KindergartenWorks: learning & playing - creating smart literacy centers to last all year

Why did I title this post learning and playing? Well, because in our classroom we know that literacy center time is a time for learning and playing to happen together. And we take that job seriously!

I have worked and re-worked my literacy centers, but I fall in love with them more each year as I tweak the process! I'm the kind of teacher who likes to work hard up front, but also work smart so that the effort I put in - lasts all year long. In saying that, my literacy centers do not change. They grow with my kinders as they grow by leaps and bounds. We use interactive, manipulative (which feels like play to kinders) ways of learning literacy. We have 15 different standards-based centers that work on many of the same skills but with varied materials - so every center feels unique to my kinders.

This post for now will focus on the general format of organization we use to make centers (and general clean up of it all) run as smoothly and interruption free as possible.

We use this large pocket chart that is attached with industrial strength double-sided tape to the closet door. It is a fixture that they can see from practically anywhere in our room. They rotate through four centers in about 1 hr.- 1 hr. 20 mins. (depending upon how long I'm pulling groups). Their name cards simply move and all center icons stay.

The cards are rotated left to right, down (and then back to the beginning). I have added arrows to show where they will be going to the next day. It is one lucky kinder's job to move them for the next day (and it's one thing off of my checklist.) One kinder just lovingly pointed out today as their light bulb went off, "Hey, it's a cycle!"

Kinders are great at using labels with pictures to put things away and find them again, so my classroom is covered! Many of the icons you see in the first photo above are put directly onto the container to provide lots of visual support. Centers can pretty much be done anywhere within the classroom, but my kinders often complete the activities wherever I first modeled them. They are routine-based creatures, aren't they? I'll admit - I am too!

Each center features a poster that models the choices they can make while at that center. I use the same icons as from the poster and laminate them. Using double sided super-sticky tape, they then become super durable labels to place on to baskets and cupboards so they know where to get things from and put them away.

Many of my literacy centers have been bundled up for you to purchase, and they have the materials needed along with the poster and work board icon to make it a complete package. But then, there are some centers who don't need tons of materials from me - rather, materials that you already have on hand. So, I've bundled these centers into a Literacy Center Poster and Workboard Icon set. For most of the centers the cupboard labels are included!

{Literacy Center Posters}

More Literacy Centers

playdough word work - substituting sounds in CVC words
puzzles - have on hand?
puppets - reading appropriate leveled texts in kindergarten
non-fiction literacy center
the write stuff

detective - read and write the room

How do you like to tie playing into learning in your classroom?

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- Leslie