BEYOND BLOCKS, BOOKS, HOUSE...

Creating a Variety of Learning Centers to Engage Learners

LEARNING CENTERS

Learning centers are an effective way for teachers to organize activities so that children can make many of their own choices. Centers provide children with stimulating activities, choice, and decision-making opportunities. Below are descriptions of different kinds of centers that would be appropriate in a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten classroom. Of course, there are many more described than might be implemented at any one time. Teachers should select the number and types of centers based on their own teaching styles and the learning goals that have been set for their students.

ART CENTER: The art center is an ideal place for children to express themselves creatively and explore various art materials. This center should be full of open-ended art activities. For example, give children large sheets of plain paper, cups of paint, and long-handled brushes and challenge them to freely create. Avoid closed art activities that all look alike. Examples of closed activities include coloring books, worksheets, and teacher-directed craft activities. Remember, the art center should be a place for self-expression and creativity. If possible, the art center should be located near a sink.

BLOCK CENTER: The block center is a very important part of the classroom. In fact, if you had to choose one center as the most important of all, the block center would be a prime candidate for the title. When children build with blocks, they learning about matter concepts, such as size, shape, number, and quantity. They become aware of scientific principles such as force of gravity and the fun of simple machines, such as levers and inclined planes. They learn to think, plan, and problem solve as the structures take form. Block play allows children an opportunity to think, create, cooperate, and communicate. Social learning takes place in the block center as children work together to share materials, space and ideas. Literacy skills develop through block play when children read rebus task cards for various block experiences. Virtually everything you might want to teach a young children can be taught through block play.

DRAMATIC PLAY CENTER: This center is a vital part of a well-rounded curriculum. Social skills develop as children learn to negotiate roles, share materials, and work cooperatively while they play together. Oral language develops when children share ideas and communicate with each other during their play. Vocabularies are increased when children play with new materials and learn the meanings of new words. Literacy emerges when children write grocery lists, telephone messages, and notes to put on the bulletin board in the play kitchen. Fine motor development is encouraged when children use their fingers to fasten buttons and snaps on dress-up clothes. This center is most fun and meaningful when students are engaged in play related to a particular project such as, a post office, pet shop, restaurant or dentist's office.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRINT CENTER: Many children come to preschool having memorized words and pictures cues found in their homes, neighborhoods, and communities. They are performing an important pre-reading skill by recalling names such as McDonald's, Burger King, Crest or Frosted Flakes as a result of the constant use of these products in their daily lives. Establishing an area within the classroom where students are allowed to sort and read environmental print is a delightful way to foster a beginning interest in reading. Ask parents to bring in recyclables such as milk cartons and cereal boxes.

LETTERS CENTER: An all time favorite of preschoolers is having the opportunity to explore a wide variety of letter manipulatives. This center might include sand letters, magnetic letters, playdough snakes, letter cubes, or word cards. It is also interesting to place a vast array of books about letters. Such titles as The Z was Zapped, Albert's Alphabet and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom are classic favorites.

LIBRARY CENTER: Children's experiences with books will vary, but many children come to school with a sense of the importance of printed words. The purpose of the library center is to increase that awareness and to instill in children a love of literature. The books provided for children to enjoy should include a broad range in content and format. Children will delight in books with colorful illustrations and will be able to follow a simple story line if it is direct and clear.

LISTENING CENTER: One of the most important tasks in the classroom is teaching children to listen. The ability to listen carefully is an important prerequisite to success later in school. The listening center might include read-along materials, tapes, compact discs and headphones. The listening center is one way to assist children in developing school readiness.

MANIPULATIVE CENTER: At the manipulative center, children work with puzzles, string beads, make patterns with geoboards, play matching and sorting games, stack cylinders and much more. The puzzles, matching games, and other materials are all designed to teach specific skills such as recognizing shapes, sizes and developing eye/hand coordination. This center also allows children to practice using the small muscles in their hands and fingers when they work with manipulative materials.

MATH CENTER: The math center is a wonderful place for exploring concepts of sorting, classifying, ordering, counting, and problem solving. This center might include such items as tactile numbers, pattern blocks, Unifix cubes, and junk boxes filled with a variety of manipulatives such as beads, keys, lids, jewels, screws, or buttons. Students will enjoy exploring the different attributes of each object as well as sorting items by size, shape, color or texture. The math center is an active place, filled with many opportunities for learning.

MUSIC CENTER: This is a place where children experiment with sounds, rhythms, music, and movement. Even if you are in a school which is fortunate enough to have a special music teacher, your students would still enjoy manipulating and exploring rhythm instruments independently. It would be great to include records, tapes, CDs or a color coded keyboard or xylophone. Students will have a blast in this "all-time favorite" center. They will also learn to take care of the instruments and equipment they choose.

PLAYDOUGH CENTER: An area in the classroom can be set aside for clay and playdough activities. This area can be a separate center or combined with activities in the art center. Working with clay and playdough is important for the development of the small muscles in a children's hands and fingers. Soft, pliable playdough is great for pounding out frustrations and angry feelings, so it provides a soothing activity for a child who is upset. This area also promotes creativity and self-expression.

PUPPET CENTER: This center is extremely fun, imaginative, and a great place to foster oral language and expression of ideas and feelings. Puppets are especially helpful for children who feel unsure of themselves. Talking through a puppet can help children say things that are hard to say face to face. Children can act out favorite stories, make up puppet plays of their own and work through all kids of problems and concerns.

SCIENCE CENTER: The science center is a wonderful, exciting place for mixing, manipulating, experimenting, and exploring the world. This center could also be called the "discovery center" because discovery is what science is all about. In the science center, children have opportunities to use all their senses as they explore nature and basic scientific principles. They learn geology as they examine different types of rocks. Chemistry is taught through mixing different substances together and watching the results. Botany is taught through watching how plants grow. The science center is an active lively place that is full of change and opportunities for wonder. If possible, locate the science center near a sink.

SENSORY CENTER: This center is most often called the "sand and water" area. It can be contained in a commercially built table or in plastic tubs. Be creative with many great textures such as oatmeal, "goop" or shaving cream. Using these media, children explore textures, consistencies, shapes, volume, concepts of empty and full, quantities and conservation. By adding various shaped cups, sand tools, aquarium nets and containers for pouring and measuring, children will be engaged in creative learning and enjoying themselves as well.

WRITING CENTER: As its name implies, the writing center is a place where children have opportunities to develop writing skills. Writing is an important part of literacy development and should be available to children each day as one of the free-choice center activities. Activities in this center may be teacher directed or open ended. While most children in prekindergarten are not ready to enter a formal writing program, they can benefit from a variety of experiences that emphasize the importance of letters, signs, and symbols. This center could have lots of paper, crayons, magic slates, chalk boards, chalk, markers, and pencils for drawing, scribbling, and other early writing experiences.

*Created by Georgia State Best Practices Project