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Nancy Fuentes

Jynx Lopez

EDEC 237

13 April 2016

Optimal Early Education Environment

My program will be called Sunnis Children School. I will be designing a space for group

of children ages 3 through 5. The program will be full day, starting at 7:30 in the morning and

closing at 5:30 in the evening. The number of children that would be enrolled in my program

would be 20 children. This would be a transitional kindergarten program. The inside and outdoor

environment consist of dramatic play, large motor, a science area, an art/sensory area, a block

area, a math area, and a music area that will assist with the development of the child that will

help to prepare them to go into kindergarten. Their daily schedule will look something like:

School Opens: 7:30 AM

Breakfast/Bathroom Time/Free Play: 8:00 AM 9:45 AM
Clean Up: 9:45 AM -10:00 AM
Circle Time: 10 AM-10:30 AM
Outside Exploration: 10:45 AM-11:30 AM
Bathroom Time/ Lunch: 11:30 AM -12:30 PM
Rest Time: 12:30 PM -1:30 PM
Outside Exploration: 1:30 PM -2:30 PM
Snack: 2:30 PM -3:00 PM
Outside Exploration: 3:00 PM 4:30 PM
Get Ready to go home: 4:45 PM
Quiet Inside Play Time: 4:45 PM-5:30
School Closes: 5:30 PM

Optimal Environment Plan

Interest Area Research

For each of the following interest areas:

o Dramatic Play
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The Dramatic play area is an area where children can use their

imagination and assign each other different roles. In this area they could

have materials like: dress up clothes, dolls, housekeeping, kitchen units,

pretend food, cooking play, and shopping play. The learning goal for this area

are to help deepen their understanding of the world, and develop skills that

will help them throughout their life. This type of play is supporting symbolic

play, this kind of play is important for a childs growth because it helps them

expand their understanding of themselves when they have different roles.

One activity that could be offered in this play area could be like the example

explained in the California Infant Toddler Learning Foundation, Build a small

town with blocks and then use the toy fire truck to pretend to put out a fire in

the town. (By 36 mos.; American Academy of Pediatrics 2004, 309).

o Block

The Block Area is an area where children can develop a variety of skills like problem solving,

self-expression, mathematics, social skills, and several other skills. In this area materials that

could be included could be things like large hollow blocks, Unit blocks (as many shapes. This

area supports functional play which is important to a childs development because they learn

about properties of physical objects and cause and effect. In this play children may also engage

with their peers which helps them develop social skills, for example a child can, Hand a peer a

block or piece of railroad track when building. (The California Infant Toddler Learning

Foundations, p.19) . That is one of the many activities a child can do in the block area, another

activity they could do could be them constructing a building, a house, a city, or anything they can

come up with.
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o Manipulative/Math
Some materials that could be included in this area could include materials like: counters,

sorting trays, dice, number games, measuring tapes, balances, cash register, realistic coins, paper

money, clocks, blocks, and Legos. The learning goal for this are is for children to understand

basic math concepts. The childs developing understanding of how things move and fit in space

tendencies become differentiated and can be aligned with traditional preschool content domains

such as mathematics and science (The California Infant Toddler Learning Foundations, xii).

This are supports functional play and games with rules. One activity that could be offered in this

play could be to have them play the role of a cashier.

o Art/Sensory

Some materials that could be provided in this area could include: brushes,

crayons, markers, chalk, clay, play dough, craft materials, glue, tape, paint,

paint materials, paper, and scissors. The learning goal for this area is for

children to develop cognitive, social, and motor skills, and also helps children

build their self esteem. This area supports functional play. One activity the

child could do in this area could be playing with play dough, Play-dough

provides enjoyable and satisfying experiences for young children, but it is not

merely a fun activity. It provides valuable hands-on, active learning

experiences and supports childrens growth and learning in many domains.

(Swartz, 1).

o Indoor Motor/Movement Space

Some indoor motor/movement space materials that could be provided in this area could include:

indoor belly swing, bean bags, and mats for the they jump. The learning goal for this are is for

children to encourage movement so the children learn to coordinate their bodies. This area
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supports functional play. One activity the child could do in this are could be swinging in an

indoor belly swing.

o Music

Some materials that could be provided in the music area could include:

Xylophones, bells, drums, rhythm sticks, maracas, a Chilean rain stick,

and other musical instruments, and cds. The learning goal for this area is

for children to develop creativity and also to help children develop an

appreciation of music and dance. This area supports symbolic play.

o Literacy

Reading

Writing

Some materials that could be provided in the literacy area could include:

books, blocks, stamps, magnetic letters, Puzzles, language flash cards,

language photo cards, stencils paper, pencils and interactive games. The

learning goal for this area would be for the children would be to help

familiarize the children with words, letters, and reading. This area would

support symbolic and games with rules play which is important to the childs

development because they are learning how to socialize, read and write. At

around 36 months of age, children show appreciation for books and initiate

literacy activities: listening, asking questions, or making comments while

being read to; looking at books on their own; or making scribble marks on

paper and pretending to read what is written. (Schickedanz and Casbergue

2004, 11) (The California Infant Toddler Learning Foundations, 53) One
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activity that could be offered in this area is using the books and reading to

the kids during circle time.

o Outdoor Environment

Some materials that could be included in the outdoor environment could

include: bicycles, swings, wooden benches, stepping stones, garden area,

pond, outdoor kitchen, trees, clubhouse, logs, and rocks. It may seem odd to

include an outdoor kitchen, outdoor play areas also offer special

opportunities for symbolic play (Perry 2003) (The California Infant Toddler

Learning Foundations, 63). The learning goal in this area is for children to

develop large motor skills. This play area supports combination of functional,

symbolic, and games with rules play. An activity that could be offered in this

interest area could be allowing the children to participate in planting fruits in

the outside garden.

o Science

Some materials that could be included in the science area could include:

books and games about the earth and space, models, posters and books

about health, books and models about the human body, magnets, trees,

plants, thermometers, and books about the climate. The learning goal for

this area would be for children to expand their vocabulary and develop a

broader understanding of basic science concepts. Type play that supports

this area would include functional and games with rules.

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Reflection
Reflect upon what completing this assignment has taught you. Remember to use references to

course materials in APA formatting. Write a paragraph on each question.

1. Supporting Play in Early Education: How does your environment help children

learn through play: what have you learned from creating your environment and the

course materials that shows how children expand and extend their understanding of
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the world through play? Provide clear examples of how the environment you

designed accomplishes this.

From creating my environment, I have learned a lot about how children learn through play.

Children develop a lot of different skills and perspectives about the world when theyre at play.

There are different ways to inspire the children to play, whether its through the curriculum, the

lesson plan, their daily schedule, the set up of the classroom, the set up of the outdoor

environment, or by the number of materials they provide. I learned how important it is to add the

play areas to our environment because it gives children the opportunity to play in different areas

with different materials and also learn different things. These essential play areas include the art

and sensory area, reading area, writing area, science area, math and manipulatives area, dramatic

play area, and a large motor area. These areas need to have all the required materials that will

help spark the childrens interests, broaden their perspective of the world and encourage play.

2. Child development: What did you learn about childrens growth and development

from your observation placements, how did this information influence you as you

designed your environment? Provide 3 examples and why you selected these

examples.

Early childhood environments are the most vital factor to the growth and development of a

child. A childs learning and behavior is influenced by the environment they grow up in and from

what they see and hear from others. This influence occurs at home, at school, at their daycare, or

in their neighborhood. With the people around the child, a child will learn how to express her

feelings, interact with other, gain confidence, and security. In Developmentally Appropriate Play

the author Gaye Gronlund adds, Teachers provide experiences, materials, and interactions to

enable children to engage in play that allows them to stretch their boundaries to the fullest in
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their imagination, language, interaction, and self regulation as well as to practice their newly

acquired skills. (Gronlund, 9). I chose this example because it shows how development and

growth of a child is unquestionably reflected on the the materials, interactions, and experiences

the teachers provide for the children to engage in play. This way children have the freedom to

explore their imagination, their social skills, helps them regulate their emotions, and various

other skills. Another example from, In Developmentally Appropriate Play the author Gaye

Gronlund discusses, By observing the play and writing down a description of what the child

did, the teacher is collecting documentation to use for evaluating the childs progress. (Gronlund,

151). I chose this as an example because I think its really important for the teacher to record the

childs progress in the classroom. This another factor that helps with the growth and development

of a child because this way they can see what they child needs help with and assist them in those

areas. This way they can also share with their families so they can also help them at home if they

need it. With everything that I learned about childrens growth and development I learned how

important it is for the teacher to provide these materials, experiences, and support to help in the

childs growth and development. With everything that I learned I was influenced to make my

environment with areas that will have a variety of different areas with different materials which

will be added on according to the curriculum and the childrens interests.

3. Play: When thinking about the play of the particular age group that you observed in

your field placement, what aspects of your environment design were influenced by

your observations of play.

From my observation I learned the what teachers set up their classroom according to the age

group of the children. I learned how different the curriculum, the lesson plan, their daily

schedule, the set up of the classroom, the set up of the outdoor environment, and the number of
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materials they provide all depends on the age of the children. The environment I designed was

for children in transitional kindergarten with children ages 2-5. An indoor and outdoor

environment for children of this age also have different measurements of the classroom because

of the number of children that this age group allows in the class at a time, which is 20 children

for a transitional classroom. This influenced how I planned out the amount of space and where I

set up everything in my environment. I had an idea of where I wanted to place everything when I

did my observations and how I observed how every child played in every area I thought about

what areas would correlate well with one another and should be placed beside one another and

what materials should be added to every area.

4. How are all childrens growth and development supported in the environment

provide specific examples of ways to support children with varying abilities, various

ethnic and family backgrounds and free from stereotypes.

An early childhood program environment should be designed to look welcoming for all

children and also display diversity, the various ethnic and family backgrounds, and provide a safe

and welcoming environment for children with varying abilities. In order to create a classroom

that reflects this diversity teacher must try to incorporate different languages, cultures, and

ethnicities into the curriculum. This can be done by displaying things in the classroom in

different languages, showing diversity within the books, dolls, toys, and the musical instruments.

The classroom can also support children with varying abilities by creating an environment that

satisfies the needs for the different disabilities children can have, which could include the space

between the doors, the height of cabinets, the lighting in the classroom, or stools for the children.
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5. Assessments: How did the Environmental Rating Scale and the CLASS assessment

tools influence you as you designed your environment? Provide 2 examples and

explain how the assessments you completed influenced your design.

The environment rating scale and the class assessment tools influenced how I designed my

environment because these tools are designed to assess the classroom environment with what is

needed. The ECERS tool evaluated every play area in the classroom with different categories

like the number of materials that were provided, how many kids could engage in that play area at

one time, how it shows diversity within it, and etc. This influences the way I will design my

environment because I know what is required of every area and how every classroom is scored

according to this tool. The CLASS assessment is a great tool to assess the teachers interactions

and relationships with the children. When we used the CLASS assessment tools we had to assess

the Negative Climate, Positive Climate, and Teacher Sensitivity in the classroom we were

observing. This influenced not only my design but the teacher I will be in the future by how I

will interact with the children and respond to them in the classroom.

6. Families: How does your environment encourage home school connections. Give 2

specific examples.

In early childhood education the relationship between the family and the teacher is very

important in supporting the growth and development of the child. My environment will

encourage home school connections by creating a welcoming atmosphere, sharing information

about the children, and welcoming families to participate in the classroom. In Developmentally

Appropriate Play the author Gaye Gronlund discusses, By observing the play and writing down

a description of what the child did, the teacher is collecting documentation to use for evaluating

the childs progress. (Gronlund, 151). I chose this example because I think teachers should
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always share with the childrens family what how much their child is progressing in the class or

if they lack improvement in an area to communicate with their families so they can help the

children at home and be more informed on the progress of their child. I also think parent

volunteers would be very beneficial to the family and classroom relationship because it will help

build a positive relationship in the classroom for the children, family, and the teacher.

7. Early Childhood Education: Finally, how did this assignment add to your

knowledge about early childhood education?

This assignment added a lot to my knowledge about early childhood educations and whats

necessary in the classroom environment. I learned about all of the important play areas in the

classroom, the materials needed in the classroom, the interactions and relationships between the

child and teacher, the family involvement, how to incorporate diversity in the classroom, and the

different requirements needed depending on the age group for the children in the classroom.

There is so much that is put into creating a welcoming and safe environment for children that I

didnt know about.

Works Cited:

California Child Development Division (2009). California infant toddler

learning foundations. Sacramento, CA: California Department of Education.