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May 13, 2025

Our Doodle Bugs! Classrooms: Built for Play, Designed for Growth!

Bridget Wolff, Director of Learning and Development, T-TAP Professional Development Specialist, Early Childhood

At Doodle Bugs!, we believe that the spaces where children learn and play should feel just like a second home – warm, welcoming, and full of possibilities. From the moment families walk through our doors, we want them to feel the love, care, and intention that goes into every detail of our environment.

Our classrooms are bright, spacious, and filled with furniture and materials that spark curiosity, creativity, and exploration. Every detail — from the colors and lighting to the flooring and windows — is thoughtfully selected with your child’s safety, development, and happiness in mind.

Inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, we see the environment as a “third teacher” in a two-teacher classroom, and use the Environment Rating Scales (ERS) to ensure we’re providing the highest standards in early childhood education. These frameworks guide our decisions, helping us design age-specific classrooms that meet state licensing requirements and support the evolving needs of young children.

Behind every Doodle Bugs! center is a foundation of heart, research, and purpose. Because when children feel safe, supported, and inspired by their surroundings, learning comes naturally!

Developmentally Appropriate Furniture

Every classroom at Doodle Bugs! is designed with your child in mind – including the furniture! From infants to Pre-K, we choose pieces that are just the right size for little bodies, so children can explore comfortably, safely, and confidently.

Our infant rooms include cozy cribs, changing tables, and highchairs that offer comfort, support, and security during daily caretaking routines. As children grow, so does the classroom environment – with child-sized shelves, chairs, and adjustable tables that grow in height alongside them.

We never compromise on safety.  You’ll notice features like rounded furniture edges to prevent bumps and bruises, finger-pinch guards on doors, child-sized toilets, and locked storage areas to keep hazardous materials out of reach. We also follow strict protocols to ensure that furnishings remain clean, sanitary, and in good repair – because your child’s well-being is always our top priority.

Classroom Toys & Materials

Toys and materials purchased for our Doodle Bugs! classrooms are selected with great thought and consideration. Take a quick scan around our classroom environments, and you’ll notice that children have access to everything within their reach. That’s why we take great pride in choosing toys and materials that are not only safe but also aligned with the developmental needs of each age group.

Every item your child interacts with has been reviewed for safety, age-appropriateness, and educational value. For our littlest learners, we make sure everything within reach is safe for curious hands (and mouths!). For older children, we add materials that match their growing interests and abilities, always with learning in mind.

You’ll find books, puzzles, musical instruments, art supplies, building blocks, dramatic play items, STEAM learning materials (and more!) that are consistent across centers, so that every child receives the ultimate Doodle Bugs! experience, no matter which location they attend.

We also ensure our materials include books, photos, and play items that represent a range of ages, abilities, races and cultures – creating an inclusive space where every child and family feels seen, valued, accepted, and celebrated.

In addition to our core classroom materials, Doodle Bugs! generously provides all the supplies needed for teachers to bring our curriculum to life. This includes a variety of art and craft supplies, sensory materials, and specialty items that accompany the current Bravo! unit – like pumpkins and gourds during our “Communities” unit in the fall, and soil and assorted seeds during the “Great Outdoors” unit in the spring.

Room Arrangement for Play and Learning

The way a classroom is arranged makes a big difference in how children learn and feel throughout the day. A thoughtful setup helps children know where things belong, how to use materials, and how to move through their space independently.

At Doodle Bugs!, we consider everything when planning a classroom arrangement:

• Can teachers see and hear every child?
• Is furniture used to create defined spaces for play?
• Are noisy and quiet areas separated to avoid distractions?
• Are like materials stored together?
• Can children access (and return) materials on their own?

These determinations naturally create defined learning centers – or areas dedicated to a specific type of play. Some favorites include:

• Dramatic Play: A space where children can explore pretend food, dolls, puppets, dress-up clothes and props for imaginative play.
• Block Center: A road-themed carpet accompanied by blocks, vehicles, and figurines for building.
• Library: A quiet area with soft seating and age-appropriate books for independent or shared reading.
• Art & Craft: An easel placed near a drying rack (and art cart in Preschool and Pre-K classrooms) to promote creative expression.

Regardless of the age group, the goal of the arrangement is always the same: to design an organized, child-centered environment where children can explore freely and safely.

Learning Displays

Once the classroom is set up for success, the space comes to life through thoughtful, engaging displays. And these displays aren’t just for decoration – they’re purposeful tools that support children’s learning and invite meaningful conversations.

Every Doodle Bugs! classroom includes bulletin board space and materials to help teachers highlight what’s happening within their classroom community. You’ll often see:

• Family photo displays.
• Art galleries that showcase children’s individualized work.
• Real-life images related to the current curriculum unit.
• Age-specific classroom schedules and rules.
• Interactive boards for circle time with numbers, shapes, letters, and fun visuals – including our beloved “Weather Bug”!

Displays may also feature favorite songs, fingerplays, and ASL and Spanish vocabulary, creating a rich, language-filled environment that supports all areas of development.

At Doodle Bugs!, our classrooms are so much more than a place to play and learn – they’re spaces where your child is encouraged to be curious and confident. Every shelf, toy, and play area is carefully chosen to support your child’s growth and lay the foundation for a successful early educational experience.

So next time you visit, take a moment to look around the classroom environment. You might just notice the little details that make our centers feel like a home away from home.

Not a current member of our Doodle Bugs! community? Take our virtual tour or book a visit at your nearest location today!