classroom set-up

DIY: Window easel for preschool

As I have mentioned before, I have been setting up my outdoor classroom and so far my husband has made the biggest difference by making me the sensory table and the tinker table. With the left over wood, he also made me this wonderful window easel… The window easel may also be called a sensory [...]

DIY: A homemade sensory table and tinker table

Last week my husband got highly motivated and built me some new furniture for my outdoor classroom. He built me a sensory table… And what I call a tinker table… And a stand-alone plexiglass window (which I will share more on tomorrow)… The dimensions on the tinker table and the sensory table are the same. [...]

How to clean up the preschool classroom

To keep your classroom clean, start by keeping a broom and dust pan by the sand table at all times… And keep old towels near the water table at all times… And be sure to have extra paper towels available for cleaning the tables… And keep plenty of baskets handy for sorting and putting away [...]

Getting preschoolers involved in classroom setup

Sometimes we, as adults, tend to think we should have everything just perfect and all set up before the children come into the classroom. I agree that having things organized can help with classroom management and the flow of the classroom day but at the same time, it is also a good idea to save [...]

Where do you put the preschool projects to dry?

Sometimes, I will walk in a classroom and find activities laying all over cubbies, tables, and the tops of shelves to dry. When you have lots of children or a few children who do lots of activities, inevitably you will need a place to let the activities dry. Thinking about where you are going to [...]

Labeling your baskets and shelves in preschool

Part of setting up a child-centered classroom is taking the time to organize materials so that children can easily find where they belong. One way to help keep the classroom organized is to add labels to the baskets. Adding labels with the words clearly printed on them also helps to promote the print-rich environment. Where [...]

The things that go on in our preschool classroom

Because most of my articles only focus on one activity at a time, it may look like there is nothing else going on in the classroom. So today, I wanted to show you how there are lots of things going on all at the same time… Each day, our teachers follow a lesson plan that [...]

The child centered classroom: Adding things to do

I have been writing about setting up classrooms over the past few weeks and so far I talked a little bit about setting up furniture and selecting baskets for your shelves. Once you have your baskets, you will certainly need to decide what will go into the baskets. What goes into each basket depends on [...]

Working on weaving in preschool

I have learned so much from others since I started Teach Preschool. I am always amazing at the creativity of all the other bloggers out there and I am constantly sharing the ideas I read about with the teachers and children from my school. As I continue the process of setting up classrooms, I want [...]

The child-centered classroom: shelves

As a general rule, when I set up classrooms, I find that it is most helpful to make sure that shelves face the area that you want the children to play… For example, if I have a shelf with art supplies on it (an art center) then I will set the shelf up near a [...]

Setting up a child-centered classroom

Selecting baskets for a child-centered early childhood classroom requires thought and time.

The child’s eye view of your early childhood classroom

What do your preschoolers see when they walk into your classroom? One of the best ways to find out is to look from the child’s level. Go to the front door of your classroom, sit down low, and take a look! What do you see? Does your classroom look inviting, safe, and friendly from the [...]

Guest post: setting up your preschool classroom

4 Easy Steps to setting up your classroom By: Mrs. Myra of Centers and Circle Time (guest blogger) Dear Teacher, are you starting a new job? Have you just been given a new classroom? Have you moved to a new age group? Are you worried about setting up you new space? No fear, help is [...]

Designing for Play

Play is a natural part of a preschooler’s learning process. To best facilitate this important part of a child’s learning process, the teacher needs to consider… The Environment: The environment should be rich with materials such as books, puzzles, blocks, cars, art supplies, dress-up clothes, toys, and other age-appropriate materials that children can freely explore [...]

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