Nursery World - Nursery Equipment: Defined Spaces

Careful thought is needed to create well-defined and attractive
spaces to enhance play, learning and well-being. Ruth Thomson
explains.

Any nursery layout needs to have a sense of 'flow', signalling to children that they can move easily from one area to another, bringing with them whatever resources they want. But of equal importance are clearly defined spaces, giving the visual message to children: 'This is where you can settle, uninterrupted and become absorbed in your play'.

Writing in Just Imagine!, Sue Crook and Betty Farmer note that visual boundaries indicate to children that 'this is where the play will happen', so 'minimising distractions and interruptions from children not playing in the area' and 'increasing the likelihood of productive play and a high level of concentration'.

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