The physical environment in an early childhood setting creates an atmosphere that is welcoming, inviting and engaging. For the children it is an atmosphere where they can develop their skills and interests and become independent and confident learners. The overall learning environment creates a feeling of safety and comfort- a place where all children belong.

Creating interest areas within an early childhood settings are beneficial to both children and educators. For children, interest areas guide play, exploration and discovery which are all used to foster children’s holistic development. Interest areas enable educators to think intentionally about how to organize the space and involve the children to provide accessible materials that engage children and enhance their play experiences.

Within early childhood settings and as part of the daily routine, group time has become a teaching strategy in order to gather children together to have discussions, read stories, sing songs etc. The following article provides information on What Is Group Time, When To Have Group Time, What To Do During Group Time, Managing group Time and more.