A large open space on the floor will be needed for circle time. This space should be large enough to accommodate all of the children sitting on the floor in a circle. Ideally, this space will not be shared. If a dedicated area for this activity is not available, the teacher will have to rearrange the classroom each time the children go to circle time. This area should be located near the teacher-led teaching tools, such as the calendar and whiteboard. The circle area should not be located directly next to the door or block traffic in the room. This way, visitors and late children will be less likely to disrupt morning circle time.
Children in kindergarten will need to sit at desks for part of the day. Many classrooms for children of this age use tables at which many children can sit together and do their desk work. In this manner, a classroom of 20 children may require only four medium-sized tables. These tables can be expected to take up as much space as the circle area.
Many classrooms make use of one or more learning centers. Learning centers are dedicated spaces in a classroom designed specifically for certain play-based educational activities. The most common learning center is a reading area. This area will need to have space for a bookshelf and child-sized seating. Other common learning centers include blocks, housekeeping, science and art. While many teachers value the importance of play-based learning, limitations on space make it difficult for many classrooms to house a high number of learning centers, unless they can be moved around and taken in and out as needed. Teachers have to decide which centers are the most important to their curriculum goals.
In a kindergarten classroom, things that are hazardous or not meant for children's use should be kept away from the children as much as is practical. The teacher's desk should not be located next to the children's learning centers or free play areas. Certain materials must be kept in the classroom, but must be kept out of the reach of children. These items include cleansers, supplies not currently being used and the teacher's personal items.