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(Unit 5) Topic 1: Environments that Nurture Children

1 Clock Hour of Early Childhood Education

Planning the Early Childhood Environment

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Indicators of a Quality Early Learning Environment
Source: Child Care Resources
Length: 4:21
Via Youtube

The environment is a critical aspect of an early childhood curriculum.

The physical early childhood program environment communicates powerful messages to young children. The design of children’s environments is crucial because it affects children in many ways, including their physical and emotional safety and learning experiences.

Despite the great diversity in the types of early childhood programs and the wide variations in state regulations governing center-based and family child-care homes, there is much agreement among professionals on the characteristics of quality child care needed to provide the safe, healthy, and nurturing environments that parents want and children deserve.

Creating an environment that matches the children’s developing abilities and interests requires careful observation and thoughtful planning. The goal for early childhood educators is to make everything in the environment say to the children, “This place is for you."

When you are designing your classroom, you need to consider the needs and learning goals for all children. Each time a new child 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 so you know the child’s particular needs and what supports will help them. 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.

The environment affects every area of growth, including motor development, social–emotional development, language development, and cognitive learning and development. Educators in high-quality programs work together with families to create a predictable, familiar, and meaningful environment for the children.

Effective educators place materials indoors and outdoors that offer a rich variety of possibilities for movement, exploration, and discovery. They observe which kinds of materials hold children’s attention and introduce slightly different yet related things. They notice the skills a child is trying to master and find ways for that child to practice them.

Educators also need to ensure that children who want private time, away from the group, have a place where they can be alone; yet, still be supervised. For example, lace curtains can be hung under a loft to allow educators to see a child who wants to be in a private place.

One of the most important principles of preparing the environment is to make adaptations for every child in the group. This principle supports responsive care and education. It also facilitates the inclusion of children with disabilities or other special needs. An environment that is adapted to the developing abilities and strengths of individual children makes possible the full participation of every child.