(c) McGraw-Hill 2012

1. Chapter 12:
The Physical Environment
McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2011 McGraw-Hill Higher Education. All rights reserved.

2. A Safe Environment
• The physical environment must be safe.
– Group size and adult-child ratio are important.
– Child-proof the environment.
– Know how to contact emergency personnel and put
together an emergency plan.
– Know first aid and CPR.
– Always supervise children.
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3. A Healthful Environment
• The environment must be healthy.
– Wash your hands often.
– Make sure there is good light and ventilation.
– Wash children’s hands regularly.
– Use precautions when preparing food, changing
diapers, etc.
– Learn signs of common illness and follow polices about
reporting illness.
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4. Nutrition
• Food must be appropriate to:
– Children’s age
– Children’s physical condition
– Children’s cultural and/or religious traditions
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5. Nutrition
• Feeding infants:
– Make sure the room is supportive of breast-feeding
mothers.
– Learn how to properly handle and store breast milk.
– Provide for individualized infant nutrition.
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6. Nutrition
• Feeding infants:
– Avoid additives
– Avoid mixtures (casseroles, etc.)
– Use pure, unseasoned food
– Talk with parents about special dietary needs
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7. Nutrition
• Feeding toddlers:
– Offer a nutritious variety of foods
– Incorporate finger foods if culturally appropriate
– Use small portions
– Avoid foods which may choke toddlers
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8. The Learning Environment
• The structure of a program depends on its
environment.
– Behavior is influenced by environment.
– All children should be accommodated in the
environment.
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9. The Learning Environment
• Layout
– The sleeping area should be away from the play area.
– The eating area should be away from the diapering
area.
– If possible, keep the eating area away from the play
area.
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10. The Learning Environment
• Eating area
– A sink, counter, refrigerator, and provision for warming
food should be either in the room or near the eating
area.
– Children need small, low tables to encourage
independence.
How do you feel about eating outdoors?
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11. The Learning Environment
• Toileting area
– Toddlers appreciate child-sized toilets.
– Children need access to a sink, soap, and towels.
– The toileting area should be convenient to play space.
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12. Developmental Appropriateness
• The learning area must be developmentally
appropriate.
• Flexibility is required when infants and toddlers
are in the same room.
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13. Developmental Appropriateness
• An appropriate environment for infants:
– Allows infants to be on the floor, but protected from
walking feet
– Has supports for infants who are newly upright
– Only uses cribs as sleeping environments
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14. Developmental Appropriateness
• An appropriate environment for toddlers:
– Is an environment that encourages independence
– Invites toddlers to explore using both gross and fine
motor skills
– Contains a variety of age-appropriate toys and
equipment that develop active, creative, and
manipulative skills
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15. Developmental Appropriateness
• Family child care:
– May have a less “institutionalized” feel
– May be smaller in scale and more homey
– Is more likely to have mixed age groups, and must
adapt the space to promote safe interactions and
exploration for infants and toddlers
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16. What should be in the play environment
• Newborns:
– Just a few things to look at. People are most
interesting.
• Young infants:
– Should not be distracted from hand exploration.
– Multi-sensory toys not necessary.
– 14 x 14 cotton scarf multi-purpose infant toy.
• Older infants:
– Bowls, wooden spoons, stackable plastic cups.
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17. What should be in the play environment
• Simple play materials, individualized attention,
and a safe environment that promotes interaction
are essential components to infant and toddler
play.
– Such conditions help children develop long attention
spans, concentration, and other manipulative and
physical skills.
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18. What should be in the play environment
What toys and materials are appropriate for inside
play?
What toys and materials are appropriate for
outside play?
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19. Assessing the Quality of an Infant-Toddler
Environment
• The five dimensions of a learning environment
include:
– Balancing soft and hard
– Providing for intrusion and seclusion
– Encouraging mobility
– The open-closed dimension
– The simple-complex dimension
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20. Assessing the Quality of an Infant-Toddler
Environment
• Simple toys and materials are best for infants.
• Children under age three may need more open-
ended materials than closed ones.
What types of toys are open-ended?
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21. Assessing the Quality of an Infant-Toddler
Environment
• The following characteristics are also important:
– Aesthetics (the visual appeal of the room)
– Acoustics (are children who need quiet protected?)
– Order (room arrangement can make a big difference in
the order of a room)
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22. The Physical Environment
• Remember, when planning a physical
environment, be sure to consider:
– Developmentally appropriate practice
– Individually appropriate practice
– Culturally appropriate practice
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23. Online Learning Center
• See Chapter 12 of the text’s Online Learning
Center for chapter quizzes, Theory Into Action
activities, Video Observations, and more.
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