Indoor Learning Environment

This photo shows a display of toddlers’ artwork along with photographs of the children engaging in the original art activity. Notice that the artwork is displayed at children’s eye level, grouped for each child, and includes labels for the different emotion words.

Areas for gross motor play are important for infants to develop strong bodies and to practice new movements. This photo shows a classroom setup that includes soft mats that encourage crawling, sitting, and climbing.

This infant classroom has clear play areas with a variety of developmentally appropriate books, toys, and sensory materials. Notice that the materials are organized low to the ground to promote infants’ exploration.

Displaying family photographs at eye level is a great way to help children feel connected to their classroom and promote language and conversation. Notice how this infant room has family photos taped to the floor, where they are more easily seen by infants who aren’t yet standing.

This photo shows a home-based setting with shelves and containers labeled with both words and pictures of the materials. The low positioning of the shelves helps children retrieve the materials independently, and the labels help children return each item to its appropriate place.

This infant room includes toys organized in containers low to the ground, supporting the infants’ ability to explore. Although infants aren’t likely to return items independently, pictures on the labels help infants learn the words for materials as the teacher encourages returning the items to their containers.

This photo shows a shelving unit in a preschool classroom with developmentally appropriate toys. Many of the materials are organized in containers with labels that include both pictures and words. The shelves are an appropriate height to allow children to retrieve and return items independently.

This photo of a shelf in a school-age classroom includes writing and drawing materials clearly labeled with both pictures and words. Although many school-age children are beginning to read, providing labels with pictures supports children who are still building reading skills.

This photo shows a collection of toys on a low shelf in a toddler classroom. Notice that the containers are open, which helps toddlers find the toys. Under each container is a label that has the word and picture of the toys to support toddlers’ ability to return the toys appropriately.

In this home-based example, the provider has displayed realistic pictures of people and animals and recent artwork at children’s eye level.

This photograph shows an infant classroom with children’s artwork and realistic photos displayed at children’s eye level.

This photo shows a preschool classroom that displays children’s artwork and pictures of realistic animals at children’s eye level. Notice how the artwork and the photos are organized in visual groupings.

This photo shows a school-age classroom with a variety of children’s artwork, posters, teacher-made displays, and realistic photos.

This photo shows toddler classrooms rich with displays of children’s artwork and realistic photos of familiar people and places, all posted a children’s eye level. These displays help children feel pride in their work, feel connected to their classroom, and promote language and conversation.

This collection of natural objects includes items that promote hands-on manipulation as well as smaller objects that are protected in a clear container.

Living plants that children can help care for are a great way to bring nature inside. Dried leaves and seasonal vegetables can also promote exploration and conversation about different plants and seasons.

In this photo we see a collection of dolls that are inclusive of different ethnicities and abilities.

As shown in these photos, classrooms can provide books, pictures, and labels that represent diverse ethnicities, languages, and celebrations.

This photo shows examples of real objects provided in the classroom that promote children’s scientific understanding, including a magnifiying glass and various samples from nature.

This is a closeup photo of an example of a developmentally appropriate science station for toddlers. Materials include magnifying glasses, sensory tubes, and science-related books.

Creating interest areas can also include a quiet space for toddlers to practice self-regulation. This example photo shows a space with pillows and stuffed animals for comfort and books and pictures to learn about feelings.

This photo shows a musical center with pictures of musicians and instruments from diverse backgrounds. The labels around the center are also provided in two languages.

These books feature realistic pictures of familiar people, places, and objects. Displaying these books at children’s eye level ensures they can engage with them.

This toddler classroom has multiple interest areas for independent play. Look closely and see a music station, a cozy reading spot with pillows and books, a sensory table, a drawing area, and low shelves with building materials and other developmentally appropriate toys.

This example of a simple daily schedule includes realistic photographs of children at each timepoint across the day. The photos and the placement of the schedule at children’s eye level help children know what to expect in the daily routine.