As the school year ends, early childhood educators should utilize this time to prepare for the upcoming year. By closing down the classroom for the summer, and planning ahead for next year, you can create a seamless transition into the next school year, and create an inviting environment for your students. To support your classroom refresh, our team has curated exciting themes to make your classroom vibrant and engaging. We are here to support you throughout the process. Let's get started!

Why do we love math? It’s pretty simple: children who develop a positive attitude towards math in their early years are more likely to see math as a valuable and enjoyable subject, which can lead to greater success in mathematics later on!  Early confidence in math plays a significant role in a child’s growth mindset, which is the ability to persevere through challenges and overcome obstacles. 

As an early childhood teacher, you know that organization and presentation are key to creating a positive learning environment. But with so many responsibilities, it can be difficult to find the time and energy to tackle these tasks or refresh the classroom from time to time. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of six simple teacher hacks that will help you keep your classroom organized and decorated to create a safe and inviting learning environment. 

1. Label everything. Labeling is an easy and effective way to help your students learn how to put things away correctly. Use clear and simple labels to mark items like books, toys, and art supplies, and place them at the child’s eye level. This will help your students take ownership of their classroom and learn how to take care of it independently.

2. Use various storage containers. Transparent storage containers are a great way to keep your classroom organized and make it easy for your students to see what’s inside. Use them to store items like art supplies, manipulatives, and books, and be sure to label each container so that your students know where everything belongs. Storage baskets are also a way to show the resource more visually and warm up the classroom!

image courtesy of @aprilmaura on instagram

3. Utilize vertical space. When you’re short on space, think vertically! Use shelves, hanging organizers, and wall-mounted racks to keep items off of the floor and out of the way. Use wall clips or string to mount or clip your children’s artwork along the wall to brighten up the room and instill pride. Perhaps a cozy reading or calming corner would also benefit from colorful hanging lights or canopies to soften the landscape! 

4. Incorporate nature into your classroom decor. Adding natural elements to your classroom, like plants, rocks or stones, and shells, can help create a calming and inviting atmosphere for your students. Nature works wonderfully into loose part play.  Not only that, but incorporating nature into your classroom decor is also a great way to teach your students about the natural world and how to take care of the environment. It’s an easy and cost-effective way to soften your learning environment. 

image courtesy of @aprilmaura on instagram

5. Create flexible seating arrangements. Having different seating options in your classroom allows your students to choose the type of seating that works best for them. This can include traditional small tables and chairs, special learning centers, bean bags, floor cushions, and special reading nooks!  By providing different seating options, you can create a more comfortable and versatile learning environment for your little learners.

6. Use colorful tape to create fun on the tables and floor. Instead of just creating borders, use colorful tape to create designs on surfaces like tables, chairs, and storage containers. This is a fun and easy way to add some color and personality to your classroom while also labeling items or creating a visually appealing area. You can also use tape to create new and inviting mazes, patterns or challenges on the floor–a new adventure every week!

What are easy and fun ways you warm up and create a fun and engaging learning space for your early childhood center? We’d love to know!

Have a moment to share with us? Be sure to tag us and use the hashtag #constructiveinsights in your post. We’d love to potentially feature you on our social feeds and/or in an upcoming email!

One of our favorite types of play at Constructive Playthings is open-ended play. Not only does it offer countless learning opportunities, but it is just so easy to execute and incredibly valuable in early childhood development. 

It is well known the benefits block play brings to our early childhood programs, from encouraging mathematical skills, critical thinking, creativity, and even literacy! Blocks offer so many opportunities for open-ended play and are central in most every learning center. Recently it seems the classic unit blocks specifically are getting all the love, from not only school settings but home settings as well. We could not be more excited!