The early childhood learning environment plays a critical role in educator and child wellbeing. Walk into an early learning space and you can feel the difference immediately — some environments are calm and intentional, while others feel busy, noisy and overwhelming before the day has even begun.
These differences are not simply aesthetic. The way an environment is designed directly influences how children engage, how educators operate, and how both experience wellbeing.
Why environment matters in early childhood education
The link between environment and wellbeing is well established across both psychology and education.
Abraham Maslow identified aesthetic needs as part of human motivation — the need for order, balance and beauty within our surroundings (Maslow, 1968). When these needs are met, individuals are more likely to feel calm, focused and connected.
In early childhood settings, this translates into environments that support learning rather than compete with it.
Modern research supports this. Well-designed learning environments are associated with improved engagement, reduced stress and stronger developmental outcomes (Barrett et al., 2015).
Sensory load and its impact on children and educators
Early learning environments are naturally active. Movement, conversation and play are essential parts of development.
However, when activity is combined with:
- excessive visual stimuli
- inconsistent materials and storage
- unclear room layout
- high noise levels
…that energy can quickly become overwhelming.
For children, this may lead to reduced focus, increased dysregulation and shorter engagement in play. For educators, it often results in cognitive fatigue and reduced capacity for intentional teaching.
Research highlights that overstimulating environments can negatively affect attention and behaviour, particularly in younger children (Maxwell, 2007).
The goal is not to remove activity, but to design environments that can hold it.
Designing environments that support calm and clarity
Effective environments are the result of deliberate decisions, not decoration.
Key considerations include:
Layout and movement
Spaces should support clear movement and supervision without congestion.
Visual simplicity
Reducing clutter allows children to focus and engage more deeply.
Connection to nature
Access to natural light and greenery supports wellbeing and reduces stress (Kellert, 2018).
Consistency of materials
Cohesive storage and material choices reduce visual noise.
Purposeful display
Not all work needs to be visible at once. Intentional display increases meaning.
From decoration to intentional design
A well-designed early childhood learning environment supports wellbeing by reducing sensory overload and improving focus for both children and educators. There is a growing shift in early childhood education away from filling spaces, towards designing them.
Rather than asking:
“What can we add?”
The more useful question is:
“What does this environment need to function well?”
This shift supports both child engagement and educator wellbeing.
Learning from established educational approaches
Educational philosophies such as the Reggio Emilia approach and Steiner education have long recognised the role of environment.
The Reggio Emilia approach refers to the environment as the “third teacher”, emphasising:
- natural light
- order and organisation
- beauty and intention
Steiner environments similarly prioritise:
- soft, neutral colours
- natural materials
- home-like settings
These approaches provide useful principles that can be adapted across different service contexts.
How the early childhood learning environment impacts wellbeing
Environmental design is often discussed in relation to children, but its impact on educators is just as significant.
Educators working in highly stimulating environments experience increased cognitive load, reduced focus and higher levels of stress over time (Thorpe et al., 2020).
In practice, these pressures can contribute to burnout and staff turnover.
In some cases, the impact of environment on educator wellbeing only becomes fully visible after staff transitions occur. Gaining a clearer understanding of these patterns — for example through independent exit interviews — can provide valuable insight into how environments are experienced day-to-day.
Reflective questions for services
- Does this environment support calm, or contribute to overwhelm?
- Can children navigate the space independently?
- Are materials purposeful or excessive?
- Where can we reduce rather than add?
- What does this environment communicate about learning?
Final thought
Environment is not a background feature of early childhood education.
It shapes how children learn, how educators work, and how both experience their day.
When environments are calm, intentional and thoughtfully designed, they do more than look different.
They feel different.
And that feeling influences everything.
References
Barrett, P., Davies, F., Zhang, Y. and Barrett, L. (2015) ‘The impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning’, Building and Environment, 89, pp. 118–133.
Kellert, S. (2018) Nature by Design: The Practice of Biophilic Design. Yale University Press.
Maslow, A. (1968) Toward a Psychology of Being. 2nd edn. New York: Van Nostrand.
Maxwell, L. (2007) ‘Competency in child care settings: The role of the physical environment’, Environment and Behavior, 39(2), pp. 229–245.
Thorpe, K., Panthi, N., Houen, S. et al. (2020) ‘Support to stay and thrive: mapping challenges faced by Australia’s early years educators’, The Australian Educational Researcher, 47, pp. 345–365.