Gracious circulation’ is a phrase used by Dr. Sandra Duncan, international specialist in early childhood environments, to describe the fluid movement of children within a space. Used frequently in the world of architecture and home design, the term looks at how a floorplan is designed to connect spaces so that people can easily move through a house. In the context of nursery classroom design, gracious circulation means laying out a classroom so that children can easily navigate the space without bumping into or touching each other – quite a challenge in a room of active pre-schoolers.
One way to effectively do this is by increasing the circulation pathways in defined learning areas by having at least two ways to enter and exit. This can be achieved simply by pulling out the short end of a cabinet or shelving unit that has been placed against the wall to zone off an area. Moving it two or three feet away from the wall creates another exit and entrance to the defined space, a move that nursery manager Naomi from Bright Horizons Tonbridge in Kent says is ‘game changing’.
CLASSROOM TRANSFORMATION
Bright Horizons Tonbridge Nursery recently underwent a classroom transformation project in collaboration with Duncan, aimed at exploring how thoughtful classroom design can enhance children's movement and engagement.
‘We wanted to create spaces that really encourage exploration and freedom. Dr. Duncan's concept of gracious circulation, designing each learning area with a clear entrance and exit, has made such a difference to how the children interact with their environment,’ says Naomi. ‘The space feels calmer, and the children seem much more confident to explore.’
The project was inspired by research conducted by Frances Lillian Ilg and Louise Bates Ames (see Further information), which looked at how children of different ages navigate their surroundings. ‘We built on their findings by observing how our children move through the space before and after we redesigned the room,’ Naomi explains. ‘One child really blossomed. She went from sticking to one spot to zooming around the room on the kiddie car and happily joining in at the activity table.’
PLAY-FRIENDLY DESIGN
Duncan used what she refers to as 360-degree play-friendly design, a concept that focuses on how the layout of the room encourages children to actively engage with the furniture from all sides. By ensuring that each learning area has clear entrance and exit points, the layout allows children, including those with sensory sensitivities, to move ‘freely and comfortably’ around the space, Naomi says.
Open, defined pathways between areas have been created, reducing bottlenecks and making it easier for children to move freely, and the use of distinct zones has also made activities feel more inviting, helping less-confident children move from passive observation to active participation.
‘The space was ultimately optimised,’ says Naomi. ‘While beforehand it was inviting, the research project has allowed children in the space to flourish.’
KEY RESOURCES
Low-level shelving, rugs and child-sized furniture were used to help define the different zones and maintain a sense of openness. In the creative area, an entrance was formed using a rug and a small table with art supplies, leading into a space with a dedicated shelf for materials and a child-sized easel. Similarly, the reading area was designed with a soft rug and a low book display at the entrance, leading into a cosy corner with cushions and natural lighting. ‘These changes encourage children to transition smoothly between areas and explore different activities with confidence,’ Naomi explains.
The resources used include:
- Rugs act as visual and tactile boundaries that help children understand where one area begins and another ends. For instance, in the construction zone, a textured rug defines the space, signalling that this is a place for building with blocks.
- Low shelves are used to section off different learning areas without obstructing sightlines. These allow children to independently access materials while also guiding movement through the space. For example, in the dramatic play area, a low shelf with dress-up clothes marks the entrance, inviting children to engage in imaginative play.
- Child-sized furniture creates natural flow and encourages movement. Small tables and chairs at the activity table allow for group interaction, while soft seating in the quiet corner provides a sense of retreat.
Resources for zoning
- Community Playthings provided the furniture for the Bright Horizons Tonbridge Nursery project. Try the Panel dividers, from £87, in bamboo, pinboard for display purposes, and glazed (clear or translucent) to optimise cross-room supervision. Tool-free adjustment is necessary to adjust learning areas. For more information, visit: https://bit.ly/4i1xjyD.
- Early Excellence: Mirrored Room Divider, £245; and Chalkboard Room Divider, £195. Early Excellence's furniture can be used to divide the room into learning areas – often as part of a room plan. See https://bit.ly/41IQ4A3.
- TTS: Toddler Low Curved Units Set of 6, £1,229.94; TTS Activity Workstation Unit, £307.99; Modern Living Kitchen Collection Sage Buy All and Save, £1,804.90.
- Hope Education: For the baby room, try the Millhouse Bambino Range: Millhouse White Compact Low Storage Unit £280; Millhouse White Shallow Rope Basket Storage, £500; Millhouse White Low Storage Unit (inc. rope baskets), £380; Millhouse Under 2's Step N Crawl, £364.99.
CASE STUDY: the Baby Room at Woodlands Day Nursery, Staffordshire University
Staff in the baby room at Woodlands Day Nursery and Forest School in Stoke on Trent, a £4.4 million carbon-neutral new-build based at Staffordshire University, recently undertook a review of the learning areas and how babies navigate the space.
Head of childcare and family services Amanda Sherratt says, ‘With numerous milestones being reached within the first 12 months, the baby room is one of the most difficult rooms to ensure the environment is enabling for each baby. Staff have to consider each child's stage of development, creating supportive environments and using thoughtful interactions and interventions.
‘Initial observations showed that the whole room had separate learning areas set out and each was stimulating, well-resourced, promoted exploration of different resources and materials and supported different stages of development and areas of learning.
‘However, practitioners noted that babies who were unable to cruise by crawling or walking were unable to travel from one area to another without practitioner support. The areas were disconnected and didn't encourage babies to master bottom shuffling, crawling, cruising or pulling themselves up to standing. So the team strategically placed dividers and low-level furniture to connect the areas. This encouraged the babies to navigate the whole environment. Babies who could only lie, kick, or sit still needed support from the team to change positions and explore different areas, even for short periods. However, the dividers and furniture gave them the resource, incentive and stimulus to master pulling up to standing.
‘Those that have mastered crawling and standing or walking use the connections and dividers as an obstacle course. They love to navigate arches, exploring the climbing frames, steps and ramps, and are able to access resources set at different levels and heights.’
FURTHER INFORMATION
- Dr. Sandra Duncan: https://bit.ly/41CV3mG
- Frances Ilg and Louise Ames's research, Infant and Child in the Culture of Today (1974): https://bit.ly/41tsEOC
