ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the reaction of a ten-year-old girl to her experiences in the Space Place. This is a typical feeling children have as they enjoy the Space Place environment. A child who is allowed to manipulate his environment and make choices which please him apparently becomes a happier and more satisfied child. The physical world surrounding children is usually determined by adults; the house is divided into spaces by an architect or builder, rooms are divided into spaces with furniture selected by parents, and the schoolroom offers little or no choice in its arrangement. The Space Place was created to provide children with these experiences that are usually denied them. Developed not as a toy but as an instructional tool, the components of the Space Place are manipulative in nature and children can arrange them in various configurations. The Space Place was designed as a manipulative environment that could be introduced into the classroom setting.
