Teacher's role in creating a play environment in kindergarten

Tijekom povijesti okruženje se u ustanovama ranog i predškolskog odgoja i obrazovanja mijenjalo rapidnom brzinom. Od toga da se slobodnoj igri u vrtićima prvotno nije posvećivala pažnja i da je postojala stroga struktura organizacije odgojno-obrazovnog rada, preko učenja transmisijom i izravnim podučavanjem, do našeg vremena kad se djeci ne postavljaju striktne vremenske, prostorne i organizacijske restrikcije. Danas djeca u najvećoj mjeri utječu na okruženje oko sebe, a uloga je samih odgajatelja da djeci pruže što više različitog materijala i poticaja kako bi djeca što kvalitetnije razvijala svoje kompetencije i potencijale. Cilj ovog rada opisivanje je definicija i razina igara kod djece rane i predškolske dobi, navođenje dokumenata koji su doprinijeli ostvarivanju što kvalitetnijeg okruženja u dječjim vrtićima Republike Hrvatske, opisivanje mnogih uloga odgajatelja u stvaranju navedenog kvalitetnog okruženja u sobi dnevnog boravka dječjih vrtića te poticaja koje odgajatelji mogu pružiti djeci u centrima aktivnosti.Throughout history, the environment in early and preschool education institutions has changed rapidly. From the fact that free play in kindergartens was not initially paid attention to and that there was a strict structure of educational organization, through learning by transmission and direct teaching, to the present where children are not set by the strict time, space and organizational restrictions anymore. Children now have the greatest impact on the environment around them, and the role of educators has become to provide children with as many different materials and incentives to help children develop their competencies and potentials. The aim of this thesis is to describe the definition and level of games for early and preschool children, to list documents that have contributed to the best possible environment in kindergartens in the Republic of Croatia, to describe many roles of the educators in creating this quality environment in the living space of kindergartens and the incentives that educators can provide to children in activity centres