Language arts activity centers can promote a number of skills through activitie,s such as reading and writing. Reading centers often provide a carpeted area or table and chairs for children to sit and read. There should be a variety of books available, some with only pictures and some with pictures and simple words. Children can be encouraged to do a 'picture walk' by looking at all pictures in order and telling the story based on the pictures. Writing activities are another example of a language arts activity center idea. Writing centers should have tables and chairs for kids to sit. Kids can used blank sheets to practice printing letters, or teachers can provide sheets with 'traceable' letters for kids to print over themselves and then practice on their own.
Mathematics centers in kindergarten classrooms can focus on number recognition, counting and patterns. There are a variety of activities teachers can provide to students. Flash cards with numbers and pictures can show children what 'one' or 'five' looks like visually. Pattern block pictures are another example: print a variety of pictures and have students recreate the image using pattern blocks. Connect-the-dots pictures are another activity that demonstrate number recognition. Puzzles and counting blocks are other mathematical activities ideas.
Kindergarten children sometimes like to interact with unfamiliar objects. Science activities can introduce young children to real outdoor objects. An observation area is an example of a scientific center activity. Teachers can provide students with inanimate objects they can look at and touch: leaves, tree branches, rocks, seashells, bones, feathers, plants and seeds. Magnifying glasses and tweezers help children explore these objects further. Teachers can also provide an interactive science activity center where children can observe and draw objects, such as leaves. Other science activities include having a classroom pet and growing plants.
Art activity centers allow kindergarten children to express creativity without being graded. Painting and drawing centers are common and provide the opportunity for children to draw or paint whatever they choose using a variety of media such as markers, crayons, pencils and paint. Clay is another example of an art activity. Teachers can provide cookie cutters to students so that they can cut out shapes. Small motor scissor skills are important at this age. Teachers can give their students paper with pictures to cut out using safety scissors. This strengthens fine motor skills. Another common art activity is sand tables. These promote a sense of touch and encourage exploring and problem-solving.