The dramatic play center can be transformed every few weeks into a new type of play area. One week it might be a grocery store where children can pretend to shop. Another week it can be turned into a jungle with stuffed animals, paper bag safari vests and toy cameras. Include a dress-up chest in the center along with an area to play with themed props and toys. Hang posters on the wall to accompany the weekly theme.
Make the reading center in a day care site a warm, inviting place for children. Fill it with beanbag chairs or large cushions for kids to sit on while reading. Keep the shelves low and have books placed on them with the covers facing out. Consider having recorded books with headphones that younger children can listen to or even music for quiet time. You can also put stuffed animals in the reading center so that children can read to their "friends."
Childhood wouldn't be complete without blocks. Create a building center in a day care site where children can create with a variety of items. These might include large cardboard blocks, smaller wooden blocks, a sandbox with sand tools, Tinkertoys or Lincoln Logs. Legos are another favorite and will occupy some children for hours. Bins are a handy way to store the many pieces that you'll need for a building center. They also make it easier for kids to clean up after themselves.
A great arts and crafts center needs three things to really spark the creativity of the children using it. The first is a well-stocked selection of craft objects. These can include craft sticks, clay, buttons, stickers, construction paper, markers, kid-safe scissors, washable paint, cotton balls, pipe cleaners and craft foam. The second element to a great arts and crafts area is ample work space. This might include a place to spread out on the floor, an easel and a table. Thirdly, a place for children to display their masterpieces either until the end of the day or for a longer period of time.
A home life center teaches important life skills to kids. This area might include a child-size play kitchen with dishes, flowers and a plastic vase for arranging the flowers, dolls, and boards with practice zippers, buttons and ties. Instead of limiting the home life area to just toy objects, consider making it a practical learning center. Hold snack time in the home life area and have kids take turns preparing the snack, serving it and cleaning up afterward.