Why do we label? What purpose does labeling our materials, shelving, and environment serve? How does it benefit the children in our care? These are often questions that we receive as we work with classrooms in creating a classroom that truly belongs to the children. By creating a print rich environment, we are providing children with many opportunities to connect the written language to the materials that they are familiar with. It allows children to realize that reading and writing serve real, everyday purposes.
When creating the "word" or "language" part of the label, they may be hand written if you have very neat handwriting. Otherwise it is recommended that you type and print the labels. We would recommend that the font style or handwriting type used is consistent with what the children will be taught when entering school in your district. Call the school and ask them what style of handwriting is taught so that you can use there is consistency. This will only ease in the transition to school for those children preparing to do so.
Labeling learning centers
Often times throughout the day, we can hear a teacher refer to different areas of the classroom for children to visit or when reflecting/recalling on the day the children and adults will state where things were taking place. It is recommended that programs label these areas by names that are commonly understood. Areas will likely include house, art, blocks, science or discovery, table toys, and book/quiet/library. These labels can be created in a variety of ways to meet your individual program needs. In some programs, we have seen photos of the children playing in the area attached to a paper with typed or hand written words labeling the area and hung either on shelving, the wall, or hanging from the ceiling.
Labeling furniture and classroom building items
Don't label everything in the program! That would be very over-stimulating to the mind and eye as well as make the environment feel overwhelming to the children. Label 4 or 5 chairs, not all 20. Label the table in the house area where it isn't constantly being washed for meal service. Label 1 or 2 windows, doors, shelves, etc.
Labeling shelves or storage units
As adults, we clean up materials and toys knowing where things belong or where we would like them to be placed. Children on the other hand don't automatically know where these materials belong and it can take several months for them to learn this. Labeling shelves and containers will not only increase the print rich environment, it will also aide in the clean up and organization processes of the program.
It is recommended that a variety of label types are used when labeling. Options include hand written words, typed words, photos of items, clip art, pictures from magazines, tracings of block shapes, and actual items. The art area is a place where actual items are often used for labeling and include markers, colored pencils, crayons, stencils, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, etc. When first implementing this manner of labeling, children will likely remove the real item not understanding its purposes. With teaching and explanation the children will begin to leave the material on the container.
We are often asked if it is necessary to label the container that holds the materials as well as the shelf where the container belongs. When observing children working in their classrooms, they will often carry the container of materials to some place in the classroom prior to using them. Without having the shelf labeled, the children won't know where the container needs to be returned to. Also, without the containers labeled children who have emptied several containers will not know what materials belong in which container.
For large materials like shopping carts, trucks, and doll houses it is recommended that the storage place is labeled to identify where to put the item away at.
When choosing which label type to use, please remember to ALWAYS include the written word for the item as well as another identifying label type. This is a simple way to provide a print rich learning environment for the children.
Labeling children's cubbies and mailboxes
It is likely that in preparation for the new school year many of you took the time to label the children's hook, cubby, and/or mailbox. When the children are able to, let them remake that label themselves. It is the child's space and they should be able to label as they would like. What a great way to show your respect for them and their personal belongings!
