Centers are the fun areas in your classroom where kids learn without knowing they are learning. I love centers and if you are not teaching through centers, I invite you to change your method of teaching.
Preschoolers are by nature highly social, creative, curious and talkative. They love doing things. Centers give you the chance to nurture all of these qualities.
Fall comes fast. I always stock my centers with activities to have in case I need them at a spur of a moment. It also makes planning in the mornings much easier because my supplies are close for the most part.
It is also a great idea to have these centers/supplies out when parents come to visit for meet the teacher day. It provides a fun environment for the kids that they will look forward to coming back to your class.
Without further talk, here is a list of supplies to keep in each center.
Art: paint, playdoh, glue, crayons, paper, scissors, chalk. If planned art activities go short, kids need to be able to grab some playdoh or crayons to keep doing art.
Math: counters of all sorts (these can be little cars, even), magnet boards with magnet numbers, puzzles, rulers, small marbles, tweezers, number lines, pattern blocks, film canisters with numbers on the outside and the right amount of objects inside.
Language: alphabet letters(these can be magnets, laminated, foam, sponges), alphabot boxes filled with small objects for each letter, paper, dabbers, small books to read.
Dramatic Play: This can be where you have your play kitchen set up or any kid furniture, be sure to have clothes, household objects such as phones or calculators. You can also have games such as bowling set or bean bags in this area.
Sensory table: rice, cornmeal, oatmeal, sand, cereal, cotton balls, paper to tear, and then you can add to it as themes are taught.
Listening Center: You need to have a Cd player and several books on Cd that you can switch out. Be sure to have a tent or blanket or special pillow or even a bean bag for the kids to sit in.
Manipulatives: this is a favorite for preschoolers! Blocks of any sort, cars and trucks, puzzles, large plastic animals, and peg boards.
Science: discovery bottles, magnets, magnifying glass, bubbles, slime, goo or gak.
These centers are all designed so that preschoolers can entertain their selves without much teacher interaction. This frees you up as a teacher to work one on one with the children or do a special project as a smaller group.
Setting centers up in advance gives you a chance to prepare for those "uh oh" days. In the end, preschoolers will remember these centers with their friends as opposed to any organized instruction.
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