Preschool Areas

Room Areas

Block Area
o The block area is used to help with motor coordination and strength.
Children are able to use their imagination and learn to cooperate and
work together. The block area provides children to opportunity to use
math by working with measuring, ratio, size comparison, and problem
solving skills. When children use blocks they learn to use abstract
representation which can be applied to reading and writing later down
the road.
o Items to be used in the area: hardwood unit blocks, hollow blocks, toy
vehicles, street signs, dollhouse, small human and animals, prop box to
go along with the theme, special carpets (village or townscapes), low,
open shelves that are clearly marked with a picture and name of each
item. The space should have a carpet of some sort to help minimize
noise. A basket of books that are relevant to items in the block area to
use for extended play, posters and pictures hung up in that area that
are relevant to the block area as well.
Dramatic Play Area
o The dramatic play area is used to help children learn to symbolize and
practice the skills of everyday living they see and experience. Children
are able to learn daily routine skills such as dressing and clean up.
o Items needed in the house area are: child-size furniture, stove, sink,
table with chairs, dishes and dress up clothing. The dress up clothes
should be both for boys and girls and reflect different kinds of
occupations, cultures, and ages. Dolls and food of different cultures as
well as books are a must in the house area as well. Open shelves,
bins/baskets, hooks and hanging devices that are labeled with pictures
and names are needed in the area.
Manipulative Area
o The manipulative area is to help children with their hand eye
coordination and fine motor skills.
o Items to have in the manipulative area are: building/construction toys
like Legos and other small open ended toys that many children or few
can play with. Puzzles and put together toys that are able to be used
by a single child are wanted as well. Sorting items, peg boards,
geoboards, and board games are also recommended. Store the items
in their own individual spaces in a clearly marked container/basket/bin
with the picture and name on it. Having carpet squares or placemats
are a good idea to help children keep their items in their personal play
space.
Sensory Area

In the sensory area children are able to learn about math concepts, use
scientific observation, cooperative play and imagination, fine motor
skills and use question and answer techniques to learn.
o Items you need in a sensory area are: dirt, salt, aquarium gravel, and
other hands on items children are able to explore are need for the
sensory table. Cups, bowls, and rakes are just a few of the items you
are able to put in the table as well to work with the materials. Smocks
are sometimes needed depending on what is in the table for the
children. Playdough or things like it are often kept in the area along
with tools to work with the clay. A sensory table and child size table
and chairs are also needed in this area.
Art Area
o In the art area children are able to work on their creative expression,
problem solving and physical and sensory development.
o The space should be on tile floor or floor that can easily be cleaned up
and near water if able and is in a place with plenty of light. The space
needs work tables, chairs and easels that are child size. Open shelves
with picture and word labels are best to store items. A closed cabinet is
best to keep and store extra items that need teacher only access.
Some type of drying rack will be needed as well. Supplies needed for
the area are smocks, different types of paint, brushes, q-tips, feathers,
containers to hold water and paint, paper of different sizes, colors and
weights, crayons, markers, colored pencils, chalk, clay, dough, scissors,
place mats, glue, wood, paper, magazine, and natural items.
Library Area
o The library area is the area where children learn early literacy. They are
able to look at books, hear stories, and see adults modeling a joy for
books.
o You need a bookshelf at the childs eye level with a lot of books that
are eye catching to the children. The library should be located in a
quiet corner of the room and have soft pillows, child sized chairs and
adult sized chairs/sofa. The area should have posters, and laminated
book covers. The space should include a listening center with tapes,
puppets, props and flannel board for telling stories,
Discovery Center
o The discovery center is a space in your classroom where you are able
to allow the children to explore and answer their many questions of the
world around them. The space should be used to explore math,
science, and social studies.
o The space should have low open shelves with picture and name labels
of the items in the area along with child sizes tables and chairs. You
may want to include the following items in the space; aquariums,
plants, science games, pictures, books, sorting trays, plastic tubs,
animal cages, unifix cubes, sorting and matching games, measurement
o

tools, math and sensorial materials, bulletin boards, artifacts, learning

games, maps, and globes, and books.

Infant Classroom

Arrival and departure area

o This space is used to sign in children and have time to say good-bye to
their parents.
o This space should have space to place the childs belongings and
comfort things along with a window for the child to be able to look out
to watch their parent depart.
Diapering area
o The space is to be used to change a childs diaper and/or clothing
when needed. It should provide space where they child is able to have
the one on one attention with the teacher during such an important
time.
o The space should include a sink with hot water, a changing table, and
have space to keep their diapering supplies. It is recommended to have
a toileting space as well once children are of that age/stage.
Eating/table area
o This space should be set aside for the children to have child size space
to eat meals and snack and adults to get to their level and interact
accordingly. This space may also function as an art space as well.
o The space should have child sized chairs, and tables. If children are too
small to sit at a table than high chairs next to one another is what
should be used. If being used for an art space children are able to use
finger paints, play dough, and crayons to play and learn through their
senses.
Sitting area
o A space for adults to sit that is their size so they are able to perform
daily routines like rocking for nap and feeding bottles.
o The space should provide enough room for a chair that rocks or glides
and allows enough space away from high traffic areas.
Food storage/prep
o This area is used to store and make food/bottles.
o This area should include a sink and counter, a refrigerator, equipment
to warm food and storage for good and utensils.
Sleeping area
o This should be a space where it is quiet and children are able to sleep
but still be visible and able to be supervised.
o This area should be equipped with cribs and a rocking chair.
Sometimes music players are also provided to help play soothing
music and help drown out nearby daily noise.
Toy area
o This space should encourage the children to explore and learn with the
toys provided. The toys should be able to aid the child in learning
different skills through play. All of the materials need to be safe and

provide no hazards of any sort. Make sure to provide at least two of

things to help encourage parallel play.
o This space should have puzzles, table blocks, duplo blocks, vehicles,
nesting cups, pull toys, and animal figures.
Book area
o The book area is typically a few baskets of books spaced out among
the room where infants are able to make their way to with books that
are of appropriate stature.
o The book area should be equipped with baskets or low shelves. The
baskets should have board books and to look at and explore.
Sensory table
o The sensory table should have different types of sensory experiences
for infants to be able to explore through their senses. It should be
supervised closely with younger children.
Things that could be put in the sensory table are water, sand
and other materials that are safe for children. For younger
children things that are safe to be eaten are always more
desirable.

Rationale
My rationale for setting up both environments the way I have is to have the
high functions and more busy spaces by one another and the slower pace and more
quiet spaces by each other. The materials in each area are picked out according to
the space they are in and what developmental domains the children will need to
learn. The environments are flexible since you are able to move spaces around and
they dont make you have to stick with any one certain layout aside from the built in
spaces.

Conclusion
The preschoolers classroom and the infants classroom are two totally
different environments. One of the major reasons for that is because infants are
learning all about a sense of shelf and are very teacher reliant whereas the
preschooler is much more independent and are able to focus on learning skill sets
like counting, their alphabet, and focusing on self help skills. Infants are just
learning about themselves and how their body works and moves. The classrooms
are set up so that they are able to explore themselves and their very controlled
environment around them. The preschoolers classroom is set up to encourage them
to learn about a variety of things and to help them learn and focus on independence
and self help skills.