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

  • dormitory with green roofs, solar panels, balconies, and labeled architectural annotations

    2025 Residence Hall Design Trends Focus on Sustainability, Flexibility, Community, Technology, and Well-Being

    With the most technically advanced Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) at the helm, residence hall design trends for 2025 look to focus on flexible spaces, health and wellness, sustainability, community, and digital technology.

  • ClassVR Wins Tech & Learning Best of Show at ISTELive 25

    Avantis Education recently announced that its flagship product, ClassVR, won the Tech & Learning Best of Show Award at ISTELive 25 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release. The program is designed to celebrate products that are “transforming education in schools around the world and that show the greatest promise for the industry,” and this is the fourth consecutive year that Avantis has claimed the award.

  • Beeville ISD Starts Construction on New Elementary School

    The Beeville Independent School District near Corpus Christi, Texas, recently began a construction project that will consolidate two existing, aging schools into a new elementary school, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects and Spawglass General Contractors for the design and construction, respectively, of the new facility.

  • ECM Technologies Wins ‘Most Innovative Business of the Year’ Award

    HVAC preventative maintenance and efficiency solutions provider ECM Technologies was recently named the “Most Innovative Business of the Year” at the 2025 Champions of Change Awards, according to a news release. The program recognizes Arizona business leaders and organizations taking steps to make a positive impact on the state through innovative thinking and philanthropy.

Digital Edition