Children should be walking freely about, engaged in activities in small groups in each teacher-designed area. The teacher will have set up an activity at a center and explained to the children, and conversation should be taking place among the preschoolers. A preschool classroom should never be a quiet place, unless the teacher is speaking or the children are listening all together. Much language development occurs as children converse among themselves.
An important center is a book-nook, or reading or literacy center. No matter what it's called, this is an area where children can explore books and be introduced to reading. There should be age-appropriate books and cushions or comfy chairs for kids to sit in while they "read." Paper, crayons, pencils should be out on a table for children to practice drawing and writing.
Dramatic or "pretend play" is an important part of the preschool curriculum. This area should be supplied with dress-up clothes, toys, a kitchen area with dishes and make believe food and other props to encourage dramatic play. Preschoolers who engage in dramatic play learn about sharing and taking turns, and develop an understanding of symbols, an underlying tool for reading and writing.
An area with manipulative equipment where a child can build with Legos or place pegs in a board, use blocks of different sizes and shapes and string beads will help children practice their hand eye coordination and planning and problem solving skills. Often, the blocks are used as tools for teaching important math concepts and relationships.
An art center should be well supplied with easels, paints, brushes, colored paper, safety scissors and paste. Old magazines for cutting up and clay are nice additions to the art center. With some teacher direction, the preschoolers will quickly learn what goes where and will become quite competent at keeping the area tidy.
An area with manipulative equipment where a child can build with Legos or place pegs in a board, use blocks of different sizes and shapes and string beads will help children practice their hand eye coordination and planning and problem solving skills. Often, the blocks are used as tools for teaching important math concepts and relationships.
An art center should be well supplied with easels, paints, brushes, colored paper, safety scissors and paste. Old magazines for cutting up and clay are nice additions to the art center. With some teacher direction, the preschoolers will quickly learn what goes where and will become quite competent at keeping the area tidy.
A free play area where children can jump, crawl, ride bikes, bounce balls will help children with large muscle development. In some schools, this area may be outdoors or in a gym.
Much research has been done in the area of preschool education. In most states, children are not required to attend school until they are six years old. Preschool has been found to improve cognitive and social development, especially in children from low-income homes. Head Start is an example of an outstanding preschool program with demonstrated success. Generally, the very best preschool classrooms are attached to universities.