Kindergarten is a building built for children. There are a few kindergarten classroom design principles you should know, when you are trying to open one, to renovate, to own… When it comes to the kindergarten design, the classroom design, the design layout, keep in mind that children are your clients. Children go to school for learning, so how do children learn?
Mark Dudek talked about ‘learning and schooling’. Learning takes place in the classroom while schooling can happen in the hallways, the playgrounds, on the fields and more. George Couros who have a passion for exploring the connection between innovation and relationships for learning said that “School is about finding information on something prescribed for you. Learning is about exploring your passions and interests.”
Image Credit: George Couros
A 2015 study published in the journal Building and Environment found that student learning outcomes are improved by 16 per cent with the changing of some core elements of classroom design. Here we are to share with you 7 important kindergarten classroom design principles to enhance children’s learning.
7 Important Kindergarten Classroom Design Principles
Kindergarten Classroom Design1: Open Structure Room Layout Space
Fencing children is not a good idea! An open structure layout might be the key kindergarten classroom design principles. Finland is showing the example of open-plan classroom design by using fewer walls principles. They abandoned the traditional walled-in classroom and incorporate open-plan principles in their renovation and refurbishing.
According to Reino Tapaninen, chief architect at Finland’s Department of Education, “There are a lot of soft chairs, big cushions, rocking chairs, sofas as well as moveable walls and partitions behind which you can hide for private discussions.” As people worried that an open layout might lead to a high level of noises, the designer is using better surfacing materials and promoting noise-reducing habits.
Image Credit: Communal Space At The Saunalahti School, Espoo, Completed To A Design By Verstas Architects In 2012. Andreas Meichsner
The same idea goes to Fuji Kindergarten which has no wall at all in the kindergarten classroom. It’s a single, continuous and circular building which is amazing! Children feel stressed when they are contained, by considering this issue, the architect Takaharu Tezuka tried to eliminate the nervousness in children who don’t like the feeling of being enclosed.
He was inspired by his own daughter and son, who taught him to think like a kid. He said, “We designed the school as a circle, with a kind of endless circulation. When we started, I had no preconceived notions. Studying other kindergartens was like looking in the rearview mirror of a car: Even if you look very closely, you can’t see anything in front.”
Image Credit: Teds
Kindergarten Classroom Design 2: Creation of Contrasts
The variety of shapes, forms, and textures are one of the kindergarten classroom design principles. The creation of contrasts helps children to discover and experience the high and low, big and small, different shapes, different depths and different textures.
The variety of texture enhances children’s observational skills and fine motor abilities through interaction with sensory elements. The form of the building gives children a completely different experience.
Image Credit: Aldocgracia
NIA SCHOOL is created to unlock the children’s potential through interactive learning. Different textures and shapes of settings are installed in the classroom for students to exercise and play on. Besides, the reception has ergonomic furniture such as wooden buds, seats that resemble nature and shelves at different heights with books that allow the space to become a learning station at all times.
Kindergarten Classroom Design 3: Colours Stimulating
Image Credit: Contemporist
Colour is often used to foster children’s learning. The correct use of colour can seriously affect feelings, attention, and behaviour when learning.
According to Grangaard (1993), alpha brain waves can be altered, and hormones that alter our mood and provide clarity of mind can be released with the effect of colors. When it comes to kindergarten classroom design, it is important to know that different colours define different meaning and mood.
For example, dark colours convey fear, uncertainty and gloominess in students while bright colours give a warm, welcoming, and fun ambience in the classroom. You should not forget colour in the kindergarten classroom design principles!
Creche Ropponmatsu, is a kindergarten that used 22 colours for the facade, 200 colourful boxes in 25 colours are lined up on the wall, and 18 colours cover the walls surrounding the stairs is located in a residential area in Fukuoka city, Japan.
Image Credit: Contemporist
Kindergarten Classroom Design: Safety
Safety is by far the most important kindergarten classroom design principle. When designing the kindergarten, the classroom should be safe as well as explorable so that children explore freely without risk. There are some safety equipment that should be installed in the kindergarten classroom such as first-aid kits, fire extinguishers, choose toys and materials with children’s safety in mind, foam mats, soft edges table, and door fingers protection.
Image Credit: Design Milk
Cheryl Hatch from The Preschool Professor said that “While you are looking over your room arrangement, take the time to check out the toys and furniture. Check for broken pieces, jagged edges or anything else that could have the potential to harm children. Throw them away or get them fixed.“
Kindergarten Classroom Design 5: Go Green
We want children to explore and have fun in an eco-friendly environment. Green building benefits in minimizing strain on local utility infrastructure and enhance occupant health and comfort. It is not the main principle in kindergarten classroom design principles but we are seeking a positive impact on our environment.
Image Credit: Lava
This eco-kid kindergarten in Vinh, near Hanoi, Vietnam, was created by LAVA partnered with Module K and Viet Decor. The building unfolds with three semi-circular buildings, three stories high, with the scale of the surrounding landscape. The organic shapes, different levels of gardens and connected space to nature, where to improve cross ventilation, solar maximisation creates a playful and safe environment for children to play and learn.
Chris Bosse, director LAVA, said: “The design language – organic shapes, simple architectural lines, primary colours, different facades/windows coded by age – is all about growth. It’s child-friendly without being childish”.
Image Credit: Lava
Kindergarten Classroom Design 6: Visual Horizons of the Child
Don’t ever forget to pay attention to children’s visual horizons. Keep in mind a child’s viewpoint of scale, circulation and comfort such as windows at the child’s eye level, horizontal elements corresponding to the door height.
Thinking back when you are still a kid, you probably always looking up at adult-sized things, the table the counter, the window… A lower visual horizon has meaning and relevance to kids, remember that the facilities must be designed with their visual horizon. As one of the kindergarten classroom design principles, it is always neglected in childcare design.
Image Credit: Designboom
It is important to first consider this from a literal standpoint: a young child’s eyes are normally about 3 feet 6 inches from the ground. Ignore this principle and your kindergarten design must be failed.
Kindergarten Classroom Design 7: Creation of Private Space
We as adults look for privacy but so do children. A dedicated private space is necessary for children to have some private time for reading or doing a quiet activity. A study shows that children spent much more time on an activity when they are in a smaller room instead of the standard classroom. Private, reduced-scaled spaces are one of the kindergarten classroom design principles.
Image Credit: Archdaily
The kindergarten in Tromso in Norway is an example of kindergartens that have been built to have the possibility of variation in the use of rooms. The classroom has adjustable moving walls, they can be opened and closed, so that can change each room into new rooms of various sizes and functions. They can be used as a playing area as well as a learning area.
Image Credit: Archdaily
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