Time and space are closely linked. Anyone who wants to effectively address questions of spatial design should start by examining the daily routines at the daycare center. What times are set aside for what, and what rhythm does the daily routine dictate? Is this set in stone? Does this daily routine align with the values of the educational concept?
Do the children in the daycare center have the following four freedoms: the choice of where to play, what materials to use, when and for how long, and who to play with? Children need engaging spaces of possibility that they can explore. To do this, they need time—often more than adults realize. We therefore disagree with the view that a space is and remains interesting only if the materials there are regularly changed. Often, this deprives children of the opportunity to explore what is already there in all its facets.
Adults want daycare centers to have spaces that are as flexible and adaptable as possible. Ideally, they should be able to do everything. Yet this very approach often results in spaces that end up being bland and boring. They lack a welcoming atmosphere and incentives for exploration and discovery. This article explains qualities that, from a child’s perspective, foster flexibility because they offer scope for decision-making and allow objects such as furniture and fixed fixtures to be imbued with a wide variety of ideas—such as a place to retreat, hiding places, use as building materials, opportunities for role-play, or movement construction sites.