A Tour of Rose's Room
- Melanie Nerland
- Aug 29
- 6 min read
Introduction: A Space Designed with Intention
The concept of the "environment as the third teacher" is a powerful philosophy in early childhood education. It recognizes the physical space as an active participant in a child's learning and development, rather than just a passive backdrop. When designing Rose's room and our home's adjoining spaces, I've aimed to create an environment that is not only organized but also functional and responsive to her specific developmental needs. Our spaces are designed to be orderly, welcoming, and accessible to foster a child-centered space for growth.
The Core Philosophy: Child-Centered Play Zones
Following the model of many classrooms, I've organized Rose's room into distinct "zones" of play. Each area is centered around a theme, with every item having a designated place. This intentional design encourages a strong relationship between the space and Rose. The furniture is low and child-sized, allowing Rose the freedom to move independently within her space. She has the opportunity to choose what activity she wants to engage with, for as long as she wants, with the responsibility of putting items away when she is finished.
This practice is central to the Montessori principle of a prepared environment. It gives Rose the confidence to learn at her own comfortable pace within an environment that I've prepared with safe, challenging, and developmentally appropriate materials. To keep the space fresh and engaging, I make sure to rotate the items often. I rotate books and materials in her sensory table monthly, while puzzles and other manipulatives are swapped out when I notice she's bored with them (for example, when she completes them quickly) or based on her current interests.
Touring the Zones
Zone 1: The Reading Nook
Our reading nook is a cozy spot by the window. I've placed the rug, rocking chair, and bookshelf here to take advantage of the natural light during the day and a lamp for the evening. The role of this zone is to promote a love of reading and provide a quiet space for Rose to have time for herself. The bookshelf also cleverly doubles as a space to store her manipulatives and a basket of music items.
Cozy reading nook with a rocking chair and bookshelf in a child's room. Zone 2: The Kitchen Area
The play kitchen is nestled in the next corner. Aside from a few kitchen pots and pans that came with it, I avoided buying many additional items. Instead, I used real-world materials like empty peanut butter jars, spice containers, and boxes from her favorite snacks. This not only makes the space low-cost, but it provides a familiarity that Rose encounters in her everyday life. It also allows her to practice various skills like twisting open the peanut butter jar, "pouring" milk from the container, and unlocking her imagination as she models the things she sees us doing around the house.
Montessori-inspired play kitchen area for toddlers with real-world materials. Zone 3: The Activity Center
The activity center is a multipurpose zone. We can use this space for sensory exploration, art projects, puzzles, or other focused activities. While the table has a designated space in the corner under a light, it can easily be moved into the open floor space to provide more natural light. The role of this zone is to encourage Rose's independence, focus, and specific play by giving her a dedicated place to engage with materials she finds from around the room.
The Activity Center with child sized table and chair 
Current sensory table with sand and materials to practice motor skills Zone 4: Open Space for Movement
The large, open space in the middle of the room is also multifunctional. It can be used for gross motor skills like tumbling or dancing. It also offers plenty of space for building with LEGOs or Magnatiles. Just like the other zones, the role of this space is to allow Rose the opportunity to practice independence through choice and provide a big space for big play.
Open Space for Movement Zone 5: The Art Easel
The art easel is where all the art supplies live. And nowhere else! I don’t want to see crayons on the walls, so we only use these supplies with intention and supervision. The easel is a versatile tool with a dry-erase board on one side, a blackboard on the other, and a roll of paper on top. The role of this zone is to promote creativity and fine motor skills. It's lightweight, so I can easily move it into the open space to keep an eye on these materials. While independence is key in the other zones, here the crayons are housed in a clear, snap-open box. Rose can open it on her own, but we keep an eye on where the materials are used. There are containers for her animal or alphabet magnets here, keeping with order and organization.
Art easel with a chalkboard, whiteboard, and roll of paper, encouraging creativity and fine motor skills. Zone 6: The Comfort & Care Zone
The Comfort and Care Zone is a dedicated place for all of Rose's stuffed toys to "rest." Having a clear home for them helps keep the house tidy, and it ensures that she can easily find a friend for an adventure or a check-up with Dr. Rose. The role of this zone is to teach empathy, compassion, and social-emotional skills through imaginative play and role-playing. While we're quickly running out of space and I need to find a new system, having a dedicated area helps Rose learn to care for her belongings.
Comfort and care zone with a dedicated area for stuffed animals, promoting imaginative play. Zone 7: The Self-Reflection Mirror
The full-length mirror is placed at Rose’s level next to her closet. The role of the mirror is to support Rose’s body awareness, promote independence after dressing, and help her to understand and express her emotions.
Beyond the Room: Organization & Routine
The Closet: Organized and Intentional Storage
Inside the closet, I use a simple shelf from IKEA to hold the items that I rotate out or the Lovevery playthings she has outgrown. This toy rotation helps to keep items feeling new, minimizes clutter, and prevents overstimulation. By featuring only a few key items in her environment, Rose can play with more focus and intention at a pace that she sets for herself. It also means there's less to clean up, which helps promote her independence and responsibility.
The books on the top shelf are loosely organized, but displayed in a way that makes them easily accessible for me. I can quickly swap out the ABC or number books each month, or grab a group that matches a theme like Women's History Month. Having a rotation of books keeps her love of literacy high, as she looks forward to the new stories each month.
The Montessori Entryway & Visual Schedule
The prepared environment extends beyond her room into our entryway. It encourages independence through self-help skills with low hooks for weather-appropriate items like coats and hats. Rose can choose from a predetermined set of items, and she has a small bench and a shelf for her shoes. This allows her to sit and practice putting on her shoes independently, taking as much time as she needs. Having control over which shoes to wear helps to reduce tantrums and gives her a sense of agency. The mirror in this space, also at her level, has the same purpose as the full-length mirror in her room; it shows her what she looks like after completing these independent skills, giving her a boost of confidence.
Now don't get me wrong, I bought a beautiful shelf with hooks off Etsy only to find out I couldn't drill into the wall! But it lives nicely on the floor, and I've adapted the space by using command hooks. The original basket, which I now use for out-of-season items, proves that a Montessori entryway doesn't have to be expensive. It can be made with things you already have around the home.
Montessori entryway for a child with low hooks and a shoe shelf. The visual schedule is located near the entryway, which gives us the opportunity to transition into the day’s activities. The simple, real-world images on the schedule help Rose anticipate and react better to her day. When we were taking more flights this summer, I changed the extra "Swim" image to an "Airplane," which helped build excitement for the family trips we took over the summer.
Visual schedule for a toddler to help with daily activites and transitions.
Conclusion: A Space That Grows with Her
These intentional choices work together to create a nurturing and stimulating environment that supports both Rose and me. Her spaces are not only functional but also organized, which reduces my stress from keeping order and gives Rose the opportunity to have choice and independence.
What are some of your child’s favorite zones of play in your home or at school?
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