The Environment: Materials

There are countless toys and materials available for infant–toddler classrooms. It can be
difficult to decide what to include in your space. This lesson will help you ensure a variety of
developmentally appropriate materials are available. You will read about how to choose materials
based on cultural relevance, children’s interests, the material’s open-ended possibilities and
children’s developmental goals.

Objectives:

 Define and describe “developmentally appropriate” materials.

 Identify key considerations when selecting materials, as well as the benefits to infants,
toddlers and caregivers.
 Choose toys and materials that represent the cultures, interests and learning goals of your
space.

Curiosity drives infants and toddlers to investigate and explore their environment. Through
exploration, infants and toddlers play with and manipulate a variety of materials while repeating
enjoyable actions and gaining a sense of pleasure while learning.

Most infants learn to explore objects with all of their senses: seeing, touching, hearing, tasting
and smelling. Through safe exploration, they also begin to develop ways of learning and gathering
information about objects. Researchers have found that 12-month-old infants can remember and
copy some actions they see up to four weeks later, even without practicing the actions in the
meantime (Klein & Meltzoff 1999).

Understanding infant and toddler development, as well as the role of play, can help caregivers
select materials to meet young children’s unique needs and interests and support their development
and learning.

Selecting Materials

Caregivers have many choices when selecting materials for an infant or toddler
environment. The materials help set the stage for learning. Infants and toddlers may feel a sense of
security when they are able to see and play with materials also found in their home.

While infants and toddlers explore materials that are interesting to them, it is the caregiver
that helps make the experience meaningful. Caregivers should select materials that are:

Culturally relevant: Do these materials reflect and respect the racial, ethnic, cultural,
linguistic and family diversity of the program and of the broader community?

Developmentally appropriate: Do these materials allow infants and toddlers to play in a

variety of ways? Do these materials help us reach important learning goals for infants and toddlers?

Linked to children’s interests: Do these materials reflect the infant and toddlers’ current
interests and help spark new interests?

 Culturally Relevant

Infant and toddler play and learning materials should be culturally relevant. But what does that
mean? Cultural relevance means your choice of materials should reflect the backgrounds, knowledge
and experiences of the diverse children in your room. By choosing materials that validate and
empower children of all racial, ethnic and social backgrounds, you will build a bridge between
children’s home and school lives that will provide a strong foundation for learning.

There many simple ways to expose children to positive images of people from a variety of
backgrounds:

 Display pictures that represent all children, families and staff in your program.
 Display pictures of men and women in a variety of jobs (police officer, construction worker,
teacher, chef).
 Include items that represent cultures from around the world (scarves, cooking utensils,
musical instruments)
 Stock your learning space with books that give positive messages about age, gender, race,
culture, special needs, different families and linguistic diversity (e.g., alphabet and counting
books from various cultures).
 Ask family members to lend you items from their homes.
 Dolls should represent a range of ages, races and abilities.
 Play traditional and contemporary music from around the globe.

Above all, remember to engage families in making your learning space a culturally appropriate
space. Display framed pictures of families. Create family books with the children. Encourage family
members to share their home language and help you label items in the room with words from that
language.

 Developmentally Appropriate

Toys and materials in your learning space should be developmentally appropriate. This means they
should match the stage of development of the children in your care. Because children develop at
different rates, choosing developmentally appropriate materials means you should have a range of
toys available that can accommodate differences between individual children’s skills, interests and
characteristics. A room stocked with developmentally appropriate materials “fits” the child—the
child should not have to adjust to “fit” the learning space!

In infancy and toddlerhood, children develop and change dramatically. Caregivers should consider
what toys and materials match their current development and how materials can support ongoing
development and learning. For example, looking at and reading books with infants and toddlers can
support the following types of development:

Emotional: Book reading and quiet book areas give infants and toddlers an opportunity to relax and
recharge.

 Social: Looking at books with a caregiver or friend can help strengthen a relationship.
 Motor: Turning the pages of a book uses and enhances fine-motor skills.
 Language: Caregivers can read with and help infants and toddlers explore books, pictures
and new words.
 Cognitive: Infants and toddlers are introduced to new words, text and pictures.

Developmentally appropriate toys facilitate learning through play. When such toys are offered in a
safe environment, infants and toddlers can move around and interact with them and with each
other. If toys are too difficult or advanced, infants and toddlers may become frustrated. In addition,
if toys are too simple, they may become bored and seek to entertain themselves in unsafe ways
(e.g., running throughout the room or climbing on furniture). Through interactions, caregivers can
help infants and toddlers explore developmentally appropriate materials and see themselves as
competent learners.

Part of developmentally appropriate materials includes having multiples of favorite items whenever
possible. Having duplicates of coveted items (e.g., dolls, trucks or musical items) will decrease infant
and toddler frustration and encourage positive interactions between children. It is important to
remember there are many other natural opportunities for infants and toddlers to begin learning
about “turn-taking” with caregiver guidance; for example, as toddlers negotiate who will go down
the slide next, or as older infants learn to each share their song ideas during group time.

Examples of developmentally appropriate materials for older infants (about 7–12 months) include:

 Soft blocks for building

 Baby dolls
 Large balls
 Nesting toys (e.g., plastic cups)
 Plastic and wood vehicles with wheels

Examples of developmentally appropriate materials for toddlers (about 24 months) include:

 Wooden puzzles with 4–12 pieces

 Dress-up clothes, puppets
 Chalkboard with large pieces of chalk
 Blocks, transportation toys
 More detailed picture books

 Linked to Children’s Interests

Caregivers can build on infants’ and toddlers’ play by providing engaging toys during interactions and
experiences. Effective materials are safe and complement the infants’ or toddlers’ abilities, strengths
and interests. For example, for a toddler who expresses interest in animals, the caregiver can add
plastic animal toys to the sensory or block area where he enjoys playing.

Materials that can be used in a variety of ways and that meet infants’ and toddlers’ developmental
needs can provide a sense of security. Opportunities created for infants and toddlers to easily
access, have fun with and manipulate materials that meet their interests and learning styles help
infants and toddlers:

 Feel competent and recognize they have the ability to do different things and express ideas
 Develop self-help skills
 Interact with their caregivers and peers
 Feel calm and supported

Remember some families may not value play the way other families do. Some families may not have
an environment that allows for safe play or a tradition of special time or floor play with their infant
or toddler. Learn about families, seek to understand differences and find what is most important in
the care of their infants and toddlers.
Open-Ended Materials

Not all toys are created equal. Some toys spark imagination and some hinder it. You might have
noticed that young children are often more interested in the box than the toy that came inside it.
Why? Because the box can become anything. It becomes a drum when you hit it, a house when you
put a doll inside it, a hat when you put it on your head and a mask when you play hide and seek
behind it. The possibilities are endless. Infants and toddlers learn and explore more when a toy is
only limited by their imaginations. Consider the following list and think about why toys spark or limit
imaginative play.

Toys that may limit imaginative play:

 Action figures or plastic dolls with preset accessories or movements

 Toys that talk, sing or dance
 Toys that are branded, such as with a TV show or popular character

Reference:
The Environment: Materials. Virtual Lab School. https://www.virtuallabschool.org/infant-toddler/learning-
environments/lesson-4

Selecting Materials and Equipment in Infant and Toddler Settings

Caregiver-child relationships and the moment-to-moment interactions that make up these
relationships are the foundation of infants’ and toddlers’ learning. It is important to remember that
materials enhance, and do not replace, the interactions between infants and toddlers and adults. By
closely observing infants and toddlers, you can consciously select materials that match each child’s
interests, support individual development, and enhance relationships.

It is important to start with knowledge of child development and some anticipation of emerging
abilities. However, you are also continuously learning through your interactions with and
observations of infants and toddlers. When you can, step back and watch infants and toddlers
explore their environment and wait for cues that children are ready to interact or are in need of
support. Sometimes you may provide just enough support to allow a toddler to explore materials
and engage in a task independently. At other times, through interactions and play, you may extend
infants’ and toddlers’ learning by adding new materials, interacting side by side with them, or asking
questions.

Take some time to look around your play space and think about how the materials are supporting
infants’ and toddlers’ learning and development. As you reflect on the materials in your
environment, consider the following questions:

 Are materials safe, clean, and in good working order? By paying careful attention to the
quality of materials available to children, you can make sure that toys are clean and in
working order. This close attention allows you to quickly remove toys that are unclean,
broken, or that otherwise pose a health or safety hazard. Also, consider incomplete
 materials. For example, a puzzle that is missing pieces can be very frustrating for young
children.
 Are materials well-constructed and of high quality? Infants often explore first by grabbing,
mouthing, and sliding objects along the floor, eventually banging them together and
stacking. Toddlers tend to collect objects and put them in containers. Containers such as
baskets, bowls, and tubs give infants and toddlers a chance to explore freely. Make sure that
containers are sturdy, are different sizes and shapes, and are made of different materials.
Ensure they can be cleaned and sanitized regularly and that they don't break easily. Remove
and replace any containers that become chipped, cracked, or frayed.
 Are materials age appropriate? Infants and toddlers can lose interest or get frustrated with
materials that are either too challenging or not challenging enough. Watch closely to see
how children use the materials you provide. If you aren’t sure whether a toy is age-
appropriate, you can talk with other infant and toddler teachers who may be aware of
resources on age-appropriate materials. You can find guidance on age-appropriate materials
on the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s website.
 Are materials developmentally appropriate? A child’s age may not always be enough
information to help you select the right materials. Infants and toddlers are unique in their
development and interests, and they change quickly. By observing as they explore and play,
you can learn more about how you can use specific materials to support their individual
strengths, needs, and interests.
 Are materials culturally appropriate? Classroom materials should reflect children’s
backgrounds and celebrate the diversity of the world around them. For example, pick books
that have characters representing diverse races, ethnicities, abilities, and genders. Also,
provide books in children’s home languages. It is also important for dolls to have diversity in
skin tone and hair texture and that there are pictures around the room that reflect diverse
children and families.
 Are materials an appropriate size? Providing furniture and equipment that is the right size
for the infants and toddlers in your care allows them to be safe and independent during
exploration and routines. For example, stools and chairs should be low enough for toddlers’
feet to touch the floor.
 Are materials interesting to children? You can learn about children’s interests by watching
how they explore. For example, infants are often interested in exploring simple, common
objects that they can feel, mouth, bang, and study. Infants often return to the same objects
over and over again. Being aware of their interests makes it easier to set up environments
they enjoy. Objects that relate to children’s first-hand experiences are often interesting to
them. For example, toddlers who live in a farming community may particularly enjoy playing
with tractors in the sandbox, while those who live near the coast may enjoy playing with
pretend sea animals or toy boats.

As you reflect on your infant and toddler environment, you might also consider the following:

 Are materials open-ended, allowing infants and toddlers to explore in multiple ways?
 Which materials are most popular, and why?
 Which materials are least used? Is there something you could take away?
 Is it time to change any materials—such as adding materials, exchanging materials, or
reducing or increasing the quantity of particular items?
 Are there enough materials that allow for sensory exploration?
  Can materials be adapted to accommodate the abilities of all infants and toddlers in your
care, including those with special needs?
 Do materials reflect children’s home environments?

Reference:
Selecting Materials and Equipment in Infant and Toddler Settings. Nurturing Environments. Early Childhood
Training and Technical Assistance System.
https://childcareta.acf.hhs.gov/infant-toddler-resource-guide/selecting-materials-and-equipment-infant-and-
toddler-settings

Indoor and Outdoor Environment

Indoor Environment
Rich environments indoors have an immediate effect on the quality of children’s
learning and development. What is a rich environment? It’s comfortable, interesting,
attractive Indoor environment and appropriate for the child or children who use it. For some
children it becomes like a second home where they eat and sometimes sleep. A suitable
environment for a young baby will be very different from a suitable environment for a four
or five year old although some features will be the same. Environments should be attractive
and make children feel safe and secure and happy to be there and they should also be
places where children can confidently play and learn.
Indoor space needs careful planning as it needs to be flexible to accommodate
children’s changing interests and needs. Resources should be of the highest quality. Books
need to be attractive and well maintained and reflect children’s fascinations. Resources such
as blocks for building with, felt pens, chalks or pencils for mark-making, clothes for dressing
up in and small items such as cars, dolls and jigsaws should be accessible by children
themselves.
Outdoor Environment
Children gain enormous benefits from learning outdoors. Ideally they should have
access to outdoor space on a daily basis – regardless of all except the worst weather. Being
outdoors allows them to move around without many of the restrictions of being inside. They
can fill their lungs with clean air and use all of their senses to appreciate the colours,
different noises, the sense of space and of scale. Being outdoors supports confidence and
allows opportunities for big scale play, problem-solving and creativity in the company of
other children. Physical activity is enhanced. So is calculated risk taking. In the outdoors,
children’s use of language is five times greater than indoors. Resources don’t need to be
expensive. Old tires, some logs and crates will stimulate imagination and can be used in a
number of ways. A sheet can become a den. Flower pots and hanging baskets and a ‘wild
area’ give contact with the natural world. The outdoors supports active learning and when
balanced with quiet areas for reflection can really enhance children’s learning.
Reference:
Indoor and Outdoor Environment. Early Years Matters.
https://www.earlyyearsmatters.co.uk/our-services/school-and-nursery-improvement-partner/enabling-
environments/indoor-and-outdoor-environment/