Noah's
Children
Noah's Children: Tips for Furnishing the
Learning Environment
Tables, shelves, chairs, and easels. These are
the staples of an early childhood classroom, and yet their proper
selection is often taken for granted. There are many guides, articles,
and books about choosing toys and materials for early childhood
environments, but not a lot of guidance on what to look for when
purchasing or evaluating furniture needs. 
Mike Sigsbee, owner of School Solutions, Inc.,
confirms that there are many questions to ask and points to consider
before making a furniture purchase. Sigsbee states that safety should
always be the first consideration in purchasing furniture or evaluating
existing equipment. Next, ensure the item is appropriate for the
age group it is intended. The rest of this article provides an easy-to-use
reference that covers the planning of a furniture purchase to making
the actual purchase. Lastly, a list of issues to consider when choosing
a furniture vendor is included.
Questions to Answer When Planning Your
Furniture Purchase
- Who is going to be using the furniture? The age of the children
using the furniture dictates the size of the piece.
- What is the purpose of the furniture piece? For example, a
table intended for dramatic play has different requirements than
a table used for meals and art projects.
- What state licensing requirements effect this purchase? Some
states specify the size of the chair for each age group.
- How long do you expect to use the item; is it for long or short
term use? Typically, furniture is for long term use, therefore
quality and durability are of utmost importance.
- What overall "feel" are you interested in achieving?
Do you want a homelike, school, or utilitarian look to the classroom?
- Does someone locally own the furniture you are interested in
purchasing? It is helpful to see the piece in a classroom and
ask how they like it, how it is holding up, and how responsive
the vendor was to their needs.
- How flexible or easy-to-move does the furniture piece need
to be? Some classrooms share space and need to move shelves daily;
this makes its ability to be moved easily of primary importance.
Considerations to Make When Purchasing Children's Furniture
or Evaluating Existing Pieces
- The furniture piece does not present any obstacles for children
with special needs.
- There are no sharp edges or rough surfaces.
- The dimensions of the furniture are appropriate for your use;
consider the ages of the children using the item as well as the
size of the classroom or area the piece will be placed. The item
should not block an adult's ability to supervise any part of the
classroom.
- Corners are rounded.
- Furniture is lacquered or has an acrylic urethane finish and
is not painted. (Paint requires frequent maintenance to keep it
looking nice.)
- Any part(s) of the item that come out or off (such as individual
shelves, knobs, or attachments) should be examined for stability,
safety, and the availability of parts for replacement.
- Small knobs or handles are securely fastened.
- Children cannot easily move the furniture by themselves.
- Joints (the place where the parts of a furniture piece are
joined together) are well engineered; they are not simply stapled
or nailed together. One of the best design features is called
dowel-pinning construction. This type of construction features
sections that are joined together using dowel pins, which strengthen
the joints.
- The furniture will accept repeated sanitizing and does not
have a textured or porous surface that is difficult to clean.
- Ask the vendor what the warranty is and request it in writing.
- Ask the vendor if the item has to be assembled. A good clue
to the difficulty level of a product’s assembly is how many
pieces the item comes in.
Additionally, Consider the Following When Purchasing or
Evaluating These Specific Items:
Classroom Shelves
- The shelf unit has a wide base to prevent tipping over when
pushed or climbed. This also means it doesn't have to be against
a wall.
- There are no exposed nails or fasteners. Look for shelves and
backing that is not stapled on, but fits into recessed grooves
and glued.
- The unit is easily moved without falling apart or breaking
at the bottom.
- If the shelf unit is on wheels, these lock securely.
- The size of the shelf is appropriate. Typically, the smaller
shelf units are appropriate for infants, toddlers, and two-year-olds,
and the larger shelf units are for preschoolers and older children.
Tables
- The size of the table is appropriate for the age of the child
using it.
- The size of the table is appropriate for the size of chairs
that will be used. For example, some tables are not short enough
to comfortably accommodate 7 1/2 inch chairs.
- The tables have legs that adjust the height of the table, so
that the table can be used with other age groups.
- The table legs come off the table top and can be purchased
separately as replacement pieces.
- Consider the shape of the table that best fits your classroom.
A round table takes up more classroom space and has more unused
space in the middle than a rectangular table. A kidneyshaped table
is more restrictive in use. Typically an adult sits on one side
with all the children on the other side.
- The table top surface is not textured or porous. Any surface
that is not completely smooth is more difficult to get completely
clean and sanitized.
- If there is colored trim around the table, be certain the colors
will match the chairs and other furniture in the room. Most companies
will send you paint chips of the different colors available.
Chairs
The children's feet should be flat on the ground when sitting
in the chair. Sigsbee suggests the following chair sizes:
- 7 1/2 inch for toddlers and two-year-olds
- 9 1/2 inch for three-year-olds
- 11 1/2 inch for four-year-olds
- 13 1/2 inch for five-year-olds and school-agers
- The chair surface is easily cleaned, and any laminate will
hold up over time and continual cleaning with disinfectant.
- The feet of the chair (the bottom piece that rests on the floor)
should have a nylon base instead of metal. Metal glides will eventually
rust and stain the floor.
- The feet of the chair should be available to purchase separately
and easily replaceable.
- If adults will be sitting in the children's chairs, check for
the safe weight limit of the chair.
- The chairs will fit appropriately with the tables they are
going to be used with.
Dramatic Play Furniture
- Furniture pieces with doors utilize full piano hinges (runs
the length of the door) instead of doors with two or three smaller
hinges. Piano hinges eliminate pinch points, a common problem
with dramatic play refrigerators and cupboards.
- The doors on furniture pieces should have a 270 degree hinge.
This type of hinge will allow the door to open three-quarters
instead of half-way. This prolongs the life of the door. Doors
that open half way will be pushed by the children and will eventually
break off.
- Doors that open side to side last longer than those that open
up and down. A stove door that opens up and down will be stood
on and sat on by the children compared to doors that open side
to side.
- Consider a set of dramatic play furniture that connects with
countertops that come off and on. This adds stability to these
easy-to-tip-over pieces.
- Watch for pieces that come out easily such as, sink tubs, sink
hoses, and interior shelves. Are they easy to put back in? Are
they easily replaced?
- If the pieces will be used to store dramatic play accessories
such as food and dishes, be certain there is adequate storage
space within the furniture.
Vinyl Covered Furniture
- Vinyl must withstand repeated sanitizing without fading or
discoloration.
- The inside foam should be sturdy and have a heavy density.
An adult should be able to sit on the piece without causing the
foam to indent very far.
- Ask for sample color swatches. Do not rely on catalogue pictures
to match items to your existing color scheme.
- There are two different types of vinyl covered furniture, standard
and expanded. The standard type of vinyl has a laminate to make
it shiny and tear resistant. However, it has the possibility to
delaminate and become an eyesore. The expanded vinyl does not
have a laminate, but might tear. Carefully consider how much wear
the piece will receive and consult with the manufacturer or your
vendor on their recommendations for your situation.
- Pieces should be securely stitched together, zippered items
are not safe for young children.
- The stitching should be tight, but not pulled so tightly that
tiny holes are already visible.
Sand and Water Table
- The height of the table is appropriate for the ages of children
using it.
- If the table will be used with different age groups, consider
a table that has adjustable legs.
- If the table will be used or stored outside, look for tables
that are not constructed of wood.
- The table should be easy for one adult to drain.
- The tub is easy to lift out and dump, preferably by one adult.
- Review the depth of the tub. The deeper the tub, the more likely
the material is to stay in the tub.
- Anticipate how many children you expect to use the table at
one time. This helps to determine how large a table you need.
Issues to Consider When Selecting a Furniture Vendor:
- Ask other programs for names and telephone numbers of reputable
vendors they use.
- Vendors with local sales representatives are sometimes more
attentive and responsive to your needs.
- Ask the vendor what the company’s policies are for payments,
replacements, or refunds.
• Ask the vendor what happens if an item arrives damaged;
who pays any shipping and packaging costs?
- Speak with the local sales representative or manager about
any discounts your program might be eligible to receive. Many
vendors offer discounts for large or multiple purchases.
- Can the vendor refer you to a program that has already purchased
the furniture piece you are interested in buying?
- Will the vendor send you a sample of the item for review and
inspection before purchasing free of charge? Be certain to specify
the terms of the sample before agreeing to anything being shipped.
Can you keep the item? If you are required to return it after
a period of time, who pays the shipping costs?
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