Think about spaces and places that make you happy. It could be an outdoor space, like the ocean or the mountains. It could be an indoor space like your home or a friend’s home. What is it about that physical space that makes you happy? Does it help you to relax or encourage you to be active? Does it inspire your creative thinking?

The physical design of a classroom space has a significant impact on children’s learning, and development. A learning environment can inspire thinking and creativity or it can inhibit. How is the furniture organized? What open spaces and quiet spaces are provided? Where are materials stored and how accessible are they?

This week you will learn how to design the physical environment of your classroom and you will begin work on your Learning Environments Project. Before you begin the readings for this week, review the Learning Environments Project assignment guidelines.

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Describe the elements of a well-designed early childhood classroom.
• Explain how play-based center activities support children’s growth and learning.
• Design a learning environment with centers designed for exploration.