What does your child learn through play?

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, “Play is essential to development because it

contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children.” Each early childhood
learning center teaches children valuable skills.
Block center: The block center introduces many
math concepts. As children explore blocks, they
focus on shapes and sizes. They learn about
volume as they explore how many blocks can fit
into a space. As children lift and stack blocks,
they are exploring different weights. Children
also learn problem solving skills as they build
with blocks, social and language skills as they
talk with others around them, and an
understanding of the world around them.
Art center: The art center provides opportunities
to explore new materials. It also allows children
to express themselves, develop fine motor skills
as they grip materials, learn colors, explore new
textures, and develop emotional skills as they
show pride in their work. They develop social and
language skills as they talk with others and
explain their work.
Dramatic Play: The dramatic play area allows
children to pretend and take on different roles.
This is a very important part of children’s
development. Children develop
vocabulary/language skills as they play with
others. They learn social skills, problem solving
skills, and abstract thinking as they play pretend.
Children recall and re-create their real-life
experiences. Children also learn to cooperate
with others and talk through their interactions.
Library/Literacy center: The library is a
wonderful center that offers many skills to
children. The library/literacy center helps
children gain the foundation for reading and
writing. It also offers an area for children to go to
relax. Children can explore books, retell stories,
and create their own written versions of stories. It
allows children to develop listening skills. This
center also develops many language skills,
including rhyme awareness, alliteration, and
letter recognition. Children also learn how to
piece information together and make predictions.
Science/Discovery center: Children often have
many questions about the world around them.
The science/discovery center offers an area for
children to explore and investigate these
questions and find answers. Children learn many
skills through this area, including observation,
experimenting, problem solving skills, trial and
error, plus many more. As children play in the
science/discovery area, children are scientists.
They learn and practice the same skills as a
scientist.
Sensory center: Many people often overlook the
importance of the sensory center. When your
child is playing in the sensory center, they are
developing many skills. Children learn math
skills as they explore measurements. Children
learn science skills as they determine what the
materials feel like and explore how items float or
sink. Children are practicing art as they make
designs in sand. Children can explore, make
predictions, and test hypothesis while in the
sensory center.

As we know, young children learn better through “doing” and each learning center of an early childhood
classroom promotes valuable skills for children.