Stand aside for a while and leave room for learning, observe carefully what children do, and then, if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from before.
– Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, 1920-1994

In the Exchange article “Reflections on Play Environments From Different Perspectives” by Jennifer Wong-Powell, the impact of play environments on children is explored through various perspectives. Wong-Powell explains that “the classroom environment is one of the most influential factors that impact how children think, are engaged, feel connected, and take risks.”

At the International School of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, teachers emphasize the importance of viewing play spaces from both an adult’s and a child’s perspective.

“The most common perspective is to think about your classroom from the point of view of an adult. A contributing factor to how we see spaces is the height from which we see the world. From our vantage point, our view of the classroom allows us to see in, on, and over objects. Given our height, we have the benefit of seeing learning materials on the shelves; what lies on the top of furniture and different surfaces; and we have the advantage of viewing various parts of the classroom simultaneously.

“Now pause, and notice how our view differs from that of a child’s position. Children’s view is also dependent on height. Take a moment and try this. Sit on the floor of your classroom to lower your line of vision to see from the gaze of children. Viewing the classroom from this perspective completely changes our frame of reference.”

Ultimately, Wong-Powell emphasizes that “the most powerful position is when teachers remove themselves from an adult gaze and come to see the environment from the vantage point of their youngest learners. The key is that purposeful play environments are not left to chance. Being knowledgeable, skillful, and intentional necessitates the inclusion of the voices of children and responding to their ideas. While simple, it is far from simplistic.”