Learning Centers
Where children explore and practice new skills
Learning centers are designated classroom areas where the children practice a particular skill or skills, and also learn to work together. Teachers facilitate these guided learning experiences, moving among the children as they work in groups.
Each center provides children with an opportunity to solve problems, engage in imaginative play, organize their world, and use expressive language.
| Reading | Manipulatives |
| This center helps instill a love of books, starting even before children can read. Bright pictures and colors attract the children to books, and encourage them to look forward to reading. | Children develop their fine motor skills by picking up, sorting and arranging various items. These activities also help establish counting, basic math and vocabulary concepts. |
| Science | Sensory |
| Children explore, investigate and predict the outcomes of various actions – vital skills for school science experiments. | This center helps children expand their understanding of the world by experiencing colors, sounds and textures. The children develop new vocabulary to share and discuss experiences with their teachers, friends and families. |
| Construction | Art |
| This center uses imaginative play to encourage problem-solving and expression. Children also learn to cooperate while working on projects together. | Exploring color, shape, space and patterns stimulates both creativity and childrens vocabulary. |
| Writing | Dramatic Play |
| This center helps to forge the critical connection between the spoken word and the written word. Children are encouraged to explore and describe the world around them, enhancing their analytical skills. | Children love to dress up and play-act. These activities develop language, communication and self-expression. Role-playing activities also help develop problem-solving skills. |
