School-Age Care Environments

The quality of the environment affects how children and staff feel. The most appropriate environments for children after school complement, rather than duplicate, the school day. School-age programs should strive to create environments that are comfortable, well-equipped and appropriate for the program’s activities and the ages and needs of young people served. Young people who attend programs that offer attractive, child- or youth-centered environments are generally happier and more well-behaved. Many programs face challenges due to shared space and/or inadequate space, but creativity, negotiation, and some of these ideas can help. The following are simple steps and basic questions to help you think through important issues and create an appropriate environment for your program.

Create a Vision: What sort of environment would best support the mission and
activities of your program? What kind of environment do the young people in your
program want? Meet with staff and youth to discuss wants and needs and create an
overall “vision” for how you want your program space to look and feel.

Involve Stakeholders: How can you involve children, parents and staff in designing
and creating program environments? Young people like to help design and create their
own environment – it allows children to feel a sense of ownership in their environment. Put together a design team with representatives from children in every age group. Involve parents, staff and other stakeholders in brainstorming sessions as well as designing space, obtaining materials and decorating.

Analyze Space Available and Think About Possibilities for More Space: What indoor and outdoor space do you have available to you? Do you need more space? How can you get it? Be creative! Analyze the space you have and other spaces in your building that could be available. Make sure you’re effectively utilizing the space currently available to you. If necessary, develop a plan for obtaining more space.

Check for Safety Hazards: Is your space safe? Regularly check all spaces used by your program for possible hazards. Look for toxic materials (such as cleaning supplies), broken equipment and furniture, electricity or heating problems, etc.

Obtain Necessary Materials and Supplies: What sorts of décor, furniture, equipment, and materials would be most appropriate for each activity that your program offers? Make a list of necessary supplies for the activities you do regularly as well as a “wish list” of supplies that could enhance your program. Send home announcements and approach local businesses asking for donations of books, art supplies, posters, games, area rugs, old beanbag chairs, cushions, carpet squares, book shelves, etc.

Create Different Spaces for Different Activities: How can you divide up available space and make it appropriate for the different types of activities your program offers? If your main program space is one large room, consider setting up movable partitions or simply set up a line of chairs to divide space. A big open space invites young people to run around. If your space involves different rooms, analyze which spaces are best for which activities.

Storage: Put materials in rolling carts that can be brought out and put away easily or store
materials in plastic tubs that can be stacked away in a closet. Sort materials according to the activities they’re typically used for. Provide sufficient space for children’s personal belongings (cubbies, labeled shelves).

Decorate your Space: How can you decorate your space to make it interesting, stimulating and exciting? Put up posters, create murals and display artwork done by youth. Put up different decorations in different areas to create appropriate environments for activities that will take place in each area. Have young people help you design and create decorations.

Develop Effective Strategies to Cope with Shared Space: If other groups are using
your space when your program is not in session, how can you create an attractive environment specific to your program needs? Try to negotiate with those who share your space about sharing furniture, resources, supplies and responsibilities for decorating and cleaning the space. Work to develop and maintain positive relationships with other building residents. Do you have to set up and dismantle parts of your décor on a daily basis? If so, put posters, signs, and decorations on large bulletin boards or cardboard panels that can be brought out and put away each day. Put materials in rolling carts or store materials in plastic tubs that can be stacked away in a closet. Sort materials according to the activities they’re typically used for so that you can easily pull them out and put them away. Allow ample time in your schedule for staff and children to create and dismantle the environment. Even if space is used for other purposes outside of program hours, your environment should make children feel as if it’s designed for them while they’re using it.

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS IDEAS

For Outdoors

A good outdoor environment has soft and hard surfaces and shady and sunny areas.

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