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Core Knowledge

Library & Listening

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to enjoy books and reading
print and book awareness
how to interpret illustrations to understand a story or get information
new information and knowledge
new vocabulary
to focus attention and listen
to make "mental pictures" from words
to recognize a few frequently repeated words

Adults can encourage play by:

reading stories aloud
talking about the story with children as it is read aloud - asking questions, pointing out illustrations, etc.
encouraging children to think about what is being read aloud by asking them to predict what will happen next, how it relates to their own experiences, to make up a new ending, etc.
asking children to retell or act out the story
show children how to work equipment (rebus direction cards) and turning pages with the signal

Woodworking

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to enjoy working with wood
to use his/her imagination to build something
to use language to communicate with others
to create or construct a project
organize and plan what is needed to carry out a project
new vocabulary
eye-hand and other fine motor skills
to see a task through to completion

Adults can encourage play by:

expanding & elaborating upon children's comments
asking questions to clarify what children are doing
redirecting children's comments & encouraging them to talk to one another
making comments about specific features of the construction
modeling how to use various tools and techniques
encouraging interaction among all children in the center
monitoring the center for safety
calling attention to reading & writing props & how they can be used

Blocks

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to think, plan & solve problems
to use his/her imagination to build something & to pretend play
to use language to communicate with others & to pretend play
to work cooperatively with other children on a common goal
mathematical concepts such as number, size, shape & patterns
scientific concepts, such as balance
eye-hand coordination in manipulating blocks

Adults can encourage play by:

expanding & elaborating upon children's comments
asking questions to clarify what children are doing
redirecting children's comments & encouraging them to talk to one another
making comments about specific features of the block construction
taking on imaginary roles & play with children
encouraging interaction among all children in the center
offering several possible choices or suggestions to prompt children if their pretend play starts to fade
calling attention to reading & writing props & how they can be used

Housekeeping and Dramatic Play

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

the roles of family members
the roles of others people in the community
to imitate "routine conversation"
to use language to communicate with others
new vocabulary
to express feelings
to use his/her imagination to make up "scenes" or stories
how to socialize and play with other children
mathematical concepts such as counting and one-to-one correspondence
fine motor skills when dressing, buttoning, zipping, etc.
pre-reading and pre-writing skills

Adults can encourage play by:

taking on imaginary roles and playing with the children
expanding and elaborating upon children's comments
asking questions to clarify what children are doing
redirecting children's comments and encouraging them to talk to one another
encouraging interaction among all children in the center
offering several possible choices or suggestions to prompt children if their pretend play starts to fade
calling attention to reading & writing props & how they can be used
assuming the role of narrator for impromptu plays or puppet shows

Sensory and Sand & Water

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

eye-hand coordination
to measure
to use several senses to explore the characteristics of materials
scientific concepts, such as properties of matter, floating & sinking, etc.
new vocabulary

Adults can encourage play by:

ensuring that children wash hands before & after play
monitoring play to be sure that it does not get out of hand
observing children's play & using explicit language to talk about what the children are doing
asking questions to clarify what the children are doing
asking children to make predictions ("Which things do you think will sink?")

Table Toys and Manipulatives

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

eye-hand coordination
to see a task through to completion
to compare objects that are the same & different
to discriminate colors, shapes, size & quantities
to sort & classify
to make patterns
to seriate
new vocabulary

Adults can encourage play by:

observing children's play & using explicit language to talk about what children are doing
asking question to clarify what children are doing
providing feedback
scaffolding children's efforts if they have difficulty

Science and Discovery

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to use a systematic process to explore materials
to use the senses to explore the characteristics of various materials
to compare objects that are the same or different
to discriminate colors, shapes, sizes and quantities
to sort and classify objects
to measure
to bar graph
about animals
about plants
about elements of the physical world
new vocabulary
to use drawings and words to represent observations and discoveries

Adults can encourage play by:

modeling the use of a systematic, scientific process
observing children's play and using explicit language to talk about what children are doing
asking questions to clarify what children are doing
asking children to make predictions
show children how to make a bar graph

Writing Center

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

the many functions of print - to write list, stories, notes, etc.
to represent ideas with pictures and written words
the link between spoken and written language
the letters of the alphabet
the associations between written letters and their sounds
how letters are grouped and sequenced to make simple words
to try inverted (phonetic) spelling
how to hold a writing utensil
fine motor control needed for writing

Adults can encourage play by:

talking dictations - writing down children's spoken words for stories, captions to draw, notes, etc.
asking children to "read" (describe) what they have drawn & written
play letter games with children - asking them to find a particular letter, helping them use moveable letters to copy written words, etc.
showing children how to hold a writing utensil
showing children how to write the letters in their name

Art

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to express himself or herself creatively & emotionally
to use his or her imagination
to follow directions
how to plan & carry out a project to completion
eye-hand coordination & other fine motor skills
about colors, shape & lines
new vocabulary
to represent an experience, object or scene from memory, using different media (NOTE: Children under 4 years old are generally less interested in using art to "represent something in real life;" they engage in art activities for sheer pleasure of sensory exploration-making marks with paint or crayons, molding clay, etc.)

Adults can encourage play by:

making supplies available
modeling how to use various tools and techniques (cutting with scissors, how to wipe off excess paint from brushes, how to clean brushes in water before using a new color, how to roll clay, etc.)
encouraging children to talk about their art work, describing the materials and techniques used, a story that their art may tell, etc.
offering to take dictation as children talk about their art
encouraging children to be autonomous and responsible-putting on their own smocks, using their symbols or name to identify art work, cleaning up, hanging up pictures to dry, etc.

Music

When a child plays here, he/she learns:

to enjoy music
to identify different musical instruments
to identify and associate sounds with the instruments that make them
to move to music, individually interpreting and modifying one's
to maintain the beat of a chant or song
new vocabulary

Adults can encourage play by:

expanding and elaborating on children's comments
asking questions to clarify what children are doing
redirecting children's comments and encouraging them to talk to one another
taking on imaginary roles and playing with the children
encourage interaction among all children in the center
calling attention to the reading and writing props and how they can be used