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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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More Than Just Play
Imagine two rooms.
Both are designed with the intent to help 3 & 4-year-old children reach their academic potential.
The first room is quiet and orderly, where you have children sitting in rows of metal desks being
instructed by a teacher in front of a chalkboard. The shelving lining the walls is filled with materials,
such as: ditto sheets, workbooks, and encyclopedias. The second classroom is chaotic, but structured,
with various projects taking place throughout the room. Clusters of group tables are in various sectioned
off interest areas, designated by shelving. On the shelves are labeled bins filled with various materials.
Contrary to what most believe the first type of classroom actually hampers the child's creativity
and produces minds that need constant guidance and supervision. The shelving against the wall
does not establish the various areas within the classroom, and in turn, restricts a child's
decision-making skills by not offering clear choices. Ditto sheets and workbooks restrict the learning
process by displaying a one-sided version of learning and neglecting to show the aspect of how
what the child is learning is directly affecting them.
The chaotic classroom works the best for encouraging young minds & bodies to grow and develop.
The active, but still organized, room gives the children the ability to independently explore their
environment through both child-directed and teacher-directed activities, while still maintaining
a sense of structure and consistency. The group tables spread throughout the room permits the
social-emotional development, which in turn, helps children to trust others outside of their families,
gain independence and self-control and to take initiative and assert themselves in socially acceptable
ways. The shelving sitting at an angle or parallel from the walls, rather resting against them,
creates a traffic pattern within the room and gives a sense of flow. With the well-defined area,
the teacher can promote independence, nurture resolution-making techniques and encourage active
participation. Especially, at such a young age, the children learn through experiences and trial & error.
Children learn through play.
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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...
The Infant Pull Up Storage (WD40400)
is a great product to use in the infant room
to protect the non-mobile infants from the mobile infants.
Just place two Infant Pull Up Storage shelves
in an "L" shape and place the needed material
for the non-mobile infants within the sectioned off area.
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Shown above:
WD40400 Infant Pull Up Storage
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Check us out in this article on the web...
The Ultimate Early Ed Blueprint
Creating an ideal early childhood education space in your school district is a no-brainer,
once you understand how to see and think like a tot.
By Julie Sturgeon, DistrictAdministration.com, May 2004
http://www.districtadministration.com/page.cfm?p=734
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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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