Innovative Environment Series - Online via ZOOM

🌿 Environment as the Third Teacher

Four Online Reggio Inspired Environment Design Workshops

Time:  6:00–8:00 PM (2 hours each) PST
Format: Live online
Cost: $50 per session or $175 for all 4 
Presenter: Patricia Hunter McGrath 

Designed for infant, toddler, and preschool educators seeking to create intentional, beautiful, and meaningful environments that support curiosity, creativity, responsibility, and deep engagement.

What Participants Will Gain From These Workshops

• Confidence choosing and introducing materials

• Clear strategies for the care and organization of materials 

• Tools for building children’s responsibility and respect for materials

• Practical environment setups for immediate use

• A deeper understanding of the environment as a teacher

Workshop 1: Infant & Toddler Environments 

Materials, Beauty, and Transformation for Our Youngest Learners

Date: July 2nd 6:00–8:00 PM $50

We Will Explore:

• What materials are appropriate and meaningful for infants and toddlers

• The role of natural materials in creating calm, nurturing, and aesthetically pleasing environments

• How materials are introduced intentionally to infants and toddlers

• How young children explore materials through sensory experiences, repetition, movement, and touch

• When materials are changed, rotated, or transformed

• How environments evolve in response to children’s development and interests

• How do we create magical, creative immersive environments for infants and toddlers

This workshop focuses on slowing down, simplifying, and creating environments that honor early relationships and exploration.

Workshop 2: Outdoor Classroom Environments

Designing Living, Creative, and Evolving Outdoor Spaces

Date: July 7th  6:00–8:00 PM $50

Topics Include:

• How to design innovative, enticing, and creative outdoor environments

• Outdoor paint setups: easels, ground and wall painting, natural paint tools, temporary and permanent setups

• How children are invited to design and co-create outdoor provocations

• How the teacher’s role shifts from supervisor to facilitator

• How outdoor provocations change over time, seasons, and children’s interests

• The role of gardening in children’s learning: observation, responsibility, patience, and inquiry

• How growing plants and gardens support children’s connection to the natural world

• How discoveries from the outside become indoor explorations

• What kinds of materials and mediums can be used outside.

This workshop reimagines the outdoors as a dynamic, creative, classroom that changes and transforms throughout the year. 

Workshop 3: Preschool Classroom Environments

Dynamic, Creative, and Responsive Learning Spaces

Date: July 9th  6:00–8:00 PM $50

We Will Discuss:

• What makes a preschool classroom dynamic and creative

• What materials are intentionally integrated into the classroom and why

• How classrooms are organized to support independence, focus, and collaboration

• The role children play in organizing materials, caring for the environment, and classroom decision-making

• How teachers set clear boundaries around the care and use of materials

• How materials extend curiosity, creativity, attention span, and problem-solving

• When and why materials are changed, revisited, or expanded

• How is light used to define space and create irresistible provocations 

• What kind of textural elements create warm and coziness in the classroom

• How do you design shelfs and environments to inspire childrens ideas

This session emphasizes balance—between freedom and structure, beauty and function.

Workshop 4: Ateliers Inside & Outside

Studios, Materials, and Shared Creative Spaces

Date: July 14th  6:00–8:00 PM $50

In This Workshop, We Explore:

• How different kinds of ateliers are integrated throughout a school

• Ateliers for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers

• What are intelligent materials are and how they support thinking and expression

• How atelier materials are introduced, organized, stored, and revisited

• How ateliers can function as materials lending libraries

• Designing atelier spaces using shelves, rolling carts, studio rooms, and outdoor areas

• Supporting collaboration, creativity, and responsibility across shared spaces

• What are inspiration books and how are they used to inspire work throughout the school 

• How can materials be used to support and develop resilience and social relationships.

This workshop supports schools in creating cohesive, connected creative, collaborative learning environments rather than isolated classrooms.