children’s independence, who are fascinated by the road con- mentally based early childhood program adults can identify materials with labels struction that’s occurring in front of the should be chosen carefully by adults children can “read” on their own — for school building, adults will place books who understand and want to support instance, pieces of the material itself, about construction equipment in the young children’s interests, cultural tracings, drawings, catalog pictures, box reading and writing area; bulldozers, backgrounds, and their developmental tops, photographs, photocopies, or any excavators, cement mixers, and road stages and abilities. Materials should be of these types of labels with the word graders in the block area; and smaller open-ended, meaning they should be for the item accompanying it. This sup- construction equipment in the sand table. materials that can be used in a variety of ports children’s efforts to find materials Or, to support an increasing interest in different ways. The examples of open- and return them to their storage space restaurant play after a visit to a local ended materials that can be added to a when they have finished using them. pizza place, adults might add props classroom are as limitless as the ways in Children can also be involved in decid- such as menus, empty pizza boxes, play which they can be used! Some examples ing where to put materials and in making dough, pizza cutters, pads of paper, and include clay, paint, blocks, baby dolls, their own labels. pencils to the house area. Great care should also be taken to ensure that the materials you place in It is better to have a few spacious, well-stocked interest areas rather than many small areas with a few materials. your learning environment reflect the family backgrounds, cultures, and eth- nicities of the children in your program. In addition, materials and equipment should be nonbiased and nondiscrimina- tory. For example, include books that portray children with disabilities or older adults in positive ways; photographs of all kinds of families; dolls with appropri- ate skin color, hair textures and styles, and facial features; and food containers that are labeled in children’s languages. Considerations for Supporting Children With Special Needs Safety and accessibility is a concern in any early childhood setting. However, when adults are working with children who have special needs, safety and accessibility become an even greater concern. Adults who have children with special needs in their classrooms may highscope.org ReSource Spring 2012 13 HighScope Implementation

classroom might overwhelm some chil- have to take into consideration the safe- levels. A toy area in a typical preschool dren. Instead of having multiple collec- ty of children who tend to put objects in program might offer manipulative mate- tions of small manipulative materials their mouths or children who frequently rials to take apart and fit together, items out on shelves, adults may want to begin wander away from the group. Adults for pretending and role play, or small the program year with a small variety will need to take extra precautions for collections to count and sort. In a pro- of interesting and appropriate materials children who are unsteady on their feet gram with children who are functioning and gradually add to those materials as or use assistive devices such as wheel- at lower cognitive levels, teachers might children become more familiar with the chairs or walkers, for example, protect- instead provide sensory toys, which are daily routine, the learning environment, ing or covering corners on furniture and covered in brightly colored fabrics and and the process of find-use-return; and making sure all floor coverings are textures and have jingling bells, soft as they progress from exploring by securely fastened to the floor. In addi- crinkles, or rattling beads inside. They dumping materials onto the floor to tion, the arrangement of the learning might also offer switch or pop-up toys, more purposeful play. In terms of hang- space may need to be modified to make which give children experiences with ing materials on the walls, it may be it easier for children with physical dis- cause and effect, and which prove to be appropriate to stick with the essentials: abilities to move from one area to the more interesting and stimulating for their interest-area signs, daily routine signs, next. For example, some adults who stage of development. children’s symbols, and children’s art- work with children who have special For programs where children with work, all hung at the children’s level. mobility needs find it necessary to special needs are working alongside their This practice benefits all children, and design the interest areas of their class- normally developing peers, adults will will be especially helpful for children rooms with more than one way in and want to provide a variety of materials who become over stimulated easily. out to prevent traffic jams. appropriate and interesting to children Many of the modifications adults functioning at all developmental levels. make for the children they serve are Start with the recommended practices based on their knowledge of fundamen- for all children, and make modifications The arrangement tal child development principles, as well as needed. In making any adaptations, of the learning space as on their understanding of how active keep in mind the principle of “best prac- may need to be learning and appropriate materials sup- tices first,” and create and environment port children in all developmental stag- modified so that in which all children can experience es. For example, children with visual children with physical meaningful learning. impairments or children who are in the disabilities can move sensory-motor stage of development Nancy Vogel has been a HighScope around more easily. might find materials that offer tactile, trainer and consultant. This article visual, or auditory stimulation more is excerpted from her book Setting interesting to explore than their peers Up the Preschool Classroom, in the A physical learning space that is with normal vision or higher cognitive inviting to children is perhaps even more HighScope Essentials book series. essential for children who have unique and special needs. For example, children Even very active children need who become nervous and agitated in time to rest or read a favorite book in a cozy setting. environments with excess noise or visual stimulation will benefit greatly from a classroom that provides natural or soft lighting and a place to safely retreat with a cozy blanket or an item of security. Most children with special needs will function well in a classroom that is well designed and well organized. However, if it appears that some children have difficulty coping with the wide array of materials, adults may choose to limit the amount of materials on display, especially at the beginning of the program year. For example, the toy area in a typical

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