Consider the high traffic and emergency needs of your students and their ability to move to these areas quickly and easily if needed during the day. Provide a clear, unobstructed access to the important areas of the classroom, such as the pencil sharpener, trash can and restroom. Make sure students can access these areas with ease and without disrupting the rest of the class as they move through the room.
Select designated areas in the classroom for specific activities, such as an area where students go to play games, an area where they sit while you read to them and an area for arts and crafts work. Use colored tape on the floor, boxing off each area in a color, specific to the activity in the area, such as a green area for arts, blue area for reading and a yellow area for play. Use this to change the students' focus, as they learn the purpose for each area and personally adjust to the activity of each area when step into the space.
Evaluate the storage space in and around the preschool classroom, looking for areas where you can store teaching materials while they are not at use. If necessary, add storage space, such as cabinets, to the area. Prepare teaching materials, which you can fold and store while not in use, to limit the excess visual stimuli around the classroom, reducing the amount of distractions in the class and preparing a learning environment that is comfortable for special-needs students.
Consider the seating in the classroom and determine whether you wish to inspire more student social interaction or direct learning. For a more social environment, arrange students in clusters, sitting together in small groups, or in a large circle around you in the center. For a direct learning environment, arrange the students in rows. Readjust the positions each morning, to change the learning environment, either selecting a direct learning environment for complex subjects, requiring more student attention, or a clustered environment in which you can teach students how to interact and work together.