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Maybe it’s the pictures you have out, or something given to you by a grandparent—most of us have something special that makes our living space personal. A family’s home is already a rich environment full of learning opportunities! Whether a family is enrolled in a home visiting option or they participate in child care, their child will still spend much of their time at home. Both teachers and home visitors have the important job of helping families see all the opportunities for learning that already exist in their own home.
Choose rugs to match the nature of the activity to be performed in the area. A rug for the block area should be fairly large and have a short, even pile to provide a stable surface for building structures and rolling vehicles. A smaller rug with an interesting texture can be used in the quiet area, communicating that it accommodates only a few children at a time.
Wealth is associated with richer home learning environments for young children
Displays (e.g., pictures, posters, or wall-hangings) or books can be arranged to help children and youth explore ideas or try new things with the appropriate materials nearby. Displays should be at children’s eye level and should contain their own work, pictures relevant to their interests, or pictures meant to help spark further exploration. They should reflect the backgrounds, knowledge, and experiences of the diverse children in your program. To maintain children’s and youth’s engagement in play and learning, you will want to rotate materials regularly, so children have the chance to use different kinds of materials. Including pictures of the children and their families, in conjunction with personal storage and display of children’s and youth’s artwork, is another great way to communicate that the space belongs to them. When displaying pictures or adding decorative touches, remember to hang or offer some items at children’s eye level to reinforce that they are valued members of the classroom space.
Lots of time and space to explore, along with developmentally appropriate, interesting, creative materials, help children focus. Boredom or having nothing to do can be the cause for unwanted behaviors, but a child happily involved in play reflects an engaging environment and in return supports peaceful environments. License-exempt family child care providers are often also called family, friend, and neighbor care. Family, friend, and neighbor care is provided in the caregiver’s home by a person who is a relative, friend, or neighbor. A family child care home may be classified as large or small, depending on how many children are cared for. The number of infants and toddlers that can be cared for in a family child care home is often limited.
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The more time that children spend playing in such an environment, the higher their exposure to toxic chemicals, and the greater a risk to their health. The question of whether a family child care provider is required to be licensed or is license exempt often depends on the number of children the provider cares for. For example, some states require family child care homes to be licensed if they care for more than one child who is not related to the provider. Some states don’t require any regulations unless the provider is caring for six or more children. Living in a group setting for eight to ten hours a day creates inevitable tensions and stresses - even in the best of programs. Positive, nurturing interactions between caregivers and children can reduce the tensions; a home-like environment can ease the stress.
This space, which should have accessible storage for each child’s diapering supplies, can be personalized with family pictures and mementos. It can also have toys for the child to play with and a photo of his parents he can look at as the caregiver talks to him during the diapering routine. For infants and toddlers, two areas allow each family to personalize their child’s surroundings with items from home. The first is a quiet alcove or separate room which provides space away from noisy activities for the sleeping infant as well as privacy for the nursing mother. Parents can be encouraged to bring comforting reminders of home such as bedding, soft animals, blankets, and mobiles.
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Identify features of the family child care environment that help children feel secure, welcome, and comfortable. Recognize that children and youth spend a lot of time in your program, and everybody needs a break sometimes. Provide a variety of ways that children can take a little time for themselves; a quiet book area, a computer center, or the art area can all provide a brief break from the busy, social day. This can be especially important to some children with special needs. Your effort to create a relaxing, homelike environment is critical.
Even in apartments where the floor plan is the same for every unit, the way people decorate and the furniture they choose provide a sense of individuality. People tend to create spaces that are reflective of their personalities and family culture. Think for a moment about your own home and what makes it special. Are there elements of your home that are unmistakably you and/or your family?
Another aspect of continuity is caring for babies in out-of-home care settings in ways that are as similar as possible to how their families care for them at home. In home visiting, it is important that the ideas and activities provided by the home visitor for the family are in sync with the family‘s values and goals for their child. Sasha, a child care provider in a center-based program, is setting up her new classroom. She recently visited a friend who provides child care in her home and loved the calm, cozy environment.
Using pictures of the experiences in which the children engage with one another in the learning environment communicates that this space belongs to the children. It also provides them with concrete documentation to reflect back on the experience. As with adults, children need time and space during the day to relax on their own. Especially after being in formal school, school-age children may crave some down time.
It also gives them an opportunity to practise social roles and learn about aspects of their culture and environment. Building materials such as particle board, insulation, asbestos, and treated wood , can also pose health threats. Some play sets and toys, as well as outdoor swing sets and play grounds, may also be treated with toxic chemicals, made from toxic plastics, or include hazardous materials.
When not properly handled, these products can make the home or care environment a dangerous place, especially for kids. These documents should cover important topics, including hours of operation, rates, fees, field trip permission slips, transportation agreements, and absence policies. Read more about recommended items that should be included in a child care contract. Use the See Your State's Resources feature on the website to find the licensing agency and a provider inspection reports for your state. Select the state where you live and click the Submit button.
Twelve-month-old Isabella scoots herself over to the coffee table as her parents, Armando and Mariana sit near her. Cecilia, their home visitor, watches as Armando and Mariana encourage Isabella as she reaches for the coffee table and attempts to stand up. ” Mariana shares with Cecelia, “she’s been reaching at this table all week.” Cecelia picks up one of Isabella’s favorite toys and puts it on the table.
Here are some tips to create a space that engages children and encourages safe exploration. Use everyday experiences that the children are working on (sharing, clean-up, being kind) without using names. It is helpful to practice with puppets or small animal figurines. A child happily involved in play reflects an engaging environment and in return supports peaceful environments.
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