Learning Environments in Early Childhood Education: Theoretical Foundations, Pedagogical Organization, and Guidelines for Educational Practice
Keywords:
learning environments, early childhood education, space organization, play, child development, pedagogical practiceAbstract
Learning environments in early childhood education are physical, social, emotional, and cultural spaces in which children construct knowledge through exploration, play, interaction, and engagement with the objects and people in their surroundings. Their organization influences the opportunities for participation, autonomy, communication, and development provided by the educational institution. For this reason, their design requires consideration of children's developmental characteristics, interests, individual needs, and family and community experiences. This article examines the pedagogical foundations of learning environments, their main dimensions, and the criteria that guide their organization at the early childhood education level. It also explores the teacher's role as a mediator and organizer of educational experiences, the importance of indoor and outdoor spaces, the selection of materials, and the conditions needed to promote inclusion. A proposal for organizing learning environments for children aged three to five is presented, along with guidelines for assessment and monitoring. The article argues that a learning environment acquires pedagogical value when its organization aligns with educational intentions and the experiences children can develop within it.
Downloads
References
Akdemir, K. & Sevimli-Celik, S. (2024). Brick classroom & block classroom: Preschoolers’ spatial and architectural design skills during constructive play. International Journal of Play, 13(1), 20–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/21594937.2024.2323409
Catucci, E., Berg, B. & Ärlemalm-Hagsér, E. (2024). ‘There are plenty of opportunities for play and learning’ – Swedish preschool teachers’ perspectives on using the outdoor environment as a pedagogical resource. Cogent Education, 11(1), Article 2369971. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2369971
Cetken-Aktas, S. & Sevimli-Celik, S. (2023). Play preferences of preschoolers according to the design of outdoor play areas. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51(5), 955–970. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-022-01358-7
Craig, D., Trina, N. A., Monsur, M., Haque, U. T., Farrow, G., Hasan, M. Z., Tasnim, F., & Akinbobola, M. S. (2024). Effective nature-based outdoor play and learning environments for below-3 children: A literature-based summary. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(9), Article 1247. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21091247
Futterer, J., Mullins, C., Bulotsky-Shearer, R. J., Guzmán, E., Hildago, T., Kolomeyer, E., Howe, E., Horen, N., Sanders, L. M. & Natale, R. (2024). Initial validation of the Health Environment Rating Scale-Early Childhood Consultation-Classroom (HERS-ECC-C). Infant Mental Health Journal, 45(4), 449–463. https://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.22116
Magnusson, L. O. & Elm, A. (2024). The entangled intersection of children’s and educators’ engagement in the educational environment of a preschool. Early Childhood Education Journal, 52, 1923–1932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-023-01533-4
Ohlsson, A., Gericke, N. & Borg, F. (2026). Implementing education for sustainability in preschool: Teaching strategies and learning environments. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education, 29, 203–225. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42322-024-00181-5
Paschall, K. W., Barnett, M. A., Mastergeorge, A. M., Li, X. & Vasquez, M. B. (2023). A new look at teacher interactional quality: Profiles of individual teacher-child relationship and classroom teaching quality among Head Start students. Early Education and Development, 34(5), 1172–1190. https://doi.org/10.1080/10409289.2022.2094159
Pearson, E. & Degotardi, S. (2024). ‘Innovating’ to promote equity and inclusion in early childhood education: A framework for documenting localised pedagogical approaches. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 1, 1237–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2024.2344123
Skene, K., O’Farrelly, C. M., Byrne, E. M., Kirby, N., Stevens, E. C. & Ramchandani, P. G. (2022). Can guidance during play enhance children’s learning and development in educational contexts? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Child Development, 93(4), 1162–1180. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13730
Smedsrud, T. M., Kleppe, R., Lenes, R. & Moser, T. (2024). Early childhood teachers’ support of children’s play in nature-based outdoor spaces—A systematic review. Education Sciences, 14(1), Article 13. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14010013
Speldewinde, C. & Campbell, C. (2024). Building a better wall: Assessing children’s design technology learning in nature-based early childhood education. Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 24, 39–56. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-024-00320-6
Strasser, K., Balladares, J., Grau, V., Marín, A., Preiss, D. D. & Jadue, D. (2024). Playfulness and the quality of classroom interactions in preschool. Learning and Instruction, 93, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2024.101941
Tamblyn, A., Sun, Y., May, T., Evangelou, M., Godsman, N., Blewitt, C. & Skouteris, H. (2023). How do physical or sensory early childhood education and care environment factors affect children's social and emotional development? A systematic scoping review. Educational Research Review, 41, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100555
Taylor, M., Alamos, P., Turnbull, K. L. P., LoCasale-Crouch, J. & Howes, C. (2023). Examining individual children's peer engagement in pre-kindergarten classrooms: Relations with classroom-level teacher-child interaction quality. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 64, 331–344. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2023.04.007
Van Liempd, I. H., Oudgenoeg-Paz, O., & Leseman, P. P. M. (2025). Object exploration is facilitated by the physical and social environment in center-based child care. Child Development, 96(1), 161–175. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14161
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Carolina Liseth Gaona Lucero, Rosa Ermelinda Tenezaca Romero
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
.png)
.png)
