In some of our classes, the teachers like to use trays to help with classroom management or organization…
Trays can provide children with their own work space…
Trays can help contain lots of pieces…
Trays can be set up to invite different kinds of play, exploration, or creativity…
Often times, teachers will use a tray system to give guidance or set limits when the need seems to be present…
Trays can be useful for many reasons but I don’t recommend placing everything on a tray. Sometimes, children need a large canvas to work with or may wish to work closer together. I think it just depends on the children and what works best for that particular activity.
But I do recommend trying trays for some of the reasons listed above. You may have other ideas for trays too…