Adding a reading center to your classroom is an excellent way to promote a life-long love for books. Reading centers should offer books in a variety of shapes and sizes and should ideally contain brightly colored letters, numbers and illustrations to promote curiosity and encourage reading. Books should be placed within easy reach and book shelves should be no higher than a typical preschool aged child's eye-level. Add large, brightly colored pillows in the reading center to create a quiet area conducive to reading.
Creative play centers allow children to express themselves as they learn. Creative play centers should be in an area that is separate from quieter areas such as reading and math areas and should contain an assortment of toys and dress-up clothes. Puppets and dolls make excellent additions to a creative play center, as they help to foster imagination. Other resourceful toys include pretend kitchen sets and plastic plates and spoons, which can help the child to mimic the world around her.
Adding a math center to your preschool classroom can help children to understand the importance of math and how it affects their daily lives. Math centers should be kept as simple as possible and contain items that are easily counted. Plastic and small wooden blocks, pick-up-sticks, marbles and dice make excellent tools that allow a child to practice addition and subtraction and should be kept separately in plastic bins covered with lids. Simple, easy to understand math-related flash cards should also be available.
Art centers are creative ways to encourage creative thinking and the distinction of colors. Play-dough, washable markers, crayons, construction paper and watercolors allow a child to foster his creativity and his individual creations help to develop self esteem. As with the creative play centers, arts centers should be in an area that is opposite quieter centers such as reading and math. To protect clothing and encourage neatness, plastic smocks or aprons should be used during each art session.