Organizing Spaces and Time for Early Childhood Education
Organizing Spaces and Time in Early Childhood Education
Time and space organization are very important in early childhood education. The ambient, the time, and the space facilitate learning and development. Children's behaviors are influenced by the environment, and well-designed spaces help children explore, interact, and build their own structure of knowledge.
Spatial Organization and Distribution
The architectural facilities (buildings and classrooms) must consider the child's physical and psychological needs. Spaces should be adapted to the ages and needs of the children who will use them, and the global environment should support the child's development in a way that responds to each child.
1. Physiological Needs
Hygiene criteria:
- 0-1 years: changing area, warm water, and a sink.
- 1-2 years: one toilet per group of children.
- 2-3 years: two sinks and two toilets.
- 3-6 years: one sink and one toilet per group.
Feeding criteria: The dining area should be near the kitchen and furnished with adapted furniture for the children's ages, allowing them to participate in setting the table and handling utensils.
Rest criteria: Each classroom should have a sleeping area that is well ventilated, quiet, and dark enough to rest.
Safety criteria: Keep electrical outlets and radiators at least 1.2 m from the floor, and avoid dangerous materials.
Comfort criteria: Spaces should be pleasant, stimulating, and comfortable.
2. Affective Needs
Each child should have a safe space with exclusive use and independent access to the outdoors. Provide one room per group of children with a minimum of 30 m2, plus 2 m2 per child.
3. Socialization Needs
Include common spaces that promote interaction between children and adults.
4. Motor Needs
Promote the development of motor skills by providing wide spaces where children can run, jump, move around the classroom, and play.
5. Exploration and Discovery Needs
Provide stimulating spaces rich in materials that invite creative exploration.
6. Autonomy Needs
Invite children to take part in decisions about their environment.
Main Areas of the Space
Include reading corners, areas for adults and teachers, meeting rooms, a program area, a waiting area for parents, a director's office, an administrative office, support staff rooms, a storage area, and flexible spaces for changing and observation.
Organizing Space and Time
Each child needs an individual space, while the environment should also be socialized and create a sense of comfort and security. Consider children with special needs, and diversify the spaces with examples such as a symbolic play corner, dramatic play, construction activities, plastic arts, and quiet activities.
Organize the timetable according to the characteristics of the children. Adapt the organization of daily activities to natural rhythms, and include time for contact, play, sports, development, memory, and symbolic activities. Arrange the classroom so that it is easy to move through and follow a clear daily schedule.
Critical Center Criteria
The classroom should be adaptable, flexible, and versatile, with physical variables that encourage communication. Promote manipulation of objects, cooperative work, and participation in decision-making. Organize time and distribution according to the psychoevolutionary characteristics of the children, avoid fatigue, and maintain concentration.
Integrate cultural diversity, traditions, local customs, and popular celebrations of the region into the center's life.
Rhythms and Routines
Children need routines that are predictable, systematic, and continuous throughout the day. Consistent routines give children security and confidence, help them orient themselves in space and time, and promote respect for rhythms. Include routines for feeding, toilet training, dressing and undressing, and cleaning up.
Evaluation
Assessment should be understood as an activity of valuation and research, and as a facilitator of change. It affects not only learning processes but also the teaching process. Consider the number of items per student, the surface area of classrooms and playgrounds, and the decoration of spaces.
Climate affects safety and hygiene. Consider child development, psychological tasks, task complexity, the social values of the student, and individual rhythms.