Fill the art center with a variety of materials children can use to create various works of art. Stock shelves with tempera paint, finger paint, watercolors, paintbrushes and unique items children can use as paintbrushes, such as cotton swabs, combs and toothbrushes. Include many sizes, colors and textures of paper. Fill tubs with crayons, markers and colored pencils. Provide craft glue and safety scissors, pom-poms, foam shapes, lace, sequins and glitter.
Stock the block center with wooden, plastic, linking and foam blocks in various colors, sizes and shapes. Place toy cars, street signs, trains, tracks, toy farm animals and tractors in the block center.
Create a literacy center filled with materials to promote reading and writing development. Fill bookshelves with a variety of picture books. Provide puppets children can use to retell stories they have heard. Stock alphabet coloring pages featuring items beginning with various letter sounds. Use dry-erase boards and letter-tracing worksheets for writing practice. Offer letter stamps and stickers for children to practice spelling their names and other basic words.
Arrange a play center that inspires children to act out real-life situations. Supply kitchen utensils, dishes, toy foods, baby dolls, doll clothes, strollers and toy cribs. Provide costumes, accessories and mirrors for children to dress up.
Make a science and discovery center. Place a sand and water table in the center, which can be filled with other materials as well, including dry rice, packing peanuts, torn paper or seeds. Provide items children can use to experiment with, such as sifters, colanders, shovels, buckets and eye droppers. Stock magnifying glasses children can use to examine leaves, rocks and seeds. Include magnets and magnetic and non-magnetic items in this center.
Provide a mathematics center with manipulatives children can use to practice counting and one-to-one correspondence. Stock small candies, small toys, coins and buttons. Place number worksheets in the center for children to color. Include items that can be sorted based on their attributes or used to practice making patterns, such as colored feathers, blocks and foam shapes.
Arrange a fine motor development center with items that help to develop the small muscles of the hands. Include lacing cards, puzzles and beads to string onto yarn. Offer clothespins and tweezers children can use to pick up small items, such as craft pom-poms, cotton balls and beads. Set out bowls of paper clips, which children can link together to make chains.