Facility and Equipment 5iStockphotoThinkstockPre-Test.docx

Facility and Equipment 5
iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Pre-Test
1. High-quality early childhood programs all follow
a single model for facility design and room
arrangement, regardless of program philosophy.
T/F
2. Early childhood professionals, with their
knowledge of curriculum and child development,
can provide valuable input to facility construction
and renovation projects. T/F
3. The design and organization of classrooms should
be focused on the needs of children, while the
design and organization of entrances and hallways
should be focused on the needs of adults. T/F
4. Art centers and block areas are optional features
in a preschool classroom. T/F
5. The administrator’s responsibilities regarding
the facility’s bathrooms are limited to ensuring
cleanliness and sanitation. T/F
Answers can be found at the end of the chapter.
Learning Objectives

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
1. Explain the role program philosophy, mission, and vision
play in the decisions early childhood administrators make
about the facility and environment of an early childhood
program.
2. Describe the role of the early childhood administrator in the
development and implementation of a facility con-
struction or renovation project as well as the ongoing
management of a facility.
3. Explain how characteristics of a facility, such as the design
of the entrance, the placement of windows, or the
choices made regarding color, lighting, and texture can affect
the experiences of the children and staff in an early
childhood program.
4. Discuss the primary considerations in room arrangement and
in the selection of furniture, equipment, and
materials.
5. Describe the characteristics and requirements of the shared
spaces in an early childhood facility, such as bath-
rooms and kitchens.
6. Summarize the safety issues related to the development and
maintenance of outdoor spaces such as playgrounds
and parking lots.
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CHAPTER 5Section 5.1 A Home Away From Home
During her second month as director at the YMCA Child Care
Center, Lindsay Miller receives some
exciting news. The center, which is located in one wing of a
large multipurpose YMCA building, is
going to be able to expand to an additional classroom. One of
the weight rooms in the fitness center
adjacent to the child care wing is no longer needed for weight
training.
The YMCA director, who is the head of the agency and
Lindsay’s supervisor, asks Lindsay if she
would like to expand the center and use the space for a
classroom. Lindsay eagerly accepts the oppor-
tunity, knowing that she has a long waiting list of families with
toddlers. With a second toddler
classroom, they’ll be able to enroll eight more children in the
center.
Lindsay’s supervisor asks Lindsay to prepare a list of ideas and
questions for the architect, who will
design a plan for renovating the space. Lindsay thinks about the
toddler classroom that already exists
in her program, as well as the toddler classrooms in the program
where she worked previously. Her
first thoughts are about practical matters, such as sinks and
changing tables. The room should be
easy to supervise while one caregiver is changing diapers. Can
they create a changing area where the
caregiver can be facing the room while standing at the changing
table?
Lindsay also thinks about aesthetics, how the room will look

and feel to children, families, and staff.
She hopes the room will be beautiful, and she imagines walls
painted in pastel colors. She wonders
if the colors of the walls should match the ivory color of the
other classrooms or whether they should
try something new? These questions are just the beginning of a
long list Lindsay creates for her first
meeting with the architect.
Introduction
This chapter will address the topics and issues administrators
like Lindsay encounter in their work related to facility
management, such as renovation or construction projects, the
orga-nization and design elements of classrooms and shared
spaces, room arrangement and
furniture selection, and planning and maintaining playground
spaces. Throughout the chapter, a
common theme will be the relationships between the physical
environment and the program’s
mission, philosophy, vision, and goals.
5.1 A Home Away From Home
Just as every story has a setting, every early childhood program
has a facility, the building where we provide our services. For
many children, this facility is their home away from home, a
roof over their heads and the floor on which they will take their
first steps, both figuratively
and literally, as they learn about the world beyond the doors of
their own homes.
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CHAPTER 5Section 5.1 A Home Away From Home
The children enrolled in an early childhood program and the
staff members who work there will
spend many hours in the facility together—in classrooms, on
playgrounds, in hallways, kitchens,
and bathrooms. Some children will spend more waking hours
each weekday in a child care facility
than at home. Their health and well-being depends upon the
comfort and safety of the building
and grounds. It is the early childhood administrator’s
responsibility to manage this facility.
Each decision an early childhood administrator makes about
how the facility is designed, organized,
used, and maintained says something about what is important to
that program (Read, 2007). The
physical environment can represent a program’s philosophy,
mission, vision, and priorities in many
ways. The facility functions as an important marketing tool,
both for visitors entering the building
for the first time and for currently enrolled families on an
ongoing, day-to-day basis. The visible
environment—such as the exterior façade of the building, the
hallways, and the classrooms—is
what prospective families see when they visit the program and
what members of the community
see when they walk or drive by. And for the families who bring
their children each day, the physi-
cal environment, including what they see, hear, smell, and
touch, will make a lasting impression.
The physical environment also serves an important role in the
children’s learning process (Torelli

& Durrett, 2007). How the classroom environment is arranged
and what materials are available
are part of the program’s curriculum. Educators in the Italian
schools of Reggio Emilia refer to the
classroom environment as “the third teacher” because of the
important role it plays in children’s
growth and development (Carter, 2007). In any classroom, the
decisions we make about the envi-
ronment, such as what kinds of furniture to purchase or where
to place the reading corner, impact
what children learn and how they learn it.
An early childhood facility must speak two languages: the
language of children and the language
of adults. Consider the following list of elements or
characteristics of an early childhood facility.
What messages does each image convey to prospective parents
who visit this program? What
messages do they convey to the children enrolled there? What
messages do these images convey
to the teachers and staff members who work there?
• The windows of a child care center located in a storefront
along a busy street are deco-
rated with large vinyl “clings” that depict clowns and circus
animals.
• In the main hallway of a nursery school, framed photographs
hang on the wall in pairs.
Each pair includes a photo of children playing that was taken
when the program first
opened in the 1960s, alongside a second photo of a similar
scene taken recently, with
the children currently enrolled in the program.
• At the center of the lobby in a large child care facility is an

aviary, a glass structure that
houses a half dozen colorful birds.
• In the infant room of a child care center, a row of cribs line
one wall, a row of high chairs
line a second wall, and a row of electric infant swings line a
third wall.
• In the corner of a preschool classroom, a tent has been set up
with the flaps pinned open
so children can pretend they are on a camping trip. Inside the
tent there is a wicker bas-
ket filled with play items, such as metal dishes, small
backpacks, and a toy fishing pole.
• A dozen green, leafy potted plants adorn the windowsill of the
director’s office in a small
preschool.
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CHAPTER 5Section 5.2 The Facility
Some of the images on the pre-
ceding list may have delighted
and intrigued you. Others may
have left you scratching your
head, wondering why someone
might choose those materials
or that furniture arrangement.
Certainly some decisions about
the environment are going to be

a matter of personal preference,
but for the most part, there
are ways to use what we know
about best practice in both early
childhood education and facility
management to make the best
decisions we can.
Michael Hitoshi/The Image Bank/Getty Images
Why do you think some early childhood administrators choose
to decorate their windows with vinyl clings, and others choose
to
decorate windows with children’s art projects? How might these
decisions reflect the program’s mission, vision, and philosophy?
Questions to Think About
1. Which of the scenes listed in the preceding bulleted list
might be found in a program
with a philosophy that values nature and protecting the
environment?
2. Which of the scenes from the list do you find least appealing?
Why? If you were the
administrator of that program, what changes would you make to
that environment?
5.2 The Facility
Most early childhood administrators play some role in the
ongoing management of the facility. Many also play a role in
the construction or renovation of a facility. Ongoing facility
management involves a day-to-day monitoring of a broad range
of issues related
to the operations and maintenance of the building.

The early childhood administrator usually supervises the
employees or contractors who keep the
building clean. If, for example, there is a heavy snow, the
administrator would communicate with
the maintenance staff to ensure that the parking lot and
sidewalks are cleared and that hallways
where children and adults track in snow and mud are kept clean
and safe.
Increasingly, facility management involves utilizing technology.
The responsibilities of an early
childhood administrator may include working with security
systems or heating and ventilation
systems that incorporate sophisticated hardware and software
systems. The administrator’s role
often involves creating and safeguarding system passwords and
maintaining regular communica-
tion with the technicians and support teams who oversee these
systems.
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Focus On: Green Environments
In recent years there has been a trend toward making buildings
“greener.” A green building is one that
is constructed and maintained using as few environmental
resources as possible. The materials used for
construction and maintenance are from sustainable sources, and
the energy used to operate the build-

ing for functions such as heating and cooling should be as
efficient as possible (Durrett & Torelli, 2009).
The argument in favor of green buildings is that they provide
for a healthier environment for children,
families, and staff; they are energy efficient and cost-effective;
they increase the value of the facility;
and all these benefits are a positive contribution to the
community at large. Further, young children,
particularly those with medical conditions like asthma, are
especially developmentally vulnerable to
exposure to environmental hazards.
For existing facilities, there are small and large adjustments that
can be made to make the environ-
ment greener. For example, a facility with a manicured lawn
used only for decorative purposes could
replant the lawn with wild plants and grasses native to the area
that require no fertilizer or mowing.
This would save on water use, energy use (of the lawnmower),
and help avoid children’s exposure to
chemical fertilizers.
For example, an early childhood program may use a security
system that involves cameras that moni-
tor school entrances during the day, and a motion-sensor system
that detects intruders during the
night. The administrator would be responsible for overseeing
the contract with the security company
that installed the system, and alerting the company if the system
is not working properly. The early
childhood administrator may also be the designated contact if
the system is triggered during the night.
The extent of facility management responsibilities can come as
a surprise to early childhood

administrators new to their roles. Administrators must be
willing to seek out resources, support,
and guidance from professionals with specific areas of
expertise, such as security technicians,
architects, or landscapers. This strategy is especially essential
when the early childhood adminis-
trator is required to play a role in the construction or renovation
of a facility.
New Construction or Renovation
Some early childhood programs are housed in facilities that
have been designed and built espe-
cially for their needs. Administrators who are involved in the
design or building process are likely
to be called upon to work with an architect or contractor as well
as designers, licensing agents,
and attorneys. In fact, the early childhood administrator may be
the primary contact for the gen-
eral contractor, who oversees the management of a building
project. The general contractor’s
responsibilities including hire of the subcontractors, such as
electricians and plumbers.
An administrator involved in new construction or renovation of
a facility will likely need to con-
sult with a board or operating committee to make decisions
about how much to spend and what
materials will be used. They will need to take into account
factors like the ages and the number of
children to be served, how families will access the building, and
how meals will be prepared at the
site as they oversee and help implement a specific design and
vision for a day care or preschool.
(continued)

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Focus On: Green Environments (continued)
An evaluation tool called the Go Green Rating Scale for Early
Childhood Settings (Boise, 2009) can be
used to measure how well a facility, policies, and practices
protect the children’s exposure to chemi-
cals and other possible environment hazards. The rating scale
addresses the following categories:
• air quality;
• cleaning products;
• pests and pesticides;
• lead and other contaminants, such as plastics, formaldehyde,
and fire retardants; and
• stewardship and green living, including recycling and waste
reduction.
Considerations for Construction
Unlike American elementary and high schools, which are
usually designed with long hallways
flanked by classrooms, many American early childhood centers
built in recent years have been
designed with a central common area, such as a courtyard or
atrium, that is connected to class-
rooms by short hallways or walkways (Moore, 1997). The idea
behind these kinds of designs is that
the early childhood environment should be more like a village
and less like an institutional school

(Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 2012).
This orientation can help ensure that large centers, such as
programs that serve more than 75
children, feel smaller and more intimate. Another benefit of
having a central, accessible space is
efficiency. All classrooms are equally accessible to shared areas
such as kitchens or lunchrooms,
bathrooms, gyms or playgrounds, storage areas, libraries or art
studios.
When given the opportunity to plan a facility from scratch,
several design elements should be
considered that might not be important in other kinds of
buildings. For example, a day care or pre-
school might require large entranceways and wide hallways with
enough space to accommodate
the traffic patterns of large groups of children. Bathrooms with
child-size toilets and low sinks are
a necessity, as are parking lots with enough space for families
to safely park and walk with their
children into the building.
Considerations for Renovation
In many cases, constructing a new building is not an option. The
availability of space and the
opportunity to build varies from community to community.
Many programs, especially those in
urban areas, are housed in facilities that were built for other
purposes and adapted or renovated
to make them safe and comfortable for young children.
For example, many preschool and prekindergarten programs are
housed in former elementary
schools. These classrooms were designed for much older
children who spend much of their time

sitting at desks. Adapting these spaces for the care and
education of very young children can
be a challenge because bathrooms, playgrounds, and furniture
made for older, larger children
must be replaced.
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http://www.gogreenratingscale.org/
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Some early childhood programs are housed in storefronts or
commercial spaces that were
designed and built to display and sell goods and services.
Adapting these spaces can present even
greater challenges. For example, a large open room once used as
a store must be subdivided into
several smaller rooms for classrooms. Bathrooms and office
space may need to be added or modi-
fied. An entrance area, such as a lobby or foyer, perhaps with
space for lockers or cubbies, may
also be needed.
The history of the building can present its own unique set of
challenges. A former factory or
warehouse, for instance, might require significant testing. Some
building materials, such as tiles
or drywall, might need to be replaced. On the other hand, the
previous lives of the building may
add character and interest. For example, renovations of an old
train station into a preschool could
include plans to retain some of the architectural or design

features, such as the ticket windows or
wooden benches, which could be used in play spaces or
hallways of the new school.
Early Childhood Director as Project Manager
For most early childhood directors, managing a construction or
renovation project is not a familiar
process. Yet it is not unusual for an early childhood
administrator to be called upon to play a role
in the management of a large facility project.
If you’ve ever been involved in a home renovation or
construction project, you already know what
an overwhelming process it can be. One of the most useful tools
for anyone heading into such a
project is a detailed timeline of significant tasks and deadlines.
As an early childhood administra-
tor you may not be familiar with many of the tasks on the
timeline, so it will be important to sur-
round yourself with a team of experts, whether they are other
staff members, board members,
volunteers, or paid consultants.
Basic Considerations
Managing a construction or renovation project is an opportunity
for an administrator to use his
or her expertise in early childhood education and child
development to influence and shape the
project, creating a facility that will best serve the children,
families, and staff who will spend their
time in the building. This expertise is relevant to all the
important areas of consideration in the
project, ranging from zoning rules and regulations to safety and
accessibility issues.
Zoning Rules and Regulations

Zoning regulations, building codes, and licensing requirements
are among the first considerations to
come up, as approvals by agencies that regulate these are
required. As discussed in Chapter 3, early
childhood programs must comply with federal, state, and local
laws and regulations. Many of these
requirements are related to the design, construction, and
maintenance of the facility—literally the
nuts and bolts of the physical environment that surrounds the
children.
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Building codes may stipulate, for example, that a kitchen area
must have a separate sink desig-
nated for hand washing. Licensing regulations may determine
the size of the playground based
on how many square feet of play space is available for each
child. In some states, the state child
care licensing representative may need to review and approve
the blueprints for the facility before
construction can begin.
Safety
In any plan created for the construction, renovation, or
maintenance of a facility, the safety of the
children is the first priority, for both legal and ethical reasons.
While codes and regulations may
determine the minimal safety requirements, administrators must
also consider what risks might

be present that are not explicitly addressed by legal
requirements.
For example, a building may meet all codes and requirements
for operation of a program, yet the
administrator may anticipate that heavy traffic in the parking lot
will present a possible hazard to
parents and children walking from their cars to the front door of
the building. This situation may
warrant the installation of a sidewalk along the side of the
parking lot.
Accessibility
Another important consideration is accessibility. When used in
relation to an early childhood
facility, the term means both issues of accessibility for all
families, such as the availability of public
transportation, as well as issues of accessibility for children and
adults with disabilities (U.S. Gen-
eral Services Administration, 2003).
The regulations regarding accessibility for people with
disabilities are mandated by the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) and include requirements such as
ramps at the entrances to build-
ings and bathroom stalls wide enough to accommodate a
wheelchair (U.S. Department of Justice,
2010). Most early childhood programs are already
philosophically committed to the concept of
inclusion and to welcoming every child and family member.
ADA issues tend to become important
when renovating and updating buildings that were constructed
before the law was passed in 1990.
Scale
The next group of considerations has to do with making the

facility as child-centered and as comfort-
able as possible. Ideally, facilities designed for infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers are going to look
significantly different, in both design and appearance, from
facilities used by the general population.
Scale is the most obvious issue. Furniture and equipment should
be the appropriate height for
children. Chairs and tables in the classrooms must be small
enough for children to be able to sit
comfortably and safely. Low sinks should be provided so that
children do not need to climb up on
stools to wash their hands. Child-scaled environments and
equipment also encourage children to
develop independence and self-care skills because they will
require less assistance from adults
(Community Playthings, 2006).
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Jupiterimages/Comstock/© Getty Images/Thinkstock
Tables and chairs should be scaled in size
to comfortably fit the children who will be
using them.
Some centers even have areas with lower ceiling
heights in some play areas, by using cloth cano-
pies or by hanging decorative items, such as open
umbrellas or party streamers, from the ceiling, in
order to give the children the secure sense that the

space is tailored just for them. Lockers and cubbies,
where children store their jackets and other items
from home, should be within reach. Most state
licensing regulations require that at least some of
the materials, such as blocks or puzzles, be placed
on low, open shelves so that children can make their
own choices for play.
The developmental level of the children and their
caregiving needs also determine facility design.
For example, spaces for infants must include
diaper-changing areas and areas for cribs. Spaces
for full-day preschool child care must include a large
enough area where low cots can be spread out on
the floor so children can take naps.
Flexibility
Most spaces for children are multipurpose; a class-
room might be used for play, for meals, as well as for
naps, all in a single day. Thus, flexibility is an important
consideration in facility design. A flexible
facility means that the floor plan and architectural features must
be either open-ended enough
to be used for a variety of purposes, or they must be easy to
change. For example, designing a
classroom with large, high windows and skylights might seem
optimal, because it allows for abun-
dant natural light, but if the windows and skylights can’t be
easily shaded during nap time, these
architectural features do not contribute to the flexibility of the
space.
If the building will be used for groups of children over a long
period of time, such as many seasons
and many years, there will likely be changes in program
services and priorities. For example, if a

child care center is designed to serve only preschool children
and 10 or even 20 years later the
mission of the program is expanded to include infants and
toddlers, the classrooms will have to be
adapted to include space for cribs and changing tables. A
flexible, open-ended design will allow
for these kinds of changes.
Cost
The expression “You get what you pay for” is usually true in
construction and renovation. While it
may not be necessary to select the top-of-the-line brands for
every construction material, where
safety is an issue there can be no compromise. For example, an
early childhood administrator
might advocate for choosing a more costly playground surface,
such as rubber tiles instead of
wood chips, because it offers better protection against falls.
Even though the initial cost of the
rubber tiles is greater than woodchips, the decision may save
money in the long run, because the
decision saves the cost of having to regularly replace the wood
chips, and the rubber tiles will
require less staff time to keep the playground clean.
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Anyone involved in a construction or renovation project must be
prepared for the surprises that
crop up along the way. Halfway through the project, the tile you

selected might no longer be avail-
able, and the only alternative might be a much more expensive
brand. Or the contractor might dis-
cover lead pipes that must be removed and replaced with copper
pipes. A sound budget includes
funds set aside for these types of surprises and contingencies.
Working With an Existing Facility
In our opening scenario, Lindsay Miller is asked to work with
an architect to plan for the renova-
tion of a room in an existing facility. The room had previously
been used as a weight room in a
fitness center. In order to renovate that space to make it a
suitable toddler classroom, Lindsay and
the architect will have to consider many issues such as safety,
scale, accessibility, and flexibility.
Additionally, they will need to consider how the new classroom
will fit with the rest of the center
in design and function.
Also, if the new classroom is located farther away from the
center entrance and office than the
other classrooms, Lindsay and the architect may need to plan
for additional signage to direct fami-
lies to the new toddler room. They may want to make some
changes in the wall covering or tile
in the hallway to indicate to families that the new classroom is
still part of the center as a whole.
They may also want to add security features, such as intercoms
or cameras, to ensure that Lindsay
can still communicate with and supervise this new classroom,
even though it is located a little
farther away from her office.
Renting or Sharing a Facility
Many early childhood organizations own the facility where they

provide services, but many also
rent or lease a building or part of a building. There may also be
some situations where a program
neither owns nor rents or leases its facility, such as if it given
use of the facility in-kind by another
organization or partner.
Negotiating a Lease
A program is usually best served by negotiating a lease for a
period of several years at a time to
allow program leaders to anticipate and plan for budget facility
costs in advance and to prevent
having to change locations frequently. Having to move from one
facility to another is a challenging
task for any business, but in early childhood education where
the setting plays an important role
in children’s social-emotional development, frequent facility
changes can have a negative impact
on the quality of services.
Disruptions, such as a move to a new building, disrupt the
continuity of care. Even when a new
facility offers more features and comforts than the old one,
children may experience the change as
stressful. Early childhood administrators are responsible for
developing plans that will provide for as
much stability and continuity as possible for the children
enrolled in the program. Often that means
working with other program leaders, such as board members, to
negotiate a long-term lease.
In addition to the length of the lease, negotiations may also
address specific issues relevant to
how the space will be used and maintained, such as who will be
responsible for trash collection,
landscaping, and snow removal. The primary components of a

lease are illustrated in Figure 5.1.
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129
Figure 5.1: Sample Lease Agreement
Westside Property Management (hereafter "Lessor") and
Lifetime Childcare (hereafter "Lessee") hereby enter into
a lease agreement under the following terms:
Lessor shall convey to Lessee full possession and use of the
following property:
_____________________________________________________
_______________________
The term of this lease shall be from 06/01/2012 until
06/01/2016 at midnight on each date.
The Lessee is obliged to pay Lessor a total of $172,800 for the
rights conveyed under this lease.
Lessee shall pay to Lessor $7,200 upon or before taking
possession of the property. Thereafter, Lessee shall pay
Lessor the sum of $3600 on or before the 1st day of each month
until the expiration of this lease.
If Lessee fails to make a payment on or before its due date, a
late fee of $360 shall be due and payable
immediately to Lessor.

If Lessee fails to pay all amounts due within 15 days of their
due dates, then Lessor may terminate Lessor's
obligations under this lease and take back possession and
control of the property. In the event of termination
for non-payment, Lessee shall remain liable for the balance due
under this lease.
Lessee shall be responsible for maintaining the property in
clean working order at Lessee's expense during the
term of this lease.
Upon expiration or termination of this lease, Lessee shall return
the property to Lessor in substantially the same
condition in which the property was received by Lessee, taking
into account normal wear and tear.
In witness to their agreement to the terms of this contract, the
parties affix their signatures below:
Lessor: Lessee:
Signature:___________________________
Signature:_________________________
Date:_______________________________
Date:_____________________________
Address:_____________________________
Address:___________________________
City, state, ZIP:________________________ City, state,
ZIP:______________________
In addition to allowing administrators to budget facility costs
for a number of years, a long-term lease

enables administrators to establish continuity of care for the
children in their program.
Sharing a Facility
Some early childhood programs share their facilities with other
groups. The early childhood pro-
gram may be part of a much larger organization, such as a
public school or a church, and the facil-
ity is used by a variety of programs run by that organization.
In these cases, the early childhood administrator may be
responsible for working collaboratively
with the other groups to plan for the use of indoor and outdoor
space. For example, an early
childhood program that is part of a church may share its
classroom space with a Sunday school
program. During the week the classrooms are used for a
preschool program, and on Sundays the
same classrooms are used for a religious education program.
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When a space is shared in this
way, it can be very helpful to
have a written plan, negotiated
and signed by the leaders of
each group, that describes how
the space will be maintained and
details the responsibilities of each
group. Issues may include clean-

ing, storage, bulletin boards, and
room arrangement. When time
must be spent setting up and
breaking down the space each
week, the early childhood direc-
tor must plan for staffing patterns
that provide enough support for
these transitions.
The furniture and equipment
used in a shared space must be
easy to move and to store. Often there is greater wear and tear
on shared furniture and equipment,
so the more frequent purchase of replacement items must be
included in the budget. The extra
time, staff, and cost of sharing a space may be well worth the
trouble compared to the alternative
of buying or leasing a separate site.
Case Study: Bridgeview Infant-Toddler Center
Belinda Moss is infant-toddler coordinator in a large multisite
child care agency called Bridgeview
Child Care Services. Belinda oversees the infant-toddler
classrooms located in four different cen-
ters across a large urban area. The board of directors of the
agency has decided that because the
need for infant-toddler care in their city has increased
significantly in recent years, they would like
to open a new facility specifically for infant-toddler care, and
Belinda has been asked to lead the
development of the new site.
Belinda meets with her supervisors and the board of directors to
discuss the options for where
to locate the new site. They will have to make a choice between

a prominent, convenient loca-
tion and quiet, attractive location: One is a storefront on a busy
street, and one is an old Victo-
rian-style house on a residential street. A representative from
the city’s zoning board joins them
for the first part of the meeting and informs the group that both
sites can be adapted to meet
the city’s zoning requirements.
After some discussion of the characteristics of each site, the
board seems to be evenly divided. Some
of the members prefer the storefront primarily because it will
increase the visibility of their agency
in the neighborhood. Belinda speaks up and states that she
prefers the Victorian house because it
better represents the agency’s philosophy and goals to create a
nurturing, homelike environment.
As often happens in a process like this, it turns out that neither
site will be suitable. Further
research reveals that the storefront has a rodent problem and a
group of neighbors to the Victo-
rian house have created a petition in protest of the proposed
infant-toddler center, based on their
concerns over lack of sufficient parking on their street. Belinda
looks for an alternative and comes
Used by permission of Sinking Spring Presbyterian Church
Preschool
This preschool, located in a church, shares classrooms with
other church-sponsored programs.
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131
CHAPTER 5Section 5.3 Designing Interior Spaces
up with another option: a small warehouse located on a quiet
side street near a major intersec-
tion. Belinda presents her findings to the board, and they
approve the site in a unanimous vote.
Now Belinda’s job is to work with an architect on developing a
plan to turn the warehouse into an
early childhood facility. Belinda has a hard time imagining how
the building will be transformed
into a place where infants and toddlers can be welcomed and
nurtured. To the architect, however,
the warehouse is like a blank canvas—a wide open space with
endless possibilities. Belinda works
with the architect to create a floor plan that divides the space
into four classrooms around one
central lobby. The plan includes space for changing tables,
toddler-sized bathrooms, food prepara-
tion, an office, a staff room, and storage.
Although each infant-toddler classroom will be large, Belinda
insists that the architect create a
plan to subdivide the rooms to provide opportunities for quiet
activities. She knows that the key
to creating a cozy yet flexible space is to create pockets of
defined areas that are not completely
closed off from the rest of a larger room (Moore, 1996). Each
classroom will have several nooks for
specific functions, such as rocking a baby to sleep or reading
aloud to pairs of toddlers.
With the site secured, the architect’s plans complete, and the

permits approved, the renovation of
the site begins. Belinda will work as the project manager
throughout the process, with the support
and guidance of the agency leadership and the board of
directors.
1. If you were an early childhood administrator of a program
that had to move to a differ-
ent site, given the choice of constructing a new space or
renovating an existing building,
which do you think you would prefer and why?
2. What might be an example of a facility management task a
director might have to deal
with on a daily basis? On a monthly basis? On an annual basis?
5.3 Designing Interior Spaces
Imagine you are a visitor to an early childhood program. Let’s
look at the characteristic features and elements you might see.
Entryway
As you approach the building, the main entrance should be easy
for visitors to identify, either by
a sign or by an architectural element, such as an awning, that
clearly designates the door to be
used for entry. The design of the entrance should also provide
for wheelchair accessibility, such as
a graded ramp instead of stairs.
While the signage and design features of the entryway may
communicate a warm welcome, you
will probably find that the front door is locked. Most schools
and centers have some kind of secu-
rity system to prevent those who do not have business there

from entering the building. Visitors
may be required to ring a doorbell while staff members and
parents may be required to use a
special key card or enter a security code to gain entrance.
Security systems for early childhood
programs will be discussed in detail in Chapter 6.
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132
Once inside the building, you will find yourself in a hallway or
atrium. The space should be large
enough to accommodate the traffic flow during busy times, such
as morning drop off or afternoon
pick up, when many parents and children are entering and
leaving the building at the same time. On
the walls you may see displays of children’s artwork,
photographs of children playing or learning,
or short biographies of teachers and administrators. These
elements are an opportunity to convey
information to visitors and families about the vision, mission,
and philosophy of this program.
The hallway, atrium, or lobby may also be a place where people
wait. Parents or job applicants
may wait there for appointments to meet with the program
director. This may be a place where
children wait with their teachers for their parents to pick them
up. Benches or chairs provide
short-term seating. This may also be a good spot for a fish tank
or book rack to provide something

interesting for children and families to watch while they wait.
Importance of Windows and Natural Light
The placement of windows at the entranceway and in the
classrooms is significant. From the
outside, windows say, “We have nothing to hide. We are open to
everyone.” From the inside, win-
dows let in light and give us a view of the world around us.
Windows communicate to parents and
adult visitors a warm, open welcome.
For children, windows play an important social-emotional role
in their transitions to and from the
early childhood program. Many child care programs have a
“waving window” or a “hello–good-bye
window” where the children can
watch their parents leave in the
morning and watch them come
back again at the end of the day.
This is a significant transition for
children, especially when they
are new to the program, and
being able to look out the win-
dow can be reassuring and help
give them a sense of control as
they take an active role in send-
ing their parents off and welcom-
ing them back again.
Windows can also serve as a
learning tool because they allow
children to observe the weather and, depending on the location
of the facility, they may also
observe nature, plants, animals, people, and vehicles.
The Classrooms

For many of us, the place we feel most comfortable is our own
home. For very young children,
providing classroom spaces that mirror some of the elements of
their home environments can
help them make a secure transition and help them feel
confident, at ease, and prepared to learn
and socialize.
Louis Torelli, www.spacesforchildren.com
This early childhood program in California is a striking example
of window design that allows for plenty of natural light.
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133
Color and Texture
The idea that children enjoy bright
primary colors, as evidenced by
the design of many products and
toys, is an outdated myth, accord-
ing to contemporary designers
(Fielding, 2006). Although per-
sonal preferences vary, most chil-
dren will respond positively to
environments with natural colors,
such as those found in nature or
in human skin tones.
The most significant sources of
color in a room are the floors

and walls, areas where the color
is usually fairly permanent, so
the decisions made about color in a classroom will be decisions
the children and staff will live
with for a long time. A soft, neutral color palette is
recommended by most designers and archi-
tects, with perhaps one area designated as a single color, such
as a wall or the floor, to add some
interest to the room.
Many leaders in early childhood education, such as Deb Curtis
and Margie Carter (2003) as well as
Jim Greenman (1988), support the idea that environments for
young children should be more
similar to home than to a traditional school. One of the key
differences often seen between an
early childhood classroom and a traditional classroom for older
students is the prevalence of fab-
rics and soft textures in the early childhood environment. A big
cozy couch, a pile of floor cushions,
and a scattering of plush throw rugs are welcome touches in any
space for young children. The
softness in the environment provides both social-emotional
benefits as well as physical benefits
by allowing children to move and rest in ways that would not be
possible on hard furniture.
The texture and appearance of
concrete or cinderblock walls
can be softened with the use of
sound-absorbing panels, cork
boards, hanging quilts, or fabric
murals. Curtains and other types
of fabric window treatments can
help soften harsh light and con-

tribute to a homelike atmosphere.
The challenge of using fabrics
and soft elements is keeping
these materials clean. The fab-
rics must be washable; cushions
and couches should have covers
that can be easily removed and
Soft elements, including plush toys and stuffed animals, are
especially important in environments for infants and toddlers.
F1online/Thinkstock
A cozy couch makes a classroom feel more like a home.
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 133 4/2/13 2:31 PM
134
laundered. Carpets and rugs must not only be clean but also free
of chemicals and allergens, espe-
cially for infants and toddlers who spend time crawling, lying,
and sitting on the floor.
Lighting
Many institutional facilities, such as schools and offices, are
equipped with overhead florescent
lighting because it is an inexpensive way to light large spaces.
This kind of lighting, however, can be

appear harsh and cause fatigue, especially for children and staff
members who spend long periods
in the same room. Ideally, children’s classrooms should be lit
by natural light from windows and sky-
lights. If natural light is not available, light fixtures should be
chosen that best mimic natural light.
Use light fixtures at a variety of levels; in addition to overhead
lighting, include lamps and wall
sconces. A small lamp with a fabric shade can warm up a room
and lend a cozy appearance. When
using overhead lights, being able to control the level of light
with dimmers gives teachers and
caregivers options for adjusting light at different times of day
and in different weather conditions.
Sound
Rooms full of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are naturally
noisy places. Children enjoy shout-
ing and singing during play, toys and equipment like blocks and
bells can be loud, and young chil-
dren are usually not hesitant to express their feelings by crying
and screaming.
The physical environment can be adapted to help diminish the
extra noise in children’s classrooms
and play spaces. For example, large open areas can be
subdivided into smaller spaces that sepa-
rate loud play from quiet play. Walls, floors, and ceilings can
be designed or adapted to include
materials that absorb sound, such as curtains (or other fabric on
the walls), area and throw rugs,
and acoustic ceiling tiles. Many of these design elements can
also add to the overall sense of
warmth and comfort in the environment.

Shelving and Storage
Every classroom contains items
that must be stored for short
periods of time, such as cots or
trikes, and cleaning supplies that
must be stowed out of reach of
children but are used several
times a day, as well as items that
are used only occasionally, such
as child-sized rakes that are used
only in the fall. There are also
personal items that belong to
the children, such as their coats
and jackets, that must be stored
in places where children have
easy access to them.
San Diego County Office of Education
Storage for children’s personal items should be low and easily
accessible. It can also be customized with the child’s name
and photo.
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135
CHAPTER 5Section 5.4 Arranging and Equipping Classrooms
Shelves are one commonly used storage option. Low open
shelves give children access to learning
materials such as blocks and books. High shelves, as well as
drawers and locking cabinets, are nec-
essary for items that should be accessible only to teachers.

Ideally, there is also access to closets
and store rooms where larger items, extra items, and items that
are rotated among classrooms
can be stored. For example, a preschool may have a set of
animal puppets and a folding puppet
theater that would take up quite a lot of room if it was stored in
a classroom. When stored in a
general closet or storeroom, teachers can borrow it for
occasional use when the puppets are part
of their curriculum plan. The role of the administrator is to
facilitate the rotation of these items,
such as by developing an inventory list and a sign-out system
for the materials that will be shared.
When an early childhood program doesn’t have enough storage
space, the classrooms and hall-
ways can become cluttered. This can be safety hazard and can
also send a negative message to
families about the quality of the program. Early childhood
administrators must continually moni-
tor storage areas and create a system by which old items are
removed and discarded and the valu-
able storage space is used effectively and efficiently.
1. Think about where you went to school as a child. What do
you remember about the
facility? What was the entrance like? What kind of windows and
lighting did it have? In
general, was the school a comfortable and welcoming place?
Why or why not?
2. If you were designing an early childhood classroom, what
color would you want the walls
painted? Why would you choose that color?

5.4 Arranging and Equipping Classrooms
Once the spaces have been designed and decorated, with
appropriate colors and materials chosen for walls, floors,
lighting, and fabrics, an administrator can begin to think about
how to furnish and equip the individual spaces. Decisions about
what to put inside the
classroom or care room and how to arrange everything will be
influenced by various factors.
Licensing regulations and safety requirements are among the
most significant considerations. In
most states the licensing code will specify the minimum number
of chairs, tables, cots or cribs, as
well as curriculum materials such as books, puzzles, and blocks,
according to the number of chil-
dren served. But these are minimum requirements, and many
programs seek to provide a level of
quality beyond the standards outlined in state and local codes.
Accreditation standards provide
additional guidelines for the types of materials and equipment
that should be available. The stan-
dards vary according to the age and development of the
children.
In addition to accreditation standards, there are various
assessment tools available for evaluat-
ing the quality of an early childhood classroom. The Early
Childhood Environment Rating Scale
(ECRS) is a widely used tool that has a version for infant-
toddler classrooms, one for family child
care homes, and another for school-age classrooms (Harms,
Clifford, & Cryer, 2004). For more
information about environmental rating scales, visit the website
of the Frank Porter Graham Child

Development Institute at http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/about-
environment-rating-scales. These kinds of
research-based scales provide guidance to teachers and
administrators in how to select, display,
and store learning materials.
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 135 4/2/13 2:32 PM
http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/
http://ers.fpg.unc.edu/about-environment-rating-scales
136
Examples of NAEYC Accreditation Standards Regarding
Classroom Equipment
Some criteria for evaluating the quality of an early childhood
classroom are general:
2.A.08 Materials and equipment used to implement the
curriculum reflect the
lives of the children and families as well as the diversity found
in society including:
gender, age, language, and diversity of ability.
Some include specific examples relevant to infants and toddlers:
9.A.04 A variety of age- and developmentally appropriate
materials and equip-
ment are available indoors and outdoors for children throughout
the day. This
equipment includes:

a. dramatic play equipment;
b. sensory materials such as sand, water, play dough,
paint, and blocks;
c. materials that support curriculum goals and objectives in
literacy, math, sci-
ence, social studies, and other content areas (For infants and
toddlers, look for
books, photos, baby dolls, toy animals, sorting/stacking
toys.);
d. gross-motor equipment for activities such as pulling up;
walking; climbing in,
on, and over; moving through, around, and under; pushing;
pulling; and riding.
(National Association for the Education of Young Children
[NAEYC], 2012a)
Room Arrangement
Many of the decisions related to the arrangement of furniture,
equipment, and materials may
be influenced by the goals and priorities of the program (Figure
5.2). Classrooms should gener-
ally feel welcoming, open, and inviting, but the details about
where to place specific pieces of
furniture and how to set up shelves may be influenced by the
curriculum and philosophy of the
program. For example, a program with an emergent curriculum
that emphasizes the importance
of developing child-directed projects over a period of several
weeks may have space in the class-
room set aside for large murals or constructions that children
are not required to clean up at the
end of the day.

A program with a more teacher-directed curriculum plan may
have the room arranged into
smaller work stations where teachers can demonstrate specific
games and tasks for small groups
of children.
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137
Figure 5.2: Montessori Floor Plan
Art/Science Practical Life
Geography
Sensorial
Language
MathWelcome/Cubby Area
Teacher Storage
Entry
Out Door
Features of the room reflect Montessori philosophy and its
emphasis on allowing children to develop
independence in the selection and use of materials.

Used by permission of Community Playthings
(www.communityplaythings.com)
Ideally an early childhood classroom is arranged to provide
space for both small group and large
group gatherings. There should be at least one area where the
whole class can sit together, usu-
ally designated by a large floor rug. There should also be
private spaces like a book corner where a
small group, a pair, or an individual child can spend time. These
private spaces should be separate
enough from the rest of the classroom that they are removed
from the noise and bustle of the
children but open enough that teachers can still visually
supervise all of the children. Large pieces
of furniture, like couches or shelving units, can serve as room
dividers, or special areas can be
constructed, like lofts, that create a separate space.
Room arrangement should also take into consideration children
and adults with special needs such
as physical limitations (Doctoroff, 2001). For example, if a
child enrolled in a class uses a wheelchair
or leg braces, the spaces between furniture must be wide enough
to allow for ease of mobility.
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138
Furnishings
Furniture accounts for some of the most important and most

costly pieces of equipment inside a
classroom. In an early childhood setting where groups of
children are playing and learning almost
every day, the furniture must be sturdy, comfortable, and easy
to clean. Much of the furniture,
such as tables and chairs, should be scaled to the size of the
children.
Among the most basic items found in every space are tables,
chairs, cribs or cots, shelves, and cup-
boards. The number of each of these, and the inclusion or
exclusion, will depend on the ages of the
children being served. For example, an infant room with 12
babies would require 12 cribs, as well
as at least 4 high chairs, several rocking chairs where caregivers
can sit while holding babies, and a
changing table. In general, children must have places to
comfortably sit, eat, rest, play, and learn.
When selecting furniture, some of the following considerations
should betaken into account:
• The size of the children: Chair size and table height should be
appropriate for the size of the
children who use the classroom. For example, chair height in an
early childhood program
may range from as low as 5 inches for young toddlers to as high
as 30 inches for adults.
• The developmental needs of the children: Furniture used for
tasks such as eating and
sleeping should be appropriate for the age and developmental
level of the child. A
3-year-old, for example, would probably not sit in a high chair
to eat lunch.

• The program philosophy and curriculum: Characteristics of the
classroom furniture may
support or hinder the program’s philosophy and curriculum. A
program that values collab-
orative learning may purchase small, round tables that allow
small groups to work together.
• The size and shape of the classroom: The furniture must fit
inside the classroom with
plenty of space for children to move around the room. If space
is tight in the book cor-
ner, for example, a beanbag chair might work better than a
rocking chair.
• Aesthetics and comfort: Decisions about the color and design
of the furniture may be
influenced by the overall style of the facility and its
architectural features or by the indi-
vidual preferences of staff members.
• Cost: The selection of furniture may be influenced by the
limitations in the program’s
budget. For example, the cost of solid oak classroom chairs start
at around $60 each,
while plastic chairs cost half as much. While the early
childhood administrator might
prefer the natural look and sturdy design of the oak chairs, the
budget may only allow
for the purchase of plastic chairs.
Activity Centers
Activity centers are spaces created for play and learning in
which teachers intentionally plan for
specific kinds of experiences for children. The centers may
include a block area, a dramatic play
area, a water or sand play area, an art or writing area, a book

area (also known as a reading corner
or literacy center), an area for using manipulatives, a science
area, and a music area. While these
types of activity centers are most common in preschool
classrooms that serve children age three
to five, many of these centers can be adapted for younger or
older children.
The organization of the interest areas can be aligned with the
organization of the curriculum. For
example, the daily or weekly curriculum planning form would
include a space for each interest
area where teachers write the plans for what activities will be
prepared and implemented. Cre-
ating discrete spaces for each type of activity, with physical
boundaries such as rugs or shelves
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 138 4/2/13 2:32 PM
139
that define the space, allows for small groups of two to six
children to interact with each other
in the activity center. Organizing a classroom into activity
centers also provides opportunities for
children to take an active role in planning their own play and
learning when they are allowed to
choose which center they want to visit.
Block Center
The purpose of the block center is to encourage children’s
cognitive, physical, and social develop-

ment by providing opportunities to build structures out of
blocks. For children to benefit from
block play, there must be enough blocks of varying shapes and
sizes that several children can build
complex structures at the same time.
A set of at least 100 wooden unit blocks serves as the core of a
preschool block collection. Hol-
low blocks allow children to build even larger structures. Other
materials such as toy cars, trucks,
people, and animals may also be included. Paper and markers
can also be used in the block center
for children to create signs, labels, or maps.
Block play can be very noisy and usually requires a lot of space.
The area is usually defined by a rug
and set off from the rest of the classroom by the positioning of
the low shelves used for storing
the blocks. The block area should be positioned in a low traffic
area to keep other children from
disrupting the block building process.
Dramatic Play
Another activity center that often requires a great deal of space
is the dramatic play area. This
space is sometimes called the “housekeeping” or “house area”
because the furniture and equip-
ment often includes toy stoves, sinks, or refrigerators. Often a
variety of dolls and dress up clothes
are also available to facilitate pretend play.
Younger children, such as toddlers and 2-year-olds, most enjoy
pretend play in which they imitate
the ordinary activities of the adults in their lives. As children
develop and their ability to think
abstractly increases, their pretend play becomes more complex

and they may enjoy acting out
scenarios from fairy tales, television, or completely original
ideas.
The props and dress up items included in the dramatic play area
should reflect these stages in the
children’s development. Dishes, hats, and baby dolls are
appropriate for children at the earlier
stages of dramatic play. Children who are ready to develop
more complex play scenarios might
enjoy playing with doctor kits, tool sets, or camping props.
Some children may enjoy more fanciful
props such as magic wands or superhero capes.
With such a wide variety of props in the dramatic play center,
clean up can be a challenge. Hooks for
dress up clothes, baskets for toy dishes, and cradles for baby
dolls are essential to maintain order.
Sand and Water Play
Most licensing regulations require that children have the
opportunity to participate in some kind
of sand or water play every day. In most early childhood
classrooms, children play with the sand
or water in a play table designed for this kind of activity, a tub
elevated to the children’s level on
table legs. Other play materials, such as shovels, spoons, sieves,
or measuring cups can be stored
on a shelf nearby.
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140

The space for a water/sand play
center should be near a sink.
This allows for easy clean up and
for children to wash their hands
both before and after playing in
the table. Sand and water play
is often a very popular activity
among young children, so there
should be enough space that
children can stand on all four
sides of the table.
Art/Writing Center
Similar to the sand and water
area, the art center should also
be located near a sink. Running
water is needed to prepare art
materials, such as paints, and to clean up messy hands, and
rinse brushes. The floor and walls
near the art center should be easy to clean.
An art/writing center usually requires at least one table, as well
as space for easels. The area
should be well lit; natural lighting is ideal. An art center also
needs space for completed projects
to dry—a rack or line for hanging flat projects and shelves for
three-dimensional projects.
A very broad range of art materials, such as paper, crayons,
markers, pencils, watercolor paints,
tempera paints, brushes, scissors, glue, collage items such as
glitter or feathers, clay, rubber stamps,
ink pads, stencils, and tape, are commonly available in an early
childhood classroom. Although not

every item will be available to children every day, all the items
must be organized and stored. Tubs
or bottles of paint and glue can be stored in cabinets or closets
while items that children can use
independently, such as paper and crayons, can be stored on low
accessible shelves.
Reading/Literacy Corner
A book center is often located in a corner of the room, away
from the more active centers, in
order to provide a space for children to quietly look at books.
Sometimes a loft is an ideal setting
because its height makes it less likely children will be disturbed
or distracted by other activities.
Book shelves that display books with the cover facing out are
ideal for young children because they
can see the cover art on picture books. Soft chairs or pillows
near the shelf invite children to relax
and get comfortable while looking at a book. In addition to
books, a literacy area may also include
a writing center, such as small table with paper, pencils, and
pens. Items such as an alphabet chart
or a picture dictionary may serve as reference tools for children
who want to copy letters or words.
Math/Manipulatives Center
Manipulatives, such as puzzles, peg boards, and Unifix cubes,
encourage the development of fine
motor dexterity as well as problem-solving and math skills.
These kinds of materials, which usu-
ally involve many small pieces, require a flat, open space, such
as a table, where the pieces can be
sorted and assembled.
Susan Woog-Wagner/Photo Researchers/Getty Images

Playing with water and sand is an important sensory experience
for children but requires a space that is easy to clean.
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141
What Would You Do?
Jeff Romano just landed his first administrative job as a
preschool director after working as a Head
Start teacher for five years. His new position is directing the
Hillside Nursery School in a middle class
suburban neighborhood.
Jeff was hired during the school’s August break, and he hasn’t
yet met the teachers, but as he tours
the classrooms for the first time he notices that every room
seems unusually cluttered. Every shelf is
full, from the block area to the art center. The counters are piled
high with papers, books, and toys.
Even the classroom walls seem crowded with posters, photos,
and artwork. Jeff decides that one of
his first goals will be to help the teachers organize their
classrooms so the school looks more open,
clean, and inviting.
If you were in Jeff’s position, what would you do?
a. Go through the classrooms while the teachers are still on
vacation and remove all the old, worn,
and inappropriate items from the shelves, countertops, and

walls.
b. Spend the entire fall training day reorganizing the
classrooms. Jeff will arrange for everything in
every classroom—furniture, equipment, and supplies—to be
moved out of the rooms and into
the hallways. Teachers will begin with an empty room and make
fresh decisions about what to
put back and where. Anything left in the hallway at the end of
the day will be donated or thrown
away.
c. Create a manual for teachers describing the guidelines and
suggestions for keeping their class-
rooms organized and tidy. Make sure every teacher reads and
follows the manual.
d. Don’t do anything about the classrooms yet. Get to know the
teachers first and establish good
relationships with them. Then begin making gentle suggestions
about how to organize their
classrooms.
Manipulatives can be stored in trays or clear boxes on low, open
shelves near a table. Children can
be invited to select materials from a shelf, or teachers can
suggest or direct children to specific
activities by displaying items on the table or on the top shelf.
Science Center
One center in the classroom may be designated especially for
science activities. A small table or
shelf can be equipped with items such as magnifying glasses or
a microscope for viewing shells,
leaves, rocks, or other materials found in nature. In some
classrooms, an aquarium or a habitat for

a small animal such as a hamster is a fixture. Writing and
drawing materials should also be avail-
able for children to document their ideas and observations.
Music Center
A music center is a space where children can listen to recorded
music as well as make their own
music. Headphones allow children to listen to audio recordings
or keyboards without disturbing
other children. Simple instruments such as bells or drums can
also be included. A small table or
shelf can hold the keyboard, audio player, headphones, and a
basket of instruments. Children may
be most comfortable listening to and making music while sitting
on the floor, so the space should
include a soft rug and pillows.
(continued)
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142
What Would You Do? (continued)
Explanation: Jeff’s goal to help the teachers organize their
classrooms so the school looks more open,
clean, and inviting is practical and productive. At the same
time, as a new director he will also be
establishing supervisory relationships with the teachers and
building a renewed sense of community
and teamwork among the staff. There are many ways he can
work with the teachers to improve the

classroom environment while giving time and attention to the
teacher’s input and opinions during the
process. As the administrator, Jeff’s role will be to establish
and communicate clear goals and expec-
tations, provide teachers with suggestions and resources for
making the changes, and give plenty of
encouragement and praise for the successes along the way.
Purchasing Materials and Equipment
Early childhood administrators are often responsible for
selecting and purchasing materials and
equipment on a regular basis. Curriculum materials, such as
books and puzzles, will need to be
replaced over time, due to wear and tear. An administrator may
need to develop a written inventory
of the equipment and materials owned by the program and
frequently cull old, worn, and damaged
items. There may also be materials that teachers request to
supplement and expand the collection of
materials available. These ongoing purchases should be
provided for in the program’s annual budget.
Many early childhood programs also receive materials and
equipment as donations. Donations of
new developmentally appropriate materials are a helpful
addition, but donations of worn or dam-
aged items should not be accepted.
Administrators must also develop and implement systems for
the regular purchase of consumables,
items that get used up and must be replaced on a regular basis.
Consumables include food, paper
goods like toilet paper and paper towels, and cleaning supplies,
such as soap and bleach.
Special Considerations for Infants and Toddlers

Early childhood programs that
serve children between the ages
of zero to three must create
spaces that are responsive to
the unique needs of infants and
toddlers. The classrooms should
be arranged and equipped to
protect the health and safety
of these very young and vulner-
able children. (Gonzalez-Mena
& Eyer, 2007).
Infants and toddlers put every-
thing in their mouths, so spe-
cial care must be taken to keep
hazards and small objects out
of their reach. Countertops and
Jo Unruh/E+/Getty Images
Infant and toddler classrooms are usually not divided into
discreet centers or interest areas in the same manner that
preschool classrooms are divided.
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 142 4/2/13 2:32 PM
143
CHAPTER 5Section 5.5 Common Areas and Shared Spaces
high shelves are frequently used for this reason. The floor space
where infants and toddlers
play should have a small variety of developmentally appropriate
toys and materials available

for exploration, along with a space set aside for collecting and
cleaning toys that have been
mouthed by children.
Areas for feeding should also be easy to clean and comfortable
for both the children and their
caregivers. Diapering and toilet training should take place in an
area separate from feeding. A
hand washing sink for adults must be located next to the diaper
changing area. For children, sinks
for hand washing should be accessible in toileting areas or
wherever portable potty seats are used
for toilet training. Sinks used for hand washing can not be used
for food preparation.
Cribs and cots and areas for sleeping should be quiet and
peaceful as well as easy for adults
to supervise. Most state licensing requirements stipulate that
there should be one crib for each
infant enrolled in the program.
1. Given that infant and toddler rooms are less likely to be
divided into activity centers,
how might an early childhood administrator ensure that infants
and toddlers are appro-
priately introduced to a variety of activities involving building
with blocks, making music,
or looking at books?
2. An engaging science area includes real objects found in
nature, such as plants, bird nests,
animal bones, or bee hives. What procedures or policies might
an administrator put into
place to ensure that the items placed in a science center are safe

for all children?
5.5 Common Areas and Shared Spaces
Every facility has common areas and shared spaces such as
bathrooms, kitchens or food preparation areas, nap space or
sleeping areas, and spaces designated for use by adults,
including staff members and parents. These spaces are designed
and used differently from
classroom space and each area has its special characteristics and
considerations.
Bathrooms
Ideally, each early childhood classroom has a bathroom for
children’s use that is connected to
the room. Bathrooms may also be located in a hallway between
classrooms, in which case teach-
ers or caregivers must bring groups of children to the bathroom
at regular intervals. According
to NAEYC accreditation criteria, bathrooms should be within 40
feet of the indoor areas children
use (NAEYC, 2012a).
The most important consideration in the maintenance of
bathrooms is health and sanitation. The
toilets and sinks must be in good working order and be easy to
use. Bathrooms used by small chil-
dren should be scaled to the size of the children and easy to
supervise by adults. The bathroom is
one of the spaces where child-sized scale is most important—if
a child can’t reach the sink to wash
her hands, the height of the sink is an obstacle to good hygiene.
State and local codes will often man-
date the minimum requirements for the design and use of
bathrooms in an early childhood facility.

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144
CHAPTER 5Section 5.5 Common Areas and Shared Spaces
In early childhood programs
where young children are still
learning to use a bathroom, both
diaper changing facilities and toi-
lets should be available. In many
states, the use of potty chairs is
not permitted under licensing
code because of concerns about
sanitation. The process of empty-
ing the contents of a potty chair,
which is not connected to a flush-
ing toilet, creates potential for
spills and the spread of germs.
If the bathroom does not have
small, toddler-sized toilets, an
attachment can be added to the
toilet that makes the seat more
comfortable for small children,
but these attachments must be
sanitized between each use.
Early childhood administrators are responsible for ensuring that
procedures are in place for
responding to toileting accidents. The child with wet or soiled
clothing must be responded to and,
at the same time, any furniture, flooring or equipment that has
been affected by bodily fluids must
also be cleaned. A diluted bleach or detergent solution, gloves,

paper towels, and plastic bags are
usually the essential supplies for this purpose.
Kitchens
Meals and snacks are part of just about any early childhood
program. Even if food is not prepared
on site, a clean space must be available for the dishes, utensils,
and paper goods that are used to
serve snacks and meals brought to the facility by families or
delivered to the facility by a catering
or food service company. In many early childhood programs,
children eat in their classrooms.
Even if the facilities have a separate space available for a
cafeteria or lunch room, the noise and
commotion of a large, busy room can be overwhelming to young
children. In full-day programs,
where children take naps after lunch, the meal should be served
in a space near the napping area,
so children can make a smooth, relaxing transition from lunch
to nap.
Similar to bathrooms, kitchens in an early childhood program
must meet state and local codes for
health and sanitation. For example, if food is stored in a freezer
or refrigerator, the temperature of
the food must be monitored to make sure the equipment is
working properly.
If dishes are washed on site, the dishwashing method must be
thorough and sanitary. Regulations
for dishwashing will vary some depending on state licensing
code and local health department
guidelines, but generally dishes and cups used in a child care
center or preschool must be washed
in a machine with a sanitizing or high heat cycle or, if washed

by hand, they must be cleaned using
a multistep process that includes a sanitizing rinse using a
diluted bleach solution.
This child is having a hard time reaching the water. A step stool
is necessary for small children to use adult-sized sinks.
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145
CHAPTER 5Section 5.6 Outdoor Space
Nap Space or Sleeping Areas
In most early childhood programs, naps take place in the same
room where infants and children
play and eat. In an infant room, the babies’ cribs may be
arranged off to one side where the lights
can be dimmed and soft music played. State licensing guidelines
vary regarding the placement of
cribs and cots, though usually they must be at least 18 inches
apart. Care must be taken to ensure
that bedding is clean and that every crib or cot is thoroughly
cleaned and given fresh bedding
before another child is allowed to use it.
In a full-day preschool classroom, tables and chairs may be
pushed aside after lunch to make room
for low cots that can be stacked up and tucked away after nap.
If enough space is available, a sepa-
rate area may be used for a crib room or a nap room.

The primary consideration in a nap room is safe supervision.
Appropriate teacher-child ratios must
be maintained at all times. Regarding facility considerations,
soft lighting is a key, and table lamps
are preferable to overhead lights.
Spaces for Staff and Parents
Even the most child-centered facility includes spaces for adults.
The management of an early
childhood program requires some kind of office space for, at
minimum, a desk, a computer, and a
locking file cabinet. Other areas for staff use may include a
meeting room, a staff lounge, or a staff
bathroom. Staff members also need a place, such as a locker,
closet, or secure cabinet, to safely
store their personal items.
Some early childhood programs also provide spaces for parents.
Options might include a par-
ent lounge where parents can wait while their children are in
class, a parent meeting room, or a
lending library.
1. In a program where several preschool classrooms share the
same common bathroom,
what steps could the administrator take to ensure that everyone
has access to the bath-
room when they need it and that the space is maintained and
kept clean?
2. Suppose an infant room in a child care center has nine cribs,
one for each baby enrolled
each day. But some babies attend on Mondays, Wednesday, and
Fridays; and other babies

attend on Tuesday and Thursdays. What might the administrator
do to ensure that the
cribs the babies use are clean and sanitary, even though some of
the same cribs are being
used for more than one baby over the course of the week?
5.6 Outdoor Space
The early childhood administrator’s responsibilities don’t end at
the walls of the building—the outdoor space must also be
managed. Outdoor space may include the walkways and
landscap-ing, outdoor classroom space on roofs or porches,
pools, areas for water or sand play, gardens,
and, of course, playgrounds. Some programs have little or no
space available and use shared spaces
or public parks for outdoor play. Early childhood administrators
must consider several core issues
when planning, selecting, or maintaining outdoor spaces, with
safety coming at the top of the list.
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146
Safety First
Most accidents and injuries that occur in early childhood
programs happen outdoors. Overall,
both in early childhood programs and in other settings, injuries
from playground equipment
account for over 200,000 emergency room visits per year (U.S.
Consumer Product Safety Com-
mission, 2010). Falls from equipment are the most common

cause of injury. Other causes include
equipment-related hazards such as tip overs or structural failure.
These statistics indicate that
ensuring playground safety involves both the management of
staff to ensure safe supervision and
a careful monitoring of the installation and maintenance of the
equipment.
The safest outdoor play spaces are those that can be easily
supervised. Children should be visible
to adults at all times. There should be no towers or nooks where
children can climb or hide where
an adult could not easily reach them if they needed assistance.
Outdoor play spaces used by
young children should be enclosed by fences or natural features
to keep children from wandering
away from teachers and caregivers and to keep unwelcome
visitors out.
Other Considerations
Outdoor spaces must also provide developmentally appropriate
experiences for the age and abil-
ity of the children. The areas must be large enough to provide
room for groups of children to play
together. Because children’s spontaneous outdoor play will vary
depending on their individual
development and interests, the play areas must provide choices
for activities. For example, out-
door spaces should provide opportunities for more than just
physical exercise; the spaces should
also support children’s social, emotional, and cognitive
development.
Playgrounds
Playgrounds provide equipment for children to use their bodies
in various ways—to swing, climb,

slide, hang, run, and spin. Most states require that programs
provide children access to play-
ground play every day, weather permitting. Not every program
has a playground on site; many
meet the requirements for outdoor play by using a nearby public
park.
Whether on site or in the neighborhood, a good playground for
young children will have a vari-
ety of structures, and equipment will provide quiet places for
children to hide with a friend and
spaces for dramatic play. A traditional playground includes a
slide, a swing set, and monkey bars.
More contemporary playgrounds feature climbing structures
with various elements integrated
into one large structure. Swing sets, however, are usually
separate, as they require a large open
area around the swings in order to help prevent swinging
children from bumping into children
who are on the ground.
Early childhood administrators may be called upon to help make
decisions about playground sur-
faces at the time a new playground is designed and installed or
at any point when a playground
may be updated or improved. Playground manufacturers use
specific codes and formulas devel-
oped by the American Society for Testing and Materials
(ASTM, 2010) for determining the right
cushioning surface that is appropriate for certain kinds of
equipment, depending upon how high
children will be climbing. Cushioning surfaces include solid
rubber in the form of mats, tile, or
poured flooring, or loose material such as wood chips, sand, or
shredded tires.

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147
One consideration when choosing playground surfaces is the age
and developmental level of the
children. Loose materials should be avoided for infants and
toddlers, who tend to put things in
their mouths. Another factor is cost. Solid cushioning surfaces
such as rubber tile and mats tend
to cost more than loose coverings, though they require less
maintenance. The climate where the
program is located may also be a consideration. For example,
loose surfaces such as wood chips
are less slippery under ice and snow.
Playground safety is regulated
by various agencies, with some
variation depending on local
requirements. In addition to the
playground surface, there are
usually requirements related to
the size of equipment, the meth-
ods of anchoring the structures
into the ground, the amount of
space overall in the playground,
and the space between struc-
tures themselves and between
structures and other playground
elements, such as fences and
trees. Licensing code usually also
requires regular inspection for

wear and tear on equipment.
When creating a new playground
or renovating an existing play-
ground, one of the first considerations is the age of the children
who will be using the equipment.
One size does not fit all. The way children play and move, the
characteristics of their physical
development, vary quite a bit from one stage of childhood to
another. Toddlers, for example, are
not yet ready to climb ladders. Playground equipment for
toddlers would have ramps and short,
shallow stairs instead. Playground equipment for preschoolers,
however, could include more
advanced elements, such as ladders and climbing walls, but at
shorter heights than playground
equipment for older, elementary school students.
Climate also matters. If the playground will be built in an area
that experiences considerable heat
and sunshine, a plan must be made for shade. Tree shade is best,
but awnings or tents can also
work. Some playground equipment even comes with options for
roofs or canopies.
Other important playground elements are riding paths and
storage units. Toddler and preschool
children benefit from the use of wheeled toys like trikes and
scooters, and this kind of equipment
requires smooth, wide paths for riding as well as large storage
areas.
Landscaping
Landscaping includes any of the plants and surfaces in the areas
around the facility, both in the

children’s play spaces and in the common areas, such as the
entrance of the center. A landscaping
plan might include bushes and shrubs along the façade of the
building, a gravel walkway connect-
ing the parking lot to the playground, shade trees surrounding
the play areas, and raised garden
beds for planting vegetables.
Ideally, a playground should have a balance of sun and shade
and a variety of structures for the children to explore.
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148
CHAPTER 5Chapter Summary
When making decisions about landscaping, some of the
considerations include aesthetics (What
plants will create the most pleasing and attractive pattern?),
safety (What plants are least likely to
attract bees and other undesirable insects? Which plants might
be toxic if their leaves or flowers
are ingested?), accessibility (What walkway surfaces will also
be suitable for wheelchairs?), sustain-
ability (Which plants will require the least watering?),
academics (What kinds of gardening activi-
ties will support our science curriculum?), and cost (What can
we afford to plant and to maintain?).
In recent years there has been a growing trend in developing
“outdoor classrooms.” The concept

of the outdoor classroom grows from the concern that children
spend too much time indoors and
they need more activity and exercise. The trend is also
influenced by the idea that children in con-
temporary, urban society need more exposure to natural
elements.
One option is a hybrid classroom that allows children to freely
move between the indoor and
outdoor spaces. During free play the outer doors are propped
open, and children have access to
a patio or garden space where they can choose from a variety of
activities such as block building
or dramatic play.
Parking
Most early childhood programs in the United States are
accessed by car. The primary consider-
ation when planning and maintaining a parking area is safety.
There must be clear pathways and
safe procedures for families to walk with their children to and
from their cars.
Parking may also be needed for school buses or vans. Some
facilities feature a driveway near a
building entrance that is designated for the drop off and pick up
of children. The trend toward
“greener” facilities, as described in the Focus On box earlier in
the chapter, includes parking facili-
ties. Air quality around a facility can be compromised if buses
and cars run their engines while
idling. In some urban areas, providing bike racks or a bike
corral near the facility can be a practical
way to accommodate parents that choose to bike their children
to school.

1. If you were the director of a child care center serving infants,
toddlers, and preschoolers,
what kind of surface would you choose for the playground and
why?
2. Suppose teachers working in a preschool classroom with a set
of doors leading to an
outdoor, fenced patio space decided they wanted to allow
children the freedom of
choosing between indoor or outdoor play during free-choice
time. How might an early
childhood administrator help support their efforts to develop an
outdoor component to
their curriculum?
Chapter Summary
• Most early childhood administrators are responsible for all or
part of the management
of the facility.
• Some facilities are designed and constructed specifically for
use by an early childhood
program. Others must be renovated and adapted. Construction,
renovation, and mainte-
nance of a facility must be in compliance with federal, state,
and local laws and codes.
• Safety, accessibility, comfort, and cost are among the primary
considerations in facility
design and maintenance.
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149
CHAPTER 5Post-Test
• The ongoing management of an early childhood facility can
include overseeing opera-
tions and maintenance staff, negotiating leases, and monitoring
systems of technology.
• Early childhood administrators are responsible for ensuring
that classrooms are orga-
nized and maintained to provide optimal experiences for
children that are consistent
with the program’s philosophy, mission, and vision.
• Considerations in creating and managing developmentally
appropriate classroom spaces
are light, sound, color, and texture as well as room arrangement
and the selection of
furniture, equipment, and materials.
• Administrators must also oversee the design, organization, and
maintenance of the
shared spaces in a facility such as bathrooms and kitchens, the
spaces for adult use such
as offices, and the outdoor spaces such as playgrounds.
• The safety of the children is always the primary consideration
in facility management,
especially for playgrounds.
Post-Test
1. The comfort and safety of the facility that houses the early

childhood program is impor-
tant because
a. children spend many hours in the classroom and playgrounds
each day.
b. most homes and apartments are not as safe as early childhood
facilities.
c. teachers need to feel calm and relaxed while they’re at work.
d. parents are more likely to choose the program if the building
is attractive.
2. Computer technology often plays a significant role in which
of the following facility
systems?
a. snow removal
b. bulletin boards
c. building security
d. parking lots
3. Which of the following is NOT a consideration when
renovating a space that will be used
for an early childhood program?
a. flexibility
b. scale
c. accessibility
d. color
4. Which of the following color combinations would probably
be the best choice for the
walls of an infant room?
a. red, blue, and yellow
b. pink, green, and blue
c. ivory, beige, and pale green
d. gray, brown, and black
5. The administrator’s role in storage would likely include
a. throwing away spoiled food.

b. hanging up children’s coats.
c. sorting puzzle pieces.
d. creating an inventory.
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150
CHAPTER 5Discussion Questions
6. Ideally, an early childhood classroom should be arranged to
include space for both
a. textbooks and computers.
b. small group and large group gatherings.
c. parent meetings and family conferences.
d. refrigerators and dishwashers.
7. Regarding classroom furniture, chair size and table height
should be appropriate for the
a. size of the child.
b. color of the walls.
c. philosophy of the program.
d. day of the week.
8. Which of the following should be thoroughly cleaned before
another child uses it?
a. a bathroom sink
b. a wooden chair
c. an infant crib
d. a playground swing
9. Which type of playground surface requires regular
replenishing?
a. rubber tiles

b. wood chips
c. foam mats
d. poured flooring
10. In addition to playground equipment, an outdoor play space
should include
a. sculptures and other works of art.
b. a parking space reserved for the center director.
c. labels describing each type of tree and flower.
d. smooth paths for riding trikes and other wheeled toys.
Answers: 1 (a); 2 (c); 3 (c); 4 (c); 5 (d); 6 (b); 7 (a); 8 (c); 9
(b); 10 (d)
Discussion Questions
1. Think about a place where you feel very welcome and
relaxed. How does this place look,
sound, smell, feel, or even taste? Which of these elements that
make you feel welcome
and relaxed could be duplicated in the facility of an early
childhood program?
2. What kinds of training and experience would best prepare an
early childhood adminis-
trator for the role of facility manager?
3. Most early childhood administrators don’t know everything
about facility management
before taking on the role. Which topics or tasks do you think
would most likely require
an administrator to seek outside consultation and expertise?
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151
CHAPTER 5Additional Resources
Answers and Rejoinders to Pre-Test
1. False. Facility design and room arrangement will vary from
program to program, even
among high-quality programs.
2. True. Early childhood professionals, with their expertise in
child development, cur-
riculum, play, and their knowledge about how programs operate,
can provide valuable
insights in the planning and development of a facility
renovation or construction project.
3. False. Both adults and children use classrooms as well as
entrances and hallways. For
example, adults, such as teachers, need comfortable places to sit
in classrooms, and chil-
dren as well as their parents must be safe and comfortable when
entering the building
and traveling down hallways.
4. False. Art centers and block areas are essential, not optional.
Licensing and accreditation
guidelines require that art supplies and blocks are available in
preschool classrooms.
5. False. Administrators are responsible for more than
cleanliness and sanitation. They
must also ensure that the design and placement of the bathroom
facilities meet the ap-
propriate regulations and requirements.

Additional Resources
Web sites
Ecomii Green Building
http://www.ecomii.com/building
This green lifestyle site provides green building guides, articles,
ideas, and tips.
Environmental Rating Scales
This is the primary web site for the ECRS-R, the Early
Childhood Rating Scale, and other research-
based assessment instruments for early childhood and child care
program quality.
Go Green Rating Scale
Designed to be an educational tool as well as a measure of
conditions, the Go Green rating scale
is a resource for early childhood administrators seeking to
define what “green” is in quantifiable
terms.
Spaces for Children
http://www.spacesforchildren.com/
SPC is a design firm founded by early childhood educator Louis
Torelli and architect Charles Dur-
rett. The website features images and articles describing quality
facility design for developmen-
tally appropriate environments.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Wastes
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/
This site informs visitors about waste-related topics, including
resource conservation and hazard-

ous wastes.
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 151 4/2/13 2:32 PM
http://www.ecomii.com/building
http://www.spacesforchildren.com/
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/
152
CHAPTER 5References
Further Reading
Curtis, D., & Carter, M. (2003). Designs for living and learning:
Transforming early childhood envi-
ronments. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
This guide for early childhood professionals offers practical
suggestions for creating
beautiful, functional, and creative spaces for children to learn
and play.
Nelson, E. (2012). Cultivating outdoor classrooms: Designing
and implementing child-centered
learning environments. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
The author provides suggestions for creating exciting outdoor
learning spaces for chil-
dren. The text is illustrated by full color photographs.
Key Terms
accessibility This term refers to both the ease

of accessibility for all families, such as the
location relative to where families live and the
availability of public transportation, as well as
issues of accessibility specifically for children
and adults with disabilities.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) A law
passed in 1990 that mandates certain build-
ing features that allow accessibility for people
with disabilities.
consumables Items that get used up and
must be purchased on a regular basis.
facility The building where early childhood
services are provided.
green building A building that is constructed
and maintained using as few environmental
resources as possible.
References
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). (2010).
Standard guide for ASTM standards
on playground surfacing. Retrieved December 20, 2012, from
http://www.astm.org
/Standards/F2223.htm
Boise, P. (2009). Go green rating scale. St. Paul, MN: Redleaf
Press.
Carter, M. (2007, July/August). Making your environment “the
third teacher.” Child Care Informa-
tion Exchange, 176, 22–26.

Community Playthings. (2006). Children come first: Selecting
equipment for early childhood edu-
cation. Retrieved December 29, 2012, from
http://www.communityplaythings.com
/resources/articles/RoomPlanning/index.html
Curtis, D., & Carter, M. (2003). Designs for living and learning:
Transforming early childhood envi-
ronments. St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.
Doctoroff, S. (2001, December). Adapting the physical
environment to meet the needs of all
young children for play. Early Childhood Education Journal,
29(2), 105–109.
gad85705_05_c05_119-154.indd 152 4/2/13 2:32 PM
http://www.astm.org/Standards/F2223.htm
http://www.astm.org/Standards/F2223.htm
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/RoomP
lanning/index.html
http://www.communityplaythings.com/resources/articles/RoomP
lanning/index.html
153
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