Whatever side you take in the nature vs. nurture debate, it's obvious that
children learn from their environment. Images are especially important to help
young children who are taking their first steps into literacy. That's why classroom rugs are a simple but highly effective way to combine learning and fun for young students.
Inspiring Imagination with Classroom Rugs
The boundary between learning and play isn't as clear for young children as
it is for adults. Activities that promote interaction between students and their
environment help them to learn new things about the world as a process of creative
play. Themed classroom rugs are a great foundation for that process.
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Today's classroom rug themes go far beyond the original trio of "reading,
writing, and 'rithmetic." Alphabet and number-themed classroom rugs are
still popular, but many other styles are ideal for modern classrooms:
Maps
Map classroom rugs are useful for giving abstract concepts such as nations and continents a tangible reality. Round world maps are globes that students can walk on. A map rug of the United States could be a useful tool for combining trivia games and history lessons.
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Music
Sometimes sitting on a themed classroom rug can help a child know that it's
time for a particular learning activity. Music classroom rugs are a good example.
Images of notes and musical instruments will give students a clearly defined music
space for singing, playing, or listening. The same is true of outer space classroom rugs or images of books or crayons.
Games
Many of our most popular classroom rugs feature games such as hopscotch, checkers, tic-tac-toe, or "matching" games. Unlike computer or video games, classroom rug games give young students an activity board with which they can physically interact. Playtime is also more fun with classroom rugs that feature buildings, roads, or home/room designs.
