1. C HARACTERISTICS OF P RESCHOOLERS

3. Just as infant and toddler classrooms are designed to meet the special needs of very young children, preschool classrooms must take into account the social, emotional, and intellectual characteristics of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds and the cultural backgrounds of these children. Consider the following:

4. The preschool child appreciates a beautiful classroom. The preschool child enjoys an orderly classroom. The preschool child needs a variety of social experiences with large-group, small-group, and individual activities. The classroom should provide a variety of spaces for each, which may include the following:

5. Large-group space : A circle on the carpet, individual mats that can be placed in a circle on a carpet, and round or trapezoid tables all facilitate large-group interaction. Small-group space : Interesting areas where the space is defined by lofts or corner enclosures encourage children to interact in small groups. Individual space : Private, "all-by-myself" time can be provided by a reading corner with large pillows or beanbag chairs, a telephone booth structure, or even a large carton with a fuzzy rug on the bottom.

6. The preschool child likes to feel at home. Preschool children need help to learn to be considerate of each other. Preschool children are ready to make activity selections. Preschool children enjoy working at tables

7. The preschool child needs opportunities to pretend. The preschool child must have experience with music and art. Preschool children need opportunities to play with blocks and to work with a variety of construction toys. Preschool children are developing their language and communication skills.

8. Preschool children are ready and eager to learn new concepts. A preschool classroom should include spaces and materials for manipulative play, problem solving, and science exploration. The traditional preschool science and discovery corner should not be simply a display area; rather, it should provide opportunities for hands- on experiences, including the following:

9. Science and discovery : pets (check with the local health department), plants, sink-and-float activities, magnet challenges, shells and rocks that can be classified, a scale, prisms, magnifying glasses, color paddles, and a sand table Manipulative play and problem solving : a variety of materials that encourage sorting, ordering, number skill development, and pattern making, such as number puzzles, pegboards, table blocks, picture puzzles, counting games, stacking toys, color and shape games, sequencing boards, beads, and sewing cards Pearson Prentice Hall

10. ACTIVITIES TO TRY THREE-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN Preschoolers need time to climb, jump, and ride tricycles. Let them play with blocks of different sizes and shapes. Have them play with toys that have small parts (such as pegboards and puzzles). Teach them to dress and undress themselves. Have them help with household chores such as setting and clearing the table and watering plants. Provide housekeeping toys. Encourage them to count household objects as you perform household tasks (for example, count the spoons, cups, etc. as you set the table). Read stories to them. Sing songs and have them make up their own songs. Encourage them to dance and move to music. Answer their "how" and "why" questions honestly. Look for answers to preschoolers' questions in reference books with them. Provide paint, crayons, chalk, colored pens, collage materials, and play dough for preschoolers to use.

11. FOUR-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN Take preschoolers outside to play. Let them test their sense of balance by walking on a straight line, a curved line, and a low balance beam. Provide activities in which preschoolers sort objects (such as buttons or seeds) according to their characteristics. Ask them to make up stories or make up the ending for a story. Help them mix paint to make new colors. Visit places in the community that are of interest to them (for example, the fire station or the library during a story or music hour). Help them set up play stores, farms, or villages. Help them plant seeds and take care of them. Provide a box of dress-up clothes for a play corner. (See how the children play with these clothes. They may imitate people they know. You can learn a lot about children by watching them play.) Make paper bag puppets. Then have a puppet show with the children. Children often express their feelings through this type of play. Play simple board games with them.