Originally Posted by Willow:
I have a set up similar to what many described and pictured here but I don't call a designated space for a particular toy or grouping of toys, a center. Jmho but I don't think having a kitchen in the corner of a room, or blocks in a particular place can be described as "centers."
Centers to me are a way to describe a designated structure to the flow of learning. You go here you learn about colors. Next you will go here and learn about science. After that you'll switch with Billy and go learn about math. It's an extreme description I know, but it's also an extreme method/theory imo.
Not judging, but that is not what I do or offer. I don't believe it facilitates the idea that kids learn in a multitude of ways, not just the ways set before them by adults. I'd venture to say centers can actually be pretty self limiting for younger children in particular.
I agree, and although my space is neat and organized by type of activity, I allow free range choice/play. Yesterday a child was counting the manipulative counters I have in the block 'center', and another child was counting out pieces of pizza in the kitchen 'center' and another child was counting out hats in the dress up 'center'. So those things happen quite spontaneously in early childhood.
My son's prek has centers(he is now in K and went to prek 2 mornings/week to get him used to being away from me).The teacher would set up 6 areas of toys, and set a timer, when the timer went off, the children would rotate to the next center. No moving toys, no continuing to play. It helped (imo) to prep him for school because of the constant teacher led 'do this/do that', but that's not for me.