Manipulatives for Center Time

Manipulatives can be what makes an early childhood classroom center fun or what can make is boring.  Fun, creative manipluatives that promote critical thinking can create a learning center that becomes an effective learning tool.  When creating a high interest center look for manipulatives that can be used for a variety of activities.  In my first grade classroom, there are several items that I consider a “must have” for my centers.

Unifix cubes - I believe that unifix cubes are perhaps the best manipulative.  They can be used for almost any subject area ranging from literacy activities to science experiments.  Some activities might include using the blocks to identify a word during a listening center, creating patterns for a math center, and using scales for a science activity.

Figurines – There are a variety of figurines that can used for many different types of learning centers.  These manipulatives can encourage students to retell stories, count, and use their imagination.  For instance, if you are reading a story about farm animals, set out several tubs of animal figurines and have a student retell the story for the class and then have it be a literacy center during reading group time.

Sorting manipulatives – Sorting is a skill that encourages fine motor development as well as teach visual discrimination.  There are a variety of items you can use for sorting such as plastic shapes, beads, and cubes.

If learning centers are part of your daily routine, make sure that you have the manipulatives that you need to make the center activities meaningful and fun.  The above items are versatile and can be used in a variety of ways.

We always love to hear from you!  Tell us what your favorite manipulatives are and how you incorporate them into your center activities.  www.k12schoolsupplies.com