What Do Preschoolers Learn During Center Time? A Look Inside Our White Plains Classrooms

Walk into one of our preschool classrooms at Kiddie Academy of White Plains and you may see children building with blocks, creating artwork, pretending to run a restaurant, working with puzzles, looking through books or exploring a hands-on activity with friends. To a child, it feels like play. But there is a tremendous amount of learning happening at the same time. At Kiddie Academy of White Plains, we believe young children learn best when they are actively engaged, curious and having fun. Classroom learning centers give children opportunities to make choices, explore ideas, practice new skills and interact with their teachers and classmates throughout the day.

What Is Center-Based Learning?

Learning centers are different areas of the classroom designed to encourage specific types of exploration and development. Depending on the classroom and activity, children might spend time in areas focused on:

• Dramatic and imaginative play
• Blocks and construction
• Art and creative expression
• Books and early literacy
• Math and manipulatives
• Science and discovery
• Fine-motor activities
• Puzzles and problem-solving

Teachers thoughtfully prepare these spaces with materials and activities that encourage children to investigate, create, communicate and think. The result is an environment where learning can happen naturally throughout the day—not only during teacher-led lessons or circle time.

Building Early Math and Problem-Solving Skills

A group of children building a tower may simply look like they are having fun with blocks. But as they decide which pieces will fit, compare sizes, count blocks and figure out why their structure keeps falling, they are practicing early math, engineering and problem-solving skills. Puzzles, sorting activities and manipulatives give children similar opportunities to recognize patterns, compare objects, develop spatial awareness and experiment with different solutions. Just as importantly, children learn that it is okay when something does not work the first time. They can try again, make an adjustment and discover a new solution.

Language and Early Literacy Are Everywhere 

Early literacy involves much more than sitting down with a book. During dramatic play, children create stories and talk with one another about the roles they are playing. In the block center, they may describe what they are building. At the art table, they explain their creations to teachers and friends. All of these conversations help children expand their vocabulary, organize their thoughts and become more confident communicators. Books, songs, classroom labels, storytelling and conversations with teachers provide additional opportunities for children to develop the language skills that will eventually support reading and writing.

Learning How to Be Part of a Community

Some of the most important lessons in preschool happen between children. When several children want the same toy or have different ideas about how to build something together, they have an opportunity to practice skills such as taking turns, sharing materials, expressing their ideas and listening to someone else’s perspective. With guidance from their teachers, children begin learning how to solve small conflicts, work together and participate as members of a classroom community. These social-emotional skills are an important part of preparing children not only for kindergarten, but for life.

Creativity Has an Important Place in the Preschool Day

There isn’t always one “right” way to complete an activity. Open-ended art materials, dramatic play, blocks and other classroom centers allow children to make their own choices and bring their ideas to life. One child may turn a cardboard box into a house while another sees a rocket ship. A painting may begin with an idea and become something completely different along the way. Giving children opportunities to create encourages imagination, flexible thinking and confidence in their own ideas.

Teachers Make the Learning Possible

While children are busy exploring, our teachers are actively supporting the learning taking place around them. They observe children’s interests, introduce new vocabulary, ask questions, provide appropriate challenges and help children make connections between what they are doing and what they already know. A teacher might ask, “What do you think will happen if we add another block?” or “How could we make this taller?” Questions like these encourage children to think more deeply without taking over the experience for them.

Preschool Should Feel Like Childhood

Families sometimes wonder how children can be preparing for kindergarten when so much of their preschool day includes play. The answer is that, in high-quality early childhood education, the two are not separate. Young children can build early academic skills while creating, imagining, experimenting, talking and playing with friends. Our goal at Kiddie Academy of White Plains is to create an environment where children are excited to participate, comfortable trying new things and encouraged to be curious about the world around them. Because when children are engaged and enjoying what they are doing, some pretty remarkable learning can happen.

Come See Learning in Action

If you’re looking for a preschool in White Plains or the surrounding Westchester community, we invite you to visit Kiddie Academy of White Plains and see our classrooms in action. During a tour, families can learn more about our curriculum, classroom environments and approach to early childhood education—and see how learning and play come together throughout the preschool day.