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Preschool
It's a rainy day at Tompkins Children's Center in Brooklyn. The heavy rain will keep the children indoors. The school, originally designed to be an apartment, has no specially designated indoor gross motor area. Before the children arrived, their teachers, Ms. Alexis and Ms. Pat, considered their options. Would they stay in the classroom? Create obstacle courses in the hallway? Or perhaps switch classrooms with another teacher to provide a new environment for the children?
Ms. Pat leads the children on the carpet in finger plays and songs. Ms. Alexis pushes the tables (on wheels) to one side of the classroom and places foam balance beams, hoops, and silk scarves in the large open space she created in the center of the classroom. Ms. Pat and the children talk about why they will be doing activities inside today and the options for play. Both teachers support children as they climb, jump, twirl, and dance to the playful music they hear. As the physical play period comes to a close, Ms. Pat helps the children wash their hands and reads a story to them. Ms. Alexis puts away the materials, pushes the tables and shelves back into place, and begins to prepare the tables for lunch.
Light, ventilation, noise, open space, and beauty are important factors for educators to consider when designing early childhood spaces. The physical environment can motivate and support learning, or it can impede the achievement of educational goals (Lackney 2005). A spectrum of wonderful resources is available to help document the role of the physical environment in children's learning and provide strategies for teachers to enrich the classroom environment (Olds 2001; Greenman 2005; Evans 2006). Professional resources provide information about the importance of the physical environment for children's learning (Curtis & Carter 2003; Bullard 2014). Increasingly popular approaches, like the Reggio Emilia experience, highlight the significance of the physical environment for children's learning (Cadwell 2003; Scheinfeld, Haigh, & Scheinfeld 2008; Edwards, Gandini, & Forman 2011).
In early childhood centers located in spaces not originally designed for children, teachers and administrators face numerous challenges as they create a safe, healthy, and engaging environment. This can be especially true of centers providing care for children from families with low incomes. Fundingto build...