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(Unit 5) Topic 1: Environments that Nurture Children

1 Clock Hour of Early Childhood Education

Healthy and Safe Environment

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Classroom environments need to strike a balance between providing opportunities for concrete environmental exploration that promote learning and a safe, warm, nurturing, and comfortable atmosphere. Classroom room arrangement, furnishings, decoration, and organization of materials help to create the classroom atmosphere. Teachers who create a pleasant classroom space that minimizes noise levels, is visually appealing, and divided into organized areas create a positive and calm classroom atmosphere.

The first-most consideration is maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children. Key health practices include frequent cleaning and sanitizing of surfaces, play materials, and equipment. Educators need to inspect the environment regularly for safety hazards, such as mushrooms growing in the play yard or slippery wet floors in the bathroom. Regular inspections help prevent accidents and injuries.

A well-planned physical environment, both indoors and outdoors, is fundamental to high quality care. A well-planned child care environment should be child-sized, welcoming, and comfortable. The heights of tables and chairs should reflect the size of children. Child-sized toilets and sinks will help children use them independently.

The furniture, classroom, and playground should be clean and in good repair. Materials that children use should be no higher than 48 inches from the floor, so that children can see them. To visualize the level at which children live and work, an adult should kneel and draw an imaginary line four feet above the floor. Anything higher is for adults.