Landscape for Learning:
Landscape for Learning:
The physical environment in a group care setting powerfully affects children, caregivers, and their interactions. In infant/toddler classrooms without a design specifically aimed at supporting children's development, young children spend much of their time either aimlessly wandering about the room or engaged in teacher-directed activities. In poorly designed classrooms, children's engagement in self-directed exploration and focused play is impaired. When chil- dren are not appropriately engaged, aggressive behavior increases. The caregiver finds herself saying "no" to the children far too often. In such an environment, she needs to act as police officer and custodian, managing behavior instead of facilitating individual and group needs.
Exploring their physical environment
Exploring their physical environment
comprises a great deal of the "curriculum" for mobile infants and toddlers. We must, therefore, consider the impact of environment on children and caregivers, and learn to design spaces that contribute appropri- ately to children's development. Many classrooms are simply not designed to meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers in group care, nor do they support teachers in their role as facilitators of children's learning and self-directed play. By contrast, a well-designed environ- ment can have enormous positive impact on the well-being of both children and teachers.