School-age programs need to regularly extend their environment into the community. This can be accomplished by making use of community resources, such as libraries, museums, businesses, parks, nature areas, or nursing homes. Once the types of space to be included in the program are determined, the next step is to organize them in a floor plan. Look at your floor plan and see the following factors have been given consideration in planning your environment. Identify the storage space in each area.
Crates can hold books or games and stacking units can hold the art supplies.
Some quiet activities, such as listening to records or tapes, will produce some distractions, too. Good environments come about through a careful, thoughtful planning process that crates spaces suited to children's interests and needs. Since interests and needs change, so must environments change as the year and the seasons progress. Involve the children in panning the space. Ask them what types of space they would like.