The Environment as a Third Teacher

When families first walk into a classroom, they usually notice the obvious things first—the furniture, the shelves, the materials, the artwork. But in a Reggio-inspired school, we are thinking about much more than how a classroom looks. We are thinking about how it feels to a child.

Can I reach what I need without asking an adult?

Is there space for me to work without being interrupted?

Can I see the materials clearly enough to decide what interests me?

Does this room make me want to explore?

Does it feel like it belongs to children—or like children are simply visiting an adult-created space?

This is what we mean when we talk about the environment as the third teacher. AtLittle Wings, we do not want classrooms filled with things simply because there is room for them. We would rather offer fewer materials that are beautiful, interesting, and open-ended than shelves overflowing with toys competing for children’s attention.

We think about where things are placed, what children can access independently, where they can work together, and where they might need a quieter space. And then we watch. That part matters.

A classroom that works beautifully for one group of children may not work for another. Children show us what the environment needs. Maybe everyone keeps gathering in one small area, so we need to create more room.

Maybe a material has gone untouched for weeks. Maybe children keep carrying something from one area of the classroom to another because they have discovered a connection we did not anticipate. Instead of constantly telling children how to use the room, we can sometimes change the room so it works better for them.

The environment is not meant to stay perfect. It should change as the children change. You may also notice that our classrooms do not rely heavily on decorations created by adults. We want the things on the walls and around the room to have meaning—children’s photographs, their words, their drawings, and documentation of ideas they are exploring. The classroom should tell the story of the children who spend their days there.

That is one of the things I love most about the Reggio approach.

A classroom is never simply finished.

It grows.

It changes.

And, just like a teacher, it listens to the children.