rs--For use as occasion demands, to supplement the
floor, not to take the place of it.

Blocks and Toys--For initial play material.

The Carpenter's Bench--With tools and lumber for the manufacture of
supplementary toys.

A supply of Art and Craft materials--For the same purpose.

[Illustration: The Indoor Laboratory.]

THE INDOOR LABORATORY

The _floor_ should receive first consideration in planning the indoor
laboratory. It should be as spacious as circumstances will permit and
safe, that is to say clean and protected from draughts and dampness.

A well-kept hardwood floor is the best that can be provided.
Individual light rugs or felt mats can be used for the younger
children to sit on in cold weather if any doubt exists as to the
adequacy of heating facilities (see cut, p. 32).

Battleship linoleum makes a good substitute for a hardwood finish. It
comes in solid colors and can be kept immaculate.

Deck canvas stretched over a layer of carpet felt and painted makes a
warm covering, especially well adapted to the needs of very little
children, as it has some of the softness of a carpet and yet can be
scrubbed and mopped.

Second only in importance is the supply of _lockers_, _shelves_,
_boxes_ and _drawers_ for the disposal of the great number and variety
of small articles that make up the "tools and appliances" of the
laboratory. The cut on page 24 shows a particularly successful
arrangement for facilities of this kind.

The _chairs_ shown are the Mosher kindergarten chairs, which come in
three sizes. The light _tables_ can be folded by the children and put
away in the biggest cupboard space (p. 24).

_Block boxes_ are an essential part of the equipment. Their dimensions
should be planned in relation to the unit block of the set used. Those
shown are 13-3/4" X 16-1/2" X 44" (inside measurements) for use with a
set having a unit 1-3/8" X 2-3/4" X 5-1/2". They are on castors and
can be rolled to any part of the room.

The low _blackboards_ are 5'-5" in height and 2'-0" from the floor.

All the furnishings of the laboratory should lend themselves to use as
dramatic properties when occasion demands, and a few may be kept for
such purposes alone. The light screens in the right-hand corner of the
room are properties of this kind and are put to an endless number of
uses (see cut, p. 40).

[Illustration: The balcony in a room with high ceiling.]

[Illustration: The balcony and a low ceil