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Helpful Hints: Creating Interest Areas
Setting up interest areas with in the classroom is important for
the making of a classroom that promotes the growth and development for a child.
Here are areas that are typically in an early childhood classroom:
• Blocks (unit blocks, people and transportation)
• Dramatic Play (kitchen set, dress-up clothes & dolls)
• Fine Motor or Manipulative (tables, puzzles, pegs & beads)
• Art (easels, paint, crayons & paper)
• Sand & Water (sand and water table, funnels, measuring cups & sponges)
• Library (book display, books & soft cushions)
• Music and Movement (dance/prop storage, musical instruments/players)
• Storage for Personal Belongings (lockers, storage bins, etc.)
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Helpful Hints:
Asking Questions to Establish the Effectiveness of the Interest Areas
Asking the following questions will assist any teacher with planning the environment of a classroom.
How do the children select interest areas and materials?
- Which areas are never used?
- Which areas are selected most often?
- Does the classroom have a traffic pattern?
- Do children select the same, similar or different materials daily?
- Are children able to find and return materials with little or no help from the teacher?
How do the children use the materials?
- What do children actually do with the materials?
- Can the children use materials? (too advance or too easy)
- Do children use materials appropriately and creatively?
- Which types of materials seem to encourage dramatic play?
- Do children play with same toy in different ways?
- Which materials hold the children's interest longest?
- Are the materials reflective of the children's backgrounds and home life?
- Do children help care for materials and return them where they belong?
How do the children interact with their peers and adults?
- How do the children socialize?
- Do they approach others or wait to be invited?
- Which children play together most often?
- How do children ask for help from adults? From peers?
- Which play experiences seem to foster cooperative play? Alone play?
Information compiled from the following:
Colker, Laura J. and Diane Trister Dodge, The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood (Third Edition).
Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies, Inc., 1992.
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The aforementioned are professional opinions. All of these are the sole property of WDM, Inc.
Any use of the contents, above statements, or ideas requires the written permission of WDM, Inc. Violators will be prosecuted.
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Helpful Hint of the Month...
Tip-Me-Not™ Classic Appliances give the much need storage space
to place labeled storage containers for dramatic play props such as;
plates, multicultural food & cookware.
Our 3-N-1 Kitchen Center™ (WD10600) is a great way
to incorporate the dramatic play area in a small space such as
the space you might find in a family child care home.
See also: Tip-Me-Not™ product line
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WD10600
3-N-1 Kitchen Center
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Teacher Resources: Helpful Hints Archive
Our past Helpful Hints articles, organized & archived
for your convenience in setting-up your own classroom.
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Enhance interest areas by providing enough shelving & storage bins
for the amount of materials provided in the classroom.
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