Classroom Planning and Arrangement

The importance of room arrangement, interest centers, and the flow from center to center are crucial elements for a successful classroom. Take a moment and look at your room through the eyes of a preschool-aged child. How does your room measure up? What do you notice? Does the room have a warm, friendly atmosphere? Is there a feeling of discovery and exploration? Is there enough to do? Are the materials and activities provided challenging and developmentally appropriate, or is the room overwhelming and confusing? Is there running and misbehavior?

Environmental Arrangement:

With careful planning, a classroom's arrangement can provide an atmosphere that is inviting while reducing confusion and misbehavior. The flow within the classroom should allow students to comfortably move from center to center while reducing large open spaces and dead-end pathways. By dividing the classroom space with tables, dividers, and other classroom furniture, pathways, interest centers, and the number of students using any one of the centers can be defined. For example, a large table can become a small interest center when placed against a wall or bookcase and only two chairs provided. That same large table may also be turned into two interest centers through the use of a divider placed on the table to designate each area. A sensory table can be limited to only two or three students by placing it against a wall or divider. While at the same time, pulling interest centers away from the walls and locating them within open spaces defines the interest centers, directs the flow from center to center and discourages running. When planning the environmental arrangement of your room, consider its size, the number and ages of students, and the desired flow in the room to include large motor, fine motor, creative development, sensory, cognitive and language centers. Within these areas, noise, movement and flow may be controlled by the layout and placement of the centers. Locate quiet centers such as the library nook and cognitive areas away from the louder move active areas such as the block, dramatic play and large motor centers. The sensory and arts centers, when placed between the quiet and loud areas, act as transitional points and aid with the flow from center to center. To view a general layout of a classroom, click on the Classroom Arrangement link.

Finally consider the size and layout of the interest centers. Interest centers should encompass a variety of sizes and spaces, from individual to group sized centers. Provide enough spaces so that students can choose which centers to interact within. Ensure that each center has adequate room. A general rule of thumb is l.5 spaces within the classroom per student. For example: a play dough center with four seats; a collage table with three seats; and a painting easel for two, would provide enough spaces for six students. By applying this simple formula, students are given the opportunity to move from center to center and have enough spaces to interact within these areas.

Interest Center Savvy:

Once the environmental arrangement of the classroom is determined, planning what to include within the interest centers is the next step. Depending upon the age of students, centers need to be equipped with materials that encourage single to complex use. An example: a sand table with just sand is a simple use center. By adding shovels, buckets and sifters, the center has been extended. With the addition of water, this center has become a complex center where many different and extended uses are provided. This type of planning allows students to discover, learn and expand upon their experiences and knowledge. While ranging from simple to complex use, the materials must also be provided in adequate supplies. As shown above, the sand table that offers sand, shovels, buckets, sifters and water needs to be equipped with enough shovels, buckets and sifters for the desired number of students using the center. This helps alleviate friction among students and gives each the opportunity to fully explore and use the center. By providing interest centers that incorporate all areas of the curriculum (large motor, fine motor, creative development, sensory, language and cognitive development) and that are stocked with materials that encourage simple to complex play, extended learning will increase as preschoolers enjoy their participation in the interest centers. For a listing of materials to include in different interest centers, please see: Interest Centers.

The Atmosphere:

Finally, consider the atmosphere of the room. Is there a sense of warmth or exploration and discovery? To achieve a preschool-friendly atmosphere, try:

• Hanging pictures, bulletin boards, and displays at the students' level.
• Letting the students' creations decorate and adorn the room - this gives a sense of ownership and pride to the room.
• Collecting and displaying photos and posters as motivational theme ideas.
• Providing areas where the eye is drawn to and where it can rest.
• Providing teacher visibility throughout the room.

© 2004
Early Childhood Educational Resource Project

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