Time to Make Some Facility Changes

If you would like to make some changes to your existing facility to support your early childhood education program but don’t have a lot of money, here are some ideas that might work for you.

  • Install low sinks in a non-carpeted area for children to easily wash their hands and tools (such as paint brushes).
  • Install carpet in the rest of the classroom for sound absorption.
  • If you don’t have windowsills, create shelving under the windows to hold science experiments and growing plants that need light, recommends Peter J. Pizzolongo, associate executive director of Washington-based National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (www.naeyc.org).
  • Install bulletin board display rails at the students’ eye level on the wall to display artwork and to prevent ripping paint off the wall when removing tape.
  • Install solidly constructed storage units with doors so that materials not being used (such as glue, paint and glitter) are out of sight and out of reach of small hands.
  • What to do with fluorescent light? Cover the tubes with pink sleeves or installing panels featuring blue sky with white clouds. “This is terrific for classrooms where students have sensory integration delays, ADHD or are hyper sensitive to light,” indicates Barbara Romano, MAEL, principal/early childhood coordinator of Barrington Community Unit School District 220’s Early Learning Center in Illinois.
  • Similarly, install different kinds of lighting at different angles to make classrooms feel cozier.
  • Speaking of cozy, put an adult-sized and a child-sized rocking chair in each classroom.
  • Outfit the entrance to each classroom with cubbies in a U-shape, along with a rug and bench to sit on to take off boots.
  • Paint the walls in subdued earth tones for a calming, neutral environment. Color is added in the form of the students’ artwork displayed throughout the room.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • Greenheck Launches Optics Sensors for Kitchen Hoods

    Greenheck recently announced the launch of factory-installed optics sensors as an enhanced option for its kitchen ventilation hoods, according to a news release.

  • Creating a First and Lasting Impression with Thoughtful, Sustainable Design

    Clemson University’s Nieri Family Alumni and Visitors Center serves as the new front door to campus, anchoring the Tiger experience through each step in the student journey.

  • University of Kentucky Stormwater Harvesting System Receives Award

    The Utilities and Energy Management team from the University of Kentucky recently received a Grand Award at the 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards, according to a university news release. The award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Kentucky was for the university’s Central Utility Plant (CUP) Stormwater Harvesting System, which activated in fall 2023.

Digital Edition