How To Effectively Use An Educational Rug In Your Classroom

More and more teachers are learning the benefits of using educational rugs in their preschool and elementary classrooms. An educational rug is an area rug that features different basic concepts that are taught in the formative years, like ABCs, numbers, colors, shapes, measurements, beginning consonants, vowels, and more. There are even rugs that are useful in teaching pre-Spanish phrases and words, or math facts, like multiplication tables. Educational rugs can foster a learning environment while reinforcing the concepts that young children must master. Many times, children learn best when they do not even realize they are learning at all, and having this type of rug as a backdrop for different units that are being presented can be an invaluable tool for your students.

Expense of Educational Rugs

As an educator, you are likely perpetually on the hunt for items for your classroom that are affordable and also a good value. You want the most for the money that you are allotted for classroom expenditures, or oftentimes for purchases that must be made from your own pocket. Educational rugs may require a bit of an investment upfront, but with this type of learning aid, you are getting a product that will last for many years, or even decades, of multiple uses. Many teachers find that a high quality well-made educational rug can last for their entire teaching career with proper care and maintenance. What's more, many school districts allot money for purchases like this for their teachers, and you may be among them. In fact, submitting a purchase order for an educational rug is often the first step to obtaining this fun and valuable tool for your classroom.

Choosing Educational Rugs

Like with any product, there are various types of educational rugs on the market for you to consider, in all sizes and shapes. Most are large, rectangular shaped area rugs that are printed with different learning concepts. Others may be circular, oblong, or oval shaped. There are also educational rug runners that can go up and down the aisles in the classroom, between desks. Before shopping for the right rug for your classroom, you should come up with a plan for implementing the rug, which will give you a good idea of how much space is available for displaying and using the rug when it arrives. Measure the area where you would like to use the rug, and take note of the measurement. Add to the longevity of your rug by displaying it away from common foot traffic within the classroom. Many teachers like to purchase multiple rugs that go along with the different units that they plan to teach, and then simply roll them up and store them in the closet when the unit is over. Others like to keep the rug out for the entire year, especially when it comes to rugs that students can use to check their knowledge, like multiplication facts educational rugs. You might also consider sharing your rug with other teachers in your grade level and switch back and forth when units are changed. This type of sharing can make it possible to have access to more rugs for less money!

The possibilities for using an educational rug in the preschool and elementary classroom are endless, whether you choose a standard rug that helps to teach ABCs and 123s, or whether you are looking for an indoor hopscotch rug or a rug that helps kids learn how to tell time. Put some consideration into how you will implement your educational rugs prior to selecting them, do some comparison shopping, and then choose the rugs that make the most sense for your teaching style!