one of my very favorite parts about being a teacher is setting up a classroom. most people probably don’t consider teaching to be a creative endeavor, but those people are not seeing all of the work that goes on behind the scenes!
every inch of a classroom should be considered when preparing it for the students. with young children, accessibility is number one. children should not have to ask an adult for help accessing anything that is meant for their use in the environment. they should also be able to use it independently and should be able to easily find where to return it when they are finished. every item should have a designated place and should be carefullyand thoughtfully chosen with the children in mind. i try to consider every item from the child’s perspective before adding it to the environment.
here are some images that have been inspiring me recently:
there so much to love here! my eye immediately went to the block platform first. any early childhood teacher knows that it is easy for block play to take over the classroom quickly, making it a hazardous and sometimes chaotic place to be. by defining the workspace in front of the block shelf, this platform can help children keep those items close to their “home” and also provide a sturdy building surface, preventing noisy (and sometimes painful) tower collapses! I would love to find a large platform like this, or even a rectangular shape, for blocks for these classroom spaces. the blocks are also very high-quality and varied in type, shape, size and even color. there is also a little stand on top of the block shelf that holds photos of architecture to inspire children’s play. i can already see the children making so many important discoveries here!
i also love the curved shelves that help define the corner space, the cozy details of the plants, rugs and pillows and the art placed thoughtfully at the child’s eye level.
i’ve never had a mirror table in my classroom, but i’ve been seeing these inspiring images and dreaming of having one this time. light tables and sensory tables are a must, too! i can see lots of wonderful and purposeful play happening at a table like this that would be fairly simple to DIY.
i adore this little setup for found objects! clever idea to use a mancala tray to hold the items and it looks like there is a basket underneath with tools for examining them. i’ve been thinking a lot about a nature table with a microscope, magnifying glass, some tweezers…this could be a good way to display these items, which are often things brought inside by the children after nature walks. in past environments, i have had a “museum” (small acrylic box with little shelves) for treasures children bring into the classroom — perhaps we’ll need both this year, or some combination of the two.
feel free to follow along on Pinterest to see what else is inspiring us!