[Image: Book center for children]Child Care Corner - March 2009
Jane B. Jones
Extension Agent
(Family and Consumer Science)
LSU AgCenter
Creating Ideal Learning Environments for Young Children
We design environments for young children that increase engagement, are individualized and ensure overall quality and safety. The most important concept related to engagement is that it is the foundation for learning. Children must be engaged for learning to occur. Increased engagement is associated with increased learning. Children can be engaged with materials, peers and adults. Environments are designed to ensure active engagement, including interactions with peers and adults.
When children are not engaged, they are waiting, watching or staring into space. They are wandering around the room, and they are bored. Sometimes they are hitting other children or throwing toys. Adults and teachers and the environments they create control children’s engagement or non-engagement. Everything in the classroom is chosen for a reason.
Sanitizing toys daily; cleaning; removing broken toys; correcting hazardous conditions; and maintaining positive guidance techniques to prevent children from hurting each other or themselves are all things you can do to ensure safety for children in the environment.
The overall goal of developing a high quality environment is to facilitate active participation, engagement and independence. Children learn by doing – not watching. They need ongoing opportunities to participate in activities, manipulate materials and play games. Also, children need to feel a sense of belonging. They need to feel ownership of their classroom and their teacher.
Why is independence important? Children who are given choices and opportunities to make decisions are more likely to become confident, successful, competent learners. Encourage these behaviors by creating classrooms where children play independently and are able to participate in activities with minimal adult interference. It is important for them to be able to get their own supplies, decide where they want to play, and decide with whom they want to play. They should be able to access toys, have cues about how to use the toys, and know where the toys go during clean up.
All Extension programs are open to any person regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, religion, national origin or handicap.