Every preschool classroom needs to have different activity stations or centers arranged around the room with themes such as science, reading, play, art and blocks. Before the school year begins, make sure your stations are set up and positioned effectively. Ideally, set up the stations around the edge of the classroom, leaving a large space in the middle for circle time. Set up the science station and the art station near the sink, as they are likely to be the messiest. Put the reading area in a corner away from louder activities. Make sure your stations are all labeled with large, easy-to-read lettering.
There is seemingly no end to the materials you need to complete a preschool classroom. Ensure that you have everything you need to get the year started off right. This means glue, Popsicle stick and paint for the art station, sand and water bins for science, plenty of books for reading and crayons and blank paper. You might also want to find some costumes for dress-up and other toys such as finger puppets, blocks and stuffed animals.
A preschool classroom should have bulletin boards around the room. Make sure you have wall material up before class begins. You probably want to find alphabet and number posters to pin up. You can also reserve space on a bulletin board to place vocabulary that you will try to teach throughout the year. Make sure to have plenty of posters with words on them so students can practice their reading all day long. Also leave space on the walls to display your students' work.
The front of the room should be reserved for circle time. This is the gathering place every time you want to assemble as a group and talk to the class. Make sure your circle time area is complete before the school year begins. You should have a calendar up on the wall to do the date every day, as well as a clock to teach the time. Have a weather wheel posted. Make a chart with every student's name so you can assign them tasks to do each week.