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"It's about taking a broad view of the way the environment is organized and its impact on the children who inhabit it," according to Michelle Pratt author of an article in the latest Exchange Essentials, Intentional Environments.

"There are three key areas to consider when assessing an environment for children:

• The physical environment (how this is designed and its ongoing management)
• The interactional environment (social interactions between groups within the environment)
• The temporal environment (routines and schedules)"

Pratt encourages physically defining areas and pathways, and considering the impact of color and overall aesthetics. "…I have often heard people say, 'We will sort out the environment first. Then we’ll start to work on program planning and outcomes for children and families' as though they are disconnected. The learning environment should be based on observations of the children and the goal of supporting and extending their learning. Planning the environment is part of program planning."

In our large collection of Exchange Essentials article collections, find resources on subjects such as administration, child development, curriculum, environments, family, and leadership.

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