The organization of the learning center routine keeps the students on track to maximize center time. Establish ground rules for the centers. This might include things like the order of doing things, staying in that specific center area and cleaning up all of your materials before moving onto a different center. The arrangement of the centers also plays a role in their success. If the centers are too close, you're more likely to have distracted children and mixed up materials. Use physical dividers, such as book shelves or freestanding cardboard screens.
Learning centers typically allow children the freedom to select the activities they want to do. A framework for choosing a center helps encourage the kids to try different centers. The specific system you use for rotation depends on the kids. Some groups are happy to move to different centers without rushing. Others might need more structure to know when to switch to a different activity. You might set a timer to indicate when the kids should move. This ensures the kids stay at one center long enough to complete the activity thoroughly while still trying different things.
A name tag system keeps the number of kids at the centers manageable. Decide how many students you want at each learning center and place that number of hooks near the center. When the kids choose a center, they place their name tags on one of the hooks. If all of the hooks are full, they must find a different center until a spot opens.
The supplies for each center should be fully stocked and ready to go at the beginning of the period. Keep the materials in a location that is easy to access for both you and the kids. Plastic containers with lids work well because all of the materials are kept together in one spot. Clean up is simple for the kids, who know they need to place all of the materials back in the container. You should also consider storage for the materials when the centers aren't in use. Choose a location that won't tempt the kids to mess with the items when they're aren't supposed to.