Preschool Environment Checklist

Physical Development

Spaces for Gross Motor Play

□ Adequate space—outdoors and some space indoors—for gross motor play is available.

□ Space is easily accessible to the children.

□ Space is organized so that different types of activities do not interfere with one another.

□ Both stationary (swings, slides, climbing equipment) and portable gross motor equipment (wheel toys, tumbling mats, jump ropes, bean bags, ring toss games, balls, and sports equipment) are used.

□ Equipment stimulates a variety of skills:

□ Balancing

□ Climbing

□ Ball play

□ Steering

□ Tumbling

□ Jumping

□ Throwing

□ Pedaling

□ Gross motor equipment stimulates skills on different levels (tricycles with and without pedals; different sizes of balls, both ramp and ladder access to climbing structure).

□ Enough gross motor equipment is available so that children have access without a long wait.

□ Gross motor equipment is in good repair.

□ Most of the stationary equipment (75%) appropriate for the age and ability of the children.

□ Adaptations are made or special equipment is provided for children in group with disabilities

Fine Motor Materials

At least three examples of each type of fine motor materials are accessible for a substantial portion of the day. The types of fine motor materials, including:

□ Small building toys (e.g., interlocking blocks and Lincoln logs) are available.

□ Art

materials (e.g., crayons and scissors) and manipulatives (e.g., beads of different sizes for stringing, pegs and

pegboards, and sewing cards) are used.

□ Puzzles are provided.

□ Materials are well-organized (similar toys stored together; sets of toys in separate containers).

□ Containers and accessible storage shelves have labels to encourage self-help.

□ Materials of different levels of difficulty are available.

□ Materials are rotated to maintain interest.

Blocks

□ Block area is set aside, out of traffic, with storage and suitable building surface.

□ Block area is accessible for play for a substantial portion of the day.

□ Enough space, blocks, and accessories are accessible for three or more children to build at the same time. At least two types of blocks are accessible daily. The types of blocks are:

□ Unit blocks: Wooden or plastic, including shapes, such as rectangles, squares, triangles, and cylinders

□ Large hollow blocks: Wooden, plastic, or cardboard

□ Homemade blocks: Shoe boxes, plastic containers, etc.

□ A variety of accessories are accessible daily (e.g., toy people, animals, vehicles, and road signs).

□ Blocks

and accessories are stored on open, labeled shelves.

□ Some block play is available outdoors.

Sand and Water Play

□ Provision for sand and water play are provided for either outdoor or indoor play—preferably both if classroom size permits.

□ A variety of toys are accessible for play (e.g., containers, spoons, funnels, scoops, shovels, pots and pans, molds, toy people, animals, and trucks)

Social-Emotional Development

Furnishings for Relaxation and Comfort

□ Special “cozy area” with soft furnishings is accessible for much of the day, and softness is accessible in several other areas.

□ “Cozy area” is protected from active play and is used for reading or other quiet play.

□ Other soft furnishings, in addition to cozy area, are accessible to children (e.g., area rugs, carpeting, cushions in dramatic play).

□ Many soft toys are accessible much of the day.

Space for Privacy

□ There is space set aside for one or two children to play, protected from intrusion by others.

□ There is more than one space available for privacy.

Child-Related Display

□ Individualized children’s work comprises more than 50% of the classroom display.

□ Appropriate materials are displayed for the age of the children (e.g., photos of children, nursery rhymes, seasonal displays).

□ Three-dimensional child-created work is displayed, as well as flat work.

□ Pictures showing diversity (people of different races, cultures, ages, abilities, and gender in non-stereotyping roles) are available.

□ Many items are displayed where children can easily see them.

□ Photographs of children in the group, their families, pets, or other familiar faces are displayed on child’s eye level.

□ New materials are added or the display is changed at least monthly.

Promoting Acceptance of Diversity

□ Many books, pictures, and materials are accessible, showing people of different races, cultures, ages, abilities, and gender in non-stereotyping roles.

□ Some props, representing various cultures, are included for use in dramatic play (e.g., dolls of different races, ethnic clothing, and cooking and eating utensils from various cultural groups).

Cognitive and Language Development

Room Arrangement for Play

There are at least five different interest centers to provide a variety of learning, such as:

□ Art

□ Reading

□ Blocks

□ Nature/ Science

□ Dramatic Play

□ Manipulatives/Fine Motor

Centers Organized for Independent Use by Children

□ Labeled, open shelves are available for independent use.

□ Labeled containers for toys (with pictures) are utilized.

□ Shelves are uncluttered.

□ Accessible play space is near the toys.

□ Arrangement of room makes it possible for staff to provide visual supervision.

□ Sufficient space for several activities to go on at one time is available, and traffic patterns do not interfere with activities.

□ Areas for quiet and active play are separated.

□ Additional materials are available to add to or change interest centers.

□ Schedules are posted and utilized.

□ Transitions are effectively utilized.

Book and Pictures

□ A wide selection of books (at least 20 books for up to 15 children) are accessible for a substantial portion of the day. Topics should include:

□ Fantasy

□ Factual information

□ Animals

□ Nature/science

□ People of various races, cultures, ages and abilities

□ Books are organized in a reading center for children to use independently (although, all accessible books do not have to be in the reading center).

□ Books and language materials are rotated to maintain interest.

□ Some books relate to current classroom activities or themes.

□ Additional language materials are available (e.g., posters and pictures; flannel board stories; picture card games; and recorded stories and songs).

□ Books are appropriate for the age, development, and abilities of the children in group.

□ No books show violence in a graphic or frightening way.

Nature/Science

□ Many developmentally appropriate games, materials, and activities from three categories are accessible for a substantial portion of the day. The categories are:

□ Collections of natural objects (e.g., rocks, insects, seed pods)

□ Living things (e.g., house plants, gardens, pets)

□ Nature/science books, games, or toys (e.g., nature matching cares, nature sequence cards)

□ Nature/science activities (e.g., cooking, and simple experiments w/magnets, magnifying glasses, etc.)

□ Materials are well-organized and in good condition (e.g., collections stored in separate containers, animals’ cages clean).

Math/Numbers

□ Three to five different math/number materials of each type are accessible for a substantial portion of the day. The types are:

□ Counting

□ Measuring

□ Comparing quantities

□ Recognizing shapes

□ Written numbers

□ Materials are well-organized and in good condition (e.g., sorted by type, all pieces needed for games are stored together).

□ Materials are rotated to maintain interest.

Furniture for Routine Care, Play, and Learning

□ Enough shelving is available for toys and materials.

□ Enough tables and chairs are provided for the children.

□ Tables and chairs are child-sized (the children’s feet touch the floor when sitting).

□ All furniture is sturdy and in good repair.

□ Adaptive furniture permits inclusion of children with disabilities.

□ Cots/mats are stored for easy access.

□ Children can use a woodwork bench, sand/water table, or easel.

□ Cubbies are placed for easy use by parents, staff, and older toddlers.

Art

□ Three to five different art materials from at least four categories are accessible for a substantial portion of the day. Categories of art materials include:

□ Drawing materials (ex: paper, crayons, markers, pencils)

□ Paints (ex: finger paint, water colors, brushes, sponges)

□ Three-dimensional materials (ex: play dough, clay, wood gluing, or carpentry)

□ Collage materials (ex: feathers, buttons, yarn)

□ Tools (ex: safe scissors, staplers, hole punches, tape dispensers)

Music and Movement

□ Music center, with music materials, is accessible for children to use for at least 1 hour daily.

□ Enough musical instruments, for at least half of the children to use at once, are available.

□ At least three different types of music (e.g., children’s songs, lullabies, folk songs, classical, country western, jazz, popular, rap, reggae, rhythm & blues, rock, songs in different languages, music characteristic of different cultures) are accessible.

Dramatic Play

□ Dramatic play center is clearly defined, with space to play and organized storage.

□ Dramatic play center is accessible for a substantial portion of the day.

□ Many dramatic play materials are accessible, including dress-up clothes.

□ Props for at least two different themes are accessible daily (e.g., housekeeping, and office).

□ Materials are rotated for a variety of themes.

□ Props are provided to represent diversity.

□ Props are provided for active dramatic play outdoors.

Adapted from: Preschool environment checklist. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.beginningsguides.com/upload/Preschool%20Environment%20checklist

©2016 Walden University 1