Tips to meet Quality Area 3 – Physical Environment
Inclusive and engaging environments encourage children's sense of competence, curiosity and creativity through play-based learning.
29 August 2024
When considering the physical environment, it’s important to recognise the significant impact environments can have on children’s learning. A quality environment can support engagement, exploration and an understanding of the importance of caring for our natural world.
A considered and effective indoor and outdoor environment is characterised by open spaces that allow for children to independently explore, engage in self-choice, and offer a balance of active and quiet zones (ACECQA 2024a, 2024b).
Physical environment as the ‘third teacher’
Informed by the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment as the ‘third teacher’ (PDF 1.2 MB) explores the use of space and places value on the environment to encourage and support meaningful learning opportunities for children.
Theorists such as Urie Bronfenbrenner explore connections for children’s learning within the environment. He explores the concept that children and their surroundings are connected in a 2-way process. Children shape their environment and, at the same time, the environment shapes their learning.
Quality environments are thoughtfully created to foster children's enthusiasm for learning. Educators can proactively modify and adapt spaces to cater to the diverse needs of children of varying ages, developmental stages and interests. By repurposing areas throughout the day, educators can create a dynamic and engaging atmosphere that promotes optimal learning experiences for all children.
Extending children’s learning
A well-designed physical environment can harness children's natural curiosity by incorporating sensory experiences, engaging play spaces, and opportunities for exploration and risk-taking. This fosters a sense of wonder, promotes problem-solving skills and enables children to develop essential skills for healthy development.
The environment should be viewed as a dynamic and responsive space that not only acknowledges children's current abilities, but also provides opportunities for growth, allowing them to progress and develop at their own pace.
It’s important that children have access to challenging environments with appropriate levels of risk, including elements of nature like plants, trees, edible gardens, sand, rocks, mud and water. Risky play provides children with the opportunity to build a strong sense of self and extend their learning in areas of physical awareness, problem-solving and self-directed learning.
- How does the learning environment reflect an understanding of the needs, interests and abilities of children at your service?
- How do you ensure the environment is flexible and engaging to encourage exploration, investigation and active participation?
- How are resources and materials thoughtfully displayed and accessible?
- Do your learning environments have defined spaces for creativity, relaxation, ‘noisy’ play, small group or solitary play, large group or social spaces?
Engaging children in environment design
An inclusive and considered environment will be comfortable, engaging and tailored to a child's unique needs, interests and age. Children should be consulted about the environment design, set up and use. How this occurs at your service will be unique to your service context and community. It will also look different depending on the children's ages and diverse abilities.
- What learning opportunities are created by changing the environment design, for example, by adding or taking away resources?
- How are children’s voices and ideas captured and used to inform environment design?
- How are children being encouraged to participate and provide input in planning the environment?
- What opportunities exist for children to provide feedback on adjustments to your environment design and use?
Sustainable practice
Introduced to Version 2.0 of the Approved Learning Frameworks, the new principle of Sustainability spotlights the importance of creating and promoting sustainability communities.
Educators should support children to be actively involved in developing and implementing sustainable practices across the service. They can also encourage children to take ownership of caring for the environment and explore ways to make a positive impact on their future.
By fostering a sense of responsibility and through hands-on learning, children can learn from and connect with their local environments. Doing so will help them to develop a deep understanding of social, economic and environmental issues, including the valuable contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures.
- Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (2018) The Environment as the Third Teacher, Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.
- Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (2018) Guide to the National Quality Framework, Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.
- Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (2019) Quest for Quality extension pack - Environmentally responsible, Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority.
- Australian Government Department of Education (2022) Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (V2.0), Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
- Australian Government Department of Education (2022) My Time our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (V2.0), Australian Government Department of Education for the Ministerial Council.
- Community Early Learning Australia (2019) Taking a chance on risky play - part one, Community Early Learning Australia.
- Community Early Learning Australia (2019) Taking a chance on risky play - part two, Community Early Learning Australia.
- Crawford, M (2020) Ecological Systems Theory: Exploring the Development of the Theoretical Framework as Conceived by Bronfenbrenner, Journal of Public Health Issues and Practices.
- Environmental Education New South Wales (2023) Lead. Collaborate. Empower, Environmental Education New South Wales.
- NSW Department of Education (2022) Taking a planned and supported approach to risky play, NSW Department of Education.
- NSW Department of Education (2021) Design an inviting and challenging outdoor play space, NSW Department of Education.
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