How to Calculate Classroom Space for Preschoolers

If you plan on starting a preschool, or are enrolling your child in a preschool, it is good to know the space requirements the facility must meet. In order to get licensed, a preschool needs to meet health and safety regulation. Once licensing is established, the facility is periodically visited by the Department of Social Services to ensure it continues to meet the licensing requirements. Aside from having plenty of outdoor play space, having sufficient classroom space is also essential.

Consult your local licensing office about the space requirements for your area. Space requirements may differ from state to state. Most states require approximately 35 square feet of classroom space for each child in the preschool 1. This is considered enough space to help prevent the spread of communicable diseases between children in the classroom. Use the Daycare.com resource to look up requirements and contact information for your state.

Count the number of children in the preschool 1. A daycare facility can be small or large, depending on the size of the facility. For this example, we'll start with a preschool that has 10 children.

Multiply the number of kids by 35, or by the square footage space required for your state. For this example, 10 x 35 equals 350 square feet. This means the actual classroom area must be at least 350 square feet -- not including offices, hallways, kitchens and bathrooms.

Determine the size of the proposed classroom in square feet, to see if it meets the classroom size requirements. Measure the length and width of the room, in inches.

Divide the total inches by 12, to convert to feet. If the length is 240 inches and the width is 240 inches, you would end up with a length of 20 feet and a width of 20 feet.

Multiply the length in feet by the width in feet, to get the size of the classroom in square feet 2. In this case, a length of 20 feet times a width of 20 feet equals 400 square feet -- making the room large enough for the 10 preschoolers.