Room Set Up For 1 - 3 Years Mixed Age Group

[chrissy201307]

Hi everyone,
I m room leader of 1-3yrs group. Our Management came to our room and input some ideas of changing the room setting. They want some play area to be permanent: a table for art and craft with tools accessible for children(1-3yrs)all the time, bcs they want learning of numeracy and literacy to be visible.
Our current setting is: near the table we have playdough, art work tools on a shelf to rotate depending on interests. But we struggled with looking after them and teaching children respect them- pens without lid, play dough on floor ...

My question is: for mix age group of 1-3yrs, if pens paint must be at children level, can we have any strategies to relief staff picking up toys and to teach chn respect. I find chn move and throw toys everywhere, and For me Honestly I m frustrated younger children refuse to listen to pick up.

[Lorina]

Splitting the room into different learning areas is helpful as it gives the children to choose what they want to do while in the room. When using different areas you change the materials within each area based on the interests of the group. So, if the current interest was sea animals then you add these materials within the area. So, sea animal figurines in block area, maybe some stories or info books on sea animals in book corner, pictures of sea animals in craft and play dough area, during group time you can sing songs based on sea animals (3 jelly fish etc).

When having these learning areas put into place one of the main things is being consistent with the children in regards to packing up and putting back toys/activities once they had finished playing with them. It does take awhile for children to understand what to do and what is expected of them but being consistent and always reminded them they will learn and begin to do it themselves. For the first few weeks you are going to sound like a broken record "put them back in the basket when you finish" etc. If a child runs away or doesn't pick them up when asked. Take them over to the toy they were playing with and get them to pick it up to put it back.

With textas and playdough, they can get messy so for textas don't always have them out. Have pencils and crayons and use textas sparingly. Put them in individual containers onefor each child at the table, so they each have their own. For play dough if you can use a tray for each child so it can contain the mess or even place mats. Yes, play dough will get all over the floor. You can even use a trough on the floor in the room for play dough which is another option.

You just have to find a setting that works for you... Soemtimes it takes a while to get the room set up exactly how you want but in the end it really helps with the overall management of the room. You will be happier and the children wont be walking around doing nothing...

Hope this helps,

,
Lorina

[J D]

We only ever have one of each colour out not whole lot.