Presentation at the Annual Convention of the New York State Association for the E

1. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
Michael Shilale, AIA, LEED + David Del Campo, MS Ed
Workshop is available online at www.shilale.com/50ways

2. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
“Plainly, the
environment must be a
living one, directed by a
higher intelligence,
arranged by an adult
who is prepared for his
mission.”
Maria Montessori

3. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
“First we shape
our
environments,
thereafter our
Winston Churchill environments
shape us”

4. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
“The
environment
is
the
third teacher”
Reggio Emilia, Loris Malaguzzi
Loris Malaguzzi

5. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
“Today child in center based
care..spends and average of 10 hours a
day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year
essentially within the four walls of one
room.
Anita Olds
3 months – 5 yrs 12,500 hours
K‐12th grade 12,500 hours

6. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
The classroom
environment
can convey
powerful messages
to children
Diane Trister Dodge

7. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
According to Diane Trister Dodge in her Creative Curriculum for Children,
effective room arrangement can help achieve important goals for children:
• Helping children learn to trust
the new environment and get
along with others.
• Encouraging the development
of independence-making
choices and taking
responsibility for the
environment
• Supporting children’s
involvement in activities that
challenge them to explore, to
solve problems, to relate
positively to others, and to
think for themselves
• Providing ways for children to
develop new skills and concepts
Diane Trister Dodge

8. Overview of Workshop
• Gains ideas for better health and safety in your
program
• Learn ways to better organize your space
• Provide a more child appropriate environment
to reflect ‘Best Practices”
• Discover new products and materials to
improve the quality and safety of your program.

9. 50 Ways to Improve your Center
Categories
•Health and Safety •Room Arrangements
•Furniture •Interior Surfaces
•Storage •Light
•Outdoors •Green Building$

10. Health & Safety 1
• Power Strip Protector
• <$10

11. Health & Safety 2
• Tamper Resistant
Outlets
• <$10

12. Health & Safety 3
• http://www.finger‐gard.com/
• http://www.fingersafe.com/

13. Health & Safety 4
• 20 % rule on artwork
• Display Case
http://www.nurserymaid.com/picture_display.htm

14. Health & Safety 5
The surfacing under all climbing apparatus' need to conform to
the requirement of ASTM F1292

15. Health & Safety 6
Climbers indoors‐
rated surfacing
ASTM F1292

16. Furniture

17. Furniture 7
walkarounds
http://www.kaplanco.com/store/trans/productDetailForm.asp?CatID=24%7CIT1000%7C0&PID=70386P
http://www.nurserymaid.com/risers.htm

18. Furniture 8
Cut down existing bookshelves

19. Furniture 9
Use small
rectangular
tables vs. large
tables
for greater
flexibility in
arrangement

20. Furniture 9
Use small
rectangular
tables vs. large
tables
for greater
flexibility in
arrangement

21. Furniture 9
Use small
rectangular
tables vs. large
tables
for greater
flexibility in
arrangement

22. Furniture 10
Consider
a simple loft
to increase
your floor space

23. Furniture 11
And provide
a private
cozy space
for children
to be alone

24. Furniture 12
Wall Mounted Sinks vs Countertop with Vanity

25. Storage
“The first design requirement expressed by every
child care teacher is for more storage space. There
never seems to be enough! ”
Anita Olds, Child Care Design Guide

26. Storage
Organize Storage in three levels
• Daily Don’t forget
• Short term Outdoor
• Long term Storage
“A shocking fact is that 10% of a center’s
square footage…needs to be allocated for
storage…NOT accessible to children..”
Anita Olds

27. Storage
13
Daily Storage
Encourage
independence

28. Storage
14
Short Term Storage
• Shelf
• Wall cabinet

29. Storage
15
Long Term Storage
(for rotating materials)
• Each Group Room should have a storage
of 40 – 60 square feet
• Build closet at end of hallway*
• Under stairs*

30. Outdoors
“There’s no way that we can help
children to learn to love and preserve
this planet, if we don’t give them direct
experiences with the miracles and
blessings of nature.”
Anita Olds, Children Come First CD

31. Outdoor 16
Consider Gardening with the children

32. Outdoor 17
Or providing plants for outdoor experiences
• Herbs such as mint,basil, and
• Forthythia and other spring
flowering plants
• Plants to attract butterflies
(butterfly bush)
Plants for Play
Robin C. Moore

33. Outdoor 18
Variety of Surfacing
Bike Paths

34. Outdoor 19
Variety of Surfacing
Grass

35. Outdoor 20
Variety of Surfacing
Change in levels

36. Outdoor 21
Protection from the Sun
Unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun's UV rays
in as little as 15 minutes.
http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/pdf/sunsafety_v0908.pdf

37. Outdoor 21
Fabric Canopy at Playground

38. Outdoor 22
Or plant a maple tree on Arbor Day, April 29th

39. Outdoor 22
"No shade. tree? Blame not the sun but yourself.“
Chinese Proverb

40. Room Arrangements
“Research shows that the more child-
scaled the environmental space, the
higher the quality and complexity of
children's play will be, and the longer
they will be preoccupied in the play. In
other words, a child-scaled
environment increases children's
interest and concentration, and it
delays boredom. In a large space,
Randy White, CEO, children are encouraged through
reading the environment to move about
White Hutchinson from one thing to another, whereas in
Leisure & Learning small contained areas, they are more
Group, Inc. focused.”

41. Room Arrangements 23
• Your first step in laying out your room is to
consider the fixed features in your room
• Doors and Windows
• Source of water
• Electrical outlets
• Consider: can you change these?

42. Room Arrangements 23
• Flow (Circulation ):
• Identify the main
pathways in the
room.
• How you move
from one place to
another in a room?

43. Room Arrangements 24
• The sink area
was not easily
accessible to
children and
staff; the
water table
obstructed
the pathway.

44. Room Arrangements 25
The shelving unit
also made it
difficult to get to
the sink

45. Room Arrangements 25
Before After

46. Room Arrangements 25
By moving the
shelf unit away
from the sink
area, children
had easy access
for hand washing

47. Room Arrangements 26
• Grouping
• What are the learning center you plan on
including in your classroom?
• Blocks, Dramatic Play, Music,
• Manipulatives, Computer
• Art, Science/Math, Library, Private Space

48. Room Arrangements 27
• Divide these
into center that
are quiet and
noisy

49. Room Arrangements 27
• Start by
considering the
areas the need
water and
electricity‐ your
fixed element

50. Room Arrangements 28
• Next determine where you noisy and quiet areas will be

51. Room Arrangements 28
• All quiet areas grouped together

52. Room Arrangements 29
• Provide areas in the room where children can interact
with writing and pictures

53. Room Arrangements 29
• Be sure to clearly define your areas
The manipulative
shelf was moved
in front of the
table to provide a
better sense of
space

54. Interior Surfaces / Finishes
“Whether people are fully conscious of this
or not, they actually derive countenance
and sustenance from the ‘atmosphere’ of
the things they live in or with.”
Frank Lloyd Wright

55. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 30
Area Rugs vs. Wall to
Wall Carpets

56. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 31
Tile at Entry and Rest Carpet at levels
Room

57. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 32
Define Areas
Centers

58. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 33
• Paint Color
Pastels vs
primaries

59. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 34
• Art Display
• Homosote

60. Interior Surfaces / Finishes 35
Paint vs Vinyl
• Cost
• Flexibility
• Durability
• Clean ability

61. Lighting
“Light is the most important
environmental input, after food, in
controlling body function. “
Richard Wurtman

62. Lighting 36
Daylight is
Preferable
High Windows
Or Clerestory

63. Lighting 37
Daylight
from
Solatubes

64. Lighting 38
Good Daylight Design needs
Glare Control – Translucent Fabrics

65. Lighting 39
Light Levels footcandles
Group Room 30 fc
Corridor 10 fc
Multi‐purpose 20 fc
Light quality
CRI 80 min (sunlight is 100)
Other Considerations
Dimmers – Track Lighting – Wall Sconces – Indirect Lighting

66. Green Strategies
“Our present systems of design have
created a world that grows far beyond the
capacity of the environment to sustain
life into the future. “
William McDonough

67. Green Strategies 40
Lighting Incentives
Rebates of up to 70% of the cost
Free Energy Audits

68. Green Strategies 41
Computer Load Management ‐ Hundreds of leading
organizations have activated power management
features on computers saving as much as $50 per
computer annually
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_
mgt.pr_power_mgt_low_carbon_join

69. Green Strategies 42
Programmable Thermostats – Energy Management
Systems

70. Green Strategies 43
Occupancy and Daylight Sensors

71. Green Strategies 44
Water Saving Automatic Shut off Faucets
Proximity Lavatory Faucet Metering Faucet
Price: $509 Price: $131 - $214 *

72. Green Strategies 45
Water Saving .5 gpm aerators
1.0 or .5 gpm (.35 gpm)
<$5

73. Green Strategies 46
Rain Barrels

74. Green Strategies 47
Rain Gardens

75. Green
48
Strategies
Linoleum
vs
Vinyl Floor
Tile

76. Green Strategies 49
Indoor Air Quality – Fresh Air
Americans spend an average of 90% of
their time indoors, and the quality of the
indoor environment therefore has a
significant influence on their well‐being,
productivity and quality of life.
United States Green Building Council

77. 50 Ways to Improve your
50
Center
Your Favorite Idea
Other ideas from audience
1. All Outlets at 4’ aff. In chair rail
2. Add radiant heat to floors
3.

78. Thank you