Designing enabling spaces for pre-schoolers: strategies to boost children’s control over spaces

Abstract

The impact of space design and planning on children’s development is welldocumented. Enabling spaces for children are defined as spaces that are designed to be age- specific, appealing to children’s interests, and encourage them to challenge themselves in a safe and secure environment. The aim of this study is to discuss the design strategies that would help not only designers but planners and educators to create interesting, exciting and challenging learning spaces for pre- schoolers. It is argued that designing and entry for a good start, considering children control and independency in arranging the layouts, respecting children’s social interest, including additional spaces and strategies that enhance child- teacher cooperation and designing features that enhance children’s imagination and fantasy will contribute to providing spaces that are responsive to children’s control and abilities.