Are you ready to furnish your preschool classroom? Yes! Furnishing your preschool classroom requires a lot of planning and the detailing helps in setting up a secure environment that encourages learning.
In this article we will help you plan and style up your preschool classroom with a wide range of amazing and cost-effective classroom decorations, furniture and play equipment suitable for toddlers. From straw baskets for stationery, cartoon curtains, indoor plants and canvas water-colour art you can fill your classroom up with all that you want, but first get what the class needs.

Pick a theme

You can decide on an overall generic theme for your preschool that will help you choose the color scheme. For example, you can choose a theme such as Garden and have your wall decor represent flowers, insects, butterflies etc. Each classroom could be decorated in line with the theme. 

Set a budget 

Once you have decided the base theme, you need to allocate a budget. You might change the props continuously but there are some basic objects that will remain a constant. You will have to first make a list of all the items you definitely need, a few items that will just add aesthetic value and then prepare your budget. The next couple of points will help you prepare this list.

Must-haves 

To maximize the learning experience of every student, a proper selection of materials and supplies has to be made. The teaching aids must keep kids actively engaged so that learning can be easily achieved. Here are a few things that will ensure this. Just remember these are must-haves and definitely need to be a part of your budget.

Furniture

 The most important pieces of furniture are – a few tables, 1 chair per child, a shelf (for storage) and a shoe rack. All furniture must either have round edges or be child-proofed to prevent accidents.

• Tables – Research has shown that preschoolers are at a stage when they will benefit a lot by working in a group. Seeing other children complete a task will also boost their morale and enhance coordination and motor skills. So ensure that there is one table for a group of four or five children. Ensure that the table has soft and rounded edges. Tables cost approximately 3000 to 4000 rupees and you will need at least two such tables for a class of ten students. So you will need Rs.6000. 
• Chairs – Many preschool classrooms encourage children to sit on the floor. While it is good for some activities, few others might require chairs to do a specific activity. For circle-time or activity-hour you can make them sit on the floor, maybe on a carpet or low-rise benches. For the rest, you need one good, sturdy chair per child. If you are working with a tight budget then you can get a good and colourful plastic chair at Rs. 500 or Rs.600. So, for a class of ten this will work out to be Rs.6000.
• Wooden Rack – A must-need for every class is a wooden shelf. You can use this shelf as a multi-purpose storage area – for bags, art kits or craft pouches. You might want to buy a short shelf, that can be easily used by the children. A basic wooden shelf on any furniture website will cost you approximately 5000 to 6000 rupees. You can get small shelves pinned to the wall and save space, but remember to hang it low enough for the kids to be able to reach. Here is an idea that you can share with your carpenter and request for a quote.
• Shoe Rack – A 4-layer shoe rack will cost anywhere between Rs. 1000 to 2000 and can easily accommodate ten pairs of shoes.  Take a look at this simple shoe rack which would suit your pockets too. You could even try for a colourful shoe racks that would suit your decor. 
  

  

The classroom needs the above mentioned pieces of furniture. The layout and arrangement of these pieces matter a lot and will help the class look very organized and will function as a safe and great learning environment.

Reading Corner

A quiet reading corner with many colourful and age-appropriate books, cushions and mats is important. A quiet space in a classroom helps toddlers calm down and also re-focus on activities. Naptime or story-time mats and big cushions are a definite must. Pick soft décor in a child-friendly material.

Toys and learning aids

Building blocks, jigsaw puzzles and hands-on toys to engage and challenge the child are also essential in a classroom. This helps build their concentration and fine motor skills.  Art supplies and stationery need to be neatly stocked up in a set of boxes or baskets away from a child’s reach. This includes colours, craft paper, scissors and glue.
Outdoor play objects are necessary too. Children can’t and won’t stay cooped up in the classroom all day. It is equally important to get pre-schoolers to play, run and explore the outdoors. Items like wagons, sand buckets and slides need to be provided. This helps them improve their hand-eye coordination and build physical strength.
A student wall and a teacher wall are very important. You can use the teacher wall to put up any important notice, charts, props and any behavior or skill tracker. Whereas, the student wall could be used to put up their work. This will encourage them to innovate and work hard.
Storage containers are essential. They can be used to stock up stationery, story books, cushions, mats and much more. They are not only easy to store but also a simple way to stay organized.

Nice-to-have 

Now that you know what your class definitely needs, let us focus on some items that will add beauty and flavour to the room. They are not compulsory, just a nice way to enhance the experience.

• A music junction with a small mic and set of karaoke children’s songs. It will help students work in groups and record some fun numbers. This will improve their motor skills and teach them to work in a group. You can keep some props, dancing ribbons and scarves too.
• A Pictionary board with many play-cards will help students fall in love with drawing and guessing words. Taboo is also an easy game if they have started reading small 3-letter words.
• An artist’s nook – How about setting up a small canvas board with a colourful palette? Every day one child can go and create something beautiful and put it up on the student wall.
• A dramatic space with puppets, costumes, story books and props can be set up to let every child’s imagination come to life. The enactment will help students improve their body language and work in a group.
• Charts like fruits, vegetables, India, World, ABCs,numbers, opposites, manners, places, transport, famous people, animals, etc.. will be a colourful addition to your classroom. They can also be made by you and your children in a fun, activity session.
• Indoor plants can add life to your class. Ensure that they are taken care of by the children. This will help them become more responsible and friendly toward nature.

Here are a few amazing décor ideas to inspire you. Pick the ones that you find interesting and make a list. You can find many of the objects online or in the local market. You can give it a unique twist by adding some colour or arranging it differently.