Classroom Learning Centres (Preschool and Primary Educators)

Grade Wise list of resources, hands-on activities for setting up centres in a toddler, pre-primary and primary classroom

Classroom centre is a designated area within the classroom that provides students with exciting and interesting experiences to practice, enrich, reteach and enhance their learning. Students visit these centres to learn through play and getting involved in different activities like Reading, Writing, Music and Movement, Creative Art , Sand and Dramatic Play. These centres allow children to understand the social world, develop communication skills, and build relationships.

It is a self contained section of the classroom in which students engage in independent and self directed learning activities. These centres allow easy access to a variety of learning materials in an interesting and productive manner. Centres are designed to enhance the learning of concepts, skills, themes or topics.

Learning centres are designed in accordance with the curriculum requirements of that grade. In pre primary classrooms, lessons are designed to make children :

• Curious

• Active

• playful

• imaginative

• creative

• independent

Whereas in primary grades, lessons are planned to focus and develop skills in:

• Classroom Management

• Literacy Concepts

• Numeracy Concepts

• Social Sciences

• Technical knowledge

• Creative Art

• Physical Well being

Therefore, these learning centres are created keeping in mind the requirements of children in the classroom for that particular grade.

There are various advantages of creating these learning centres. Discipline problems are reduced because groups are limited to a number which can reasonably function in each area. Classroom management is easier since children are in the area of their choice and interest. Children are engaged in hands-on activities as they explore and experiment by themselves.