Table of Content
Patterns provide visual interest on walls, floors, and other surfaces. In display areas, wall covering patterns of small, symmetrical designs help the staff align artwork and other postings. For toddlers, use a paper plate to make a "stop" sign one side and a "go" sign on the other.
Baskets should not be made of materials that could poke or scratch children and should not be used to store materials that can fall out through the holes (e.g., crayons). The steps you take to organize for independence and easy use will also help you keep the space tidy, which can prevent safety hazards (e.g., tripping over materials). Children will know where materials belong, and they will not have to carry materials far from their storage spaces. Furthermore, these strategies help children and youth respect the materials and the classroom environment.
Other programs
Instead of spending your time redirecting children, think carefully about how you set up the environment. Giving children the chance to explore freely in a well-organized and child-safe space is a much more effective way to manage behavior and encourage learning. Many families choose family child care homes because they like the family environment and the smaller number of children. Home-based programs provide a consistent caregiver for your child and may offer flexible hours if you need care in the evenings or weekends. Families with multiple children also like that siblings are cared for together rather than separated into different age groups. Family child care homes are often less expensive than center-based child care programs, but rates within your community may vary.
Sometimes families are in situations where their home environment is not very safe. EHS teachers and home visitors can partner with families in protecting their children and continuing to nurture their development. You design learning opportunities for children every day, and your indoor or outdoor environment sets the stage for most of these opportunities.
Tools to Use: Designing Your Indoor School Age Environment
Look around and see what you can do to promote relationships in all the areas of your space. A couch is not only a place to sit but also provides comfortable space for teachers and parents to relax and catch up at pick-up time, hold and feed babies, or cuddle with toddlers to read a book. It is a space where caregivers and babies can enjoy some one-on-one time together.
Information about the young artist and his comments about his work recorded neatly on sentence strips mounted with the picture complete the display. Framed posters, photographs, abstracts, and reproductions of the works of the masters, along with sculpture and pottery, can be displayed elsewhere in the classroom and throughout the center. Work with community partners to provide families with safety items like outlet covers and cabinet locks. Help families of mobile infants find resources to solve safety issues. Elements from home- ask families to share their favorite books, foods, toys, and games.
The Indoor Environment: Designing and Organizing
When you look to design or redesign your program, you need to consider the needs and learning goals of all children. Each time a new school-age child enters your room, you should consider what changes need to be made to best support that child’s engagement in the program as well as the individual’s previous experiences. For a child with developmental disabilities, it is important to speak with the child’s family and your trainer, coach, or administrator so you know the child’s particular needs and the supports that will help. Ensuring that your classroom is welcoming to children from diverse cultural backgrounds is also critical to supporting the success of all children in your room. In your school-age environment, you will need spaces for group activities, privacy, storage, and display.
Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Problems often arise when children do not have enough toys or materials to play with. Think about what you need for children of different ages and interests. Plenty of paper to draw on; materials to sort, collect, trade, and share; dress-up clothes and props; puzzles and games; and well-maintained equipment to climb or ride on will keep children busy and interested.
Learn More
If there is something that can be changed to better support the learning needs of any child, it should be brought to the attention of the program staff. Also see the Learn attachment that provides some adaptive equipment and materials as well as environmental supports that may be useful for some children with developmental disabilities. As school-age staff members, it is our job to make sure the indoor environment is thoughtfully designed and materials for play are well organized. This lesson highlights how to design your indoor environment for group activities, privacy, storage, and display, with attention to all learners. It introduces design elements that promote a sense of comfort and invite exploration and engagement.
She enrolled Dion in Shawna’s classroom and has noticed that Shawna puts Dion on the floor a lot. When Aisha asks about that, Shawna explains that “tummy time” is good for a baby’s muscles. A few days later Aisha tells Shawna that she wants to let Dion have tummy time at home, but in the shelter the floor is hard and dirty. Please note the References & Resources section at the end of each lesson outlines reference sources and resources to find additional information on the topics covered.
As you see from this list, the term “environment” encompasses all aspects of your family child care program. A trained observer can use the Family Child Care Environment Rating Scale to rate your program in each area. This is a useful tool for setting goals for any changes you may want to make within one or more areas. The lessons in this course will help you reflect on these components of your family child care.
Another aspect of continuity is caring for babies in out-of-home care settings in ways that are as similar as possible to how their families care for them at home. In home visiting, it is important that the ideas and activities provided by the home visitor for the family are in sync with the family‘s values and goals for their child. Sasha, a child care provider in a center-based program, is setting up her new classroom. She recently visited a friend who provides child care in her home and loved the calm, cozy environment.
Activity areas are key tools for learning within the family child care environment. You can use individual interests, goals, and abilities to design your activity areas. Refer to the Safe Environments and Healthy Environments courses for more information. Family child care providers may or may not hire additional staff to work in the child care home. Learn more about the 12 health and safety trainings that all adults caring for children should have.
Whether you are in a child care center or a family child care home, make your space safe for children. Store dangerous chemicals and medicines out of children’s reach. Cover electrical outlets, and store dangerous or breakable objects up high.
Homelike Environments
Children can even be presenters during this time, sharing a new technique, relevant research, or book they found. Having designated spaces for these activities and designing them to minimize distractions can help you make the most of these times. This does not mean you have to have a spot that is used just for group activities. Staff members can get creative and be flexible with these ideas!
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