Areas In A Classroom

[Guest]

Hi all,

 

I am due to start working in an International Preschool and i have been asked to set up the classroom in any way i like, incorporating any areas of learning i see fit.

This is of course very exciting, but very nerve-wracking as i have not got masses of experience in preschool (nursery) and so am not sure what should be included.

 

So far, i would like to create:

-a writing area (table including envelopes, variety of writing implements etc::

-sand play

-listening station

-Play-do area

 

what else would be a good inclusioin in the classroom set-up?

 

Could anyone give me any pointers as to how often to change these area, ie weekly or monthly?

 

Many thanks,

Edited August 1, 2010 by Guest

[AnonyMouse_1469]

If you have blocks, and the space for them, I'd definately have block play out all of the time...............it covers so much learning!

[Guest]

In my old nursery class we had a role-play area, water, sand, playdough, computer station, book corner, writing area, a painting / chalk board easel, a 'messy' table for creative activities and a small-world area and a table for fine motor control activities (like puzzles, threading and posting stuff etc). Sometimes we put construction materials on this table if we didn't have them on the carpet area. We used the carpet area for varying things - large construction equipment, the train track, floor puzzles, sometimes small world and for adult-led activities.

 

In terms of changing things it really depended on the observations we made of how the children were using the areas. For instance last year we had a pirate small-world set up for 5 weeks and it was in constant use, but then another time we might have set up a role-play area that might have only been well used for a week and then interest wained so we changed it.

 

Hope that helps.

[Guest]

I would defintely have a home corner whatever other role play you have.

 

An inspector once told us that wherever you were off to with your imaginative play (be it the moon, on safari, to the supermarket etc) you always needed somewhere to come home to!

[AnonyMouse_13789]

I would defintely have a home corner whatever other role play you have.

 

An inspector once told us that wherever you were off to with your imaginative play (be it the moon, on safari, to the supermarket etc) you always needed somewhere to come home to!

 

I haven't got the room to have 2 role play areas within my classroom but I'm not sure I would want to if I had. I have seen in other settings how the home corner gets abused or forgotten about by the children because they are bored of it. My children love it when we put the home corner back it, after having a different role play and play so well in it as they have had a change from it.

[AnonyMouse_11396]

Hi agree Rufus, change role-play weekly at our setting but take it outside if you can fantastic observations can be gained by moving just the equipment, the children do the rest. Other core play opportunities we have are play-dough different colour each week, smells, glitter etc, mark-making in and out and all around the room, small world, block or construction play, creative area [including paint,collage or junk-modelling] book area,large physical apparatus in or outside or both, PSRN could be threading, sorting, puzzles, comparing, weighing, table games, peg boards. We also have either sand/water/gravel/gloop/rice/pasta/ each week. Good luck in your new position and have fun experimenting once you meet your children and get to know their interests.

Edited August 2, 2010 by bridger

[Guest]

Role play of some sort is an absolute must! This is such an important part of children's play and development and you need to be supporting and encouraging it as much as possible. A role play area is a great way of doing this as it gives the children's role play a focus and purpose, as well as good support. If you can provide more than one area or an additional dressing up/hat box area for them to engage in role play outside the structured area then that's great too!