Center time is a major staple of a preschool program. And if you are running a play-based classroom like I am... free-play centers is the key ingredient!

But have you ever wondered.... how long should I schedule time in centers?

If you are half day program vs. a whole day program your center...

When you are running a play-based preschool classroom, centers are the core of the program.  Carefully planned centers create an environment for learning through play because play is not a break from hard work, play is a child's work!

But sometimes, as the teacher, wrapping your head...

Last week I shared the plan I use for changing out my preschool centers. Go and check it out if you haven't: When Center Time Gets Overwhelming. There are some good tips to lessening the overwhelm of changing out centers.

And keeping with that theme - today I want to share some tips and tricks to...

Do you want to keep your preschool center time fresh and engaging, but get overwhelmed at the thought of actually doing it?

I hear ya.... it's work!  But, what you need is a plan!

There are so many moving parts to center time that it can easily leave you feeling defeated before you even...

Are you a free-choice centers classroom?

How might you know?  Here are a couple of questions to consider....Do you allow children to choose which center to go to, rather than tell them where to go?  Do you allow children to move freely from center to center without asking or waiting for...

It's clean up time!!! Tell me...did your stress level just go up?!  Preschool clean up time is no fun at all.  Trying to get lots of littles to pick up the mess they made seems to be getting harder and harder, year after year. 

It seems like they will do anything to get out of...

One of our favorite items to use during center time in preschool is the light table.  Kids love things that light up - shoes, glow sticks or fun night lights - light brings another element of interest.  When I put a light table in our preschool classroom, it was an easy sell....

One of the most common questions that I get in regards to preschool centers is "Do you do free-choice centers or a rotation?".  While I have my own opinions on the topic, I think it's important to look at the pros and cons to everything you do in your classroom, as to make an educated...