All about ... designing with young children and adults

The past decade has seen a rapid increase in new early years provision, including Sure Start facilities and children's centres. This expansion has included new building projects as well as changes to existing buildings.

This period of growth has been paralleled by increasing interest in listening to young children's views. The Childcare Act 2006 is the latest legislation to emphasise taking into account children's perspectives. But can this include young children's experiences of the physical environment of their provision? Could these insights help to inform the complex task of building for young children?

Designing nurseries received great attention from the pioneers of the kindergarten movement. Even the name, kindergarten or 'children's garden', adopted by German educator Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852), illustrates the close link between the environment and spaces for children. Froebel was keen that the early childhood environment reflected his views about children, childhood and learning. He paid careful attention to the creation of both indoor and outdoor spaces that could support play.