HIGH FIVE!
January, 2011
Fifty nifty centers you can create in five minutes!
(Well, maybe fifteen minutes!)
Why?
- Use for independent, small group, or take home activities.
- Children have a choice and can work at their own level.
- Children develop social skills by learning to share and cooperate.
- Children learn responsibility and organizational skills.
- Children can repeat and practice skills.
How?
- You can make these yourself.
- You can ask parents to make these for you.
- You can share centers and rotate them with other teachers.
What?
- construction paper, poster board, stickers, old workbooks,
magazines
- digital camera, internet, art media, recycled
objects, small toys
- items you can find in a dollar
store or around your classroom
Where?
- Store in zip bags, manila envelopes, pencil boxes, plastic tubs,
diaper wipes, or other containers.
- Place on lunchroom trays or in hula hoops on the floor.
*Hint! Color code with stickers to indicate content area.
How?
- Put out bags for a center rotation.
- Number the bags 1-5
and have children do one each day.
- Give children a contract with the different bags listed. They can color in the squares as they complete the activities.
- Place several centers in tubs and rotate at different tables. Children can do the activities if they finish their work early.
- Store activities on a shelf so children can “revisit” them and skills can be reinforced.
- Let children “check out” centers to take home and do with their parents.
*Adapt these ideas to the age level, interests, and skills you are focusing on in your classroom!
