7 Ways to Establish a Nurturing and Safe Classroom Environment (as an Early Childhood Educator)

When studying our CHC30113 Cert III and CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care courses, one of the most important areas you will learn about will cover the safety and health of the children — and establishing a nurturing environment is key to that. Today’s article is going to briefly introduce you to that area by outlining seven ways you can establish a nurturing and safe environment for the children as an early childhood educator.

1.     Consider the objects that occupy the space

The objects used in a childhood education centre can do more than just educate and entertain the children; think about the layout and positioning of the objects — which can include furnishings as well as toys — and what their purpose is. Shelves, cabinets or chalk/whiteboards can be used to divide the room into dedicated areas; open spaces may produce some mayhem as it will be a ground for the children to freely run around. Think about the layout and terrain and how it will affect the children’s perception. Getting down to their physical level will help to see things how they would.

2.     Are there enough toys for everyone?

Jealousy is an easily developed trait at that age and can stem from simple incidents such as peers playing with specific toys — which is why ensuring there are enough toys to play with is such an important element that should not be overlooked. Consider supplying similar toys so some children won’t miss out.

3.     Use calming and happy colours

The physical items that occupy the room aren’t the only design aspect that will influence the mood of the children. A colourful environment that leverages soft, tranquil colours is a great way to passively ensure the children feel safe and comfortable in an early learning environment. Try to avoid harsh colours like red or black, and instead, focus on light blues (like cerulean), yellows or even lilac.

4.     Never take things at face value

Whilst studying our CHC30113 or CHC50113 courses, you will learn to communicate with children and understand that there is often more to a situation than what may be casually observed. Being able to communicate with them and understand their emotions beyond speech is key to ensuring they feel safe; for them, knowing that someone can understand what they’re feeling and help them move forward will mean the world.

5.     Establish and encourage thought-provoking activities

It is up to you as an educator to ensure that the children’s minds are engaged and that their days are occupied with not just educational activities but also ones that encourage awareness and mindfulness — of their surroundings, of their peers’ feelings and of how they are feeling. This can go a long way in setting a healthy foundation for how they approach tasks moving forward.

6.     Ensure the children spend enough time outdoors

A healthy mix of indoor and outdoor activities helps expose the children to the elements as well as allows them to engage in physical activities that they may be unable to partake in indoors. It’s crucial that you do your best to monitor the children when outdoors as there may be more elements that could lead to injury, whether it’s from running around too much across different terrain or by playing with others.

7.     Grow a nursery with them

Another fun activity to partake in outdoors is to encourage a communal nursery where each child brings in a different seed/plant from home and plants it in a shared garden bed. This will teach them patience and expose them to a relaxing and nurturing pastime. Additionally, it will also teach them early levels of collaboration with others as they will have to learn to share their patch of soil with other classmates and even lend assistance. This is a precursor to group activities they will be involved in later in their lives.

Are you looking to study CHC30113 or CHC50113?

South West Training Services is a government-funded educational institute that excels in providing opportunities to those who feel they may have missed their chance, accepting people of all ages and from all walks of life.

Our CHC30113 Certificate III and CHC50113 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care courses are designed for both face-to-face and remote learning avenues, highlighting the exceptional flexibility and scalability of our inclusive and comprehensive courses.

If you have any questions regarding our CHC30113 or CHC50113 courses, then please do not hesitate to give us a call on (03) 9748 9233 or fill out our online contact form today.