What is the one question I get asked more than any other? How do you set up centers for kindergarten? (or any grade!) In particular math and literacy centers. It seems like there is lots of information out there for literacy centers but little for math centers. So this post will give you some insight into how we run our math centers.
Some things you will see throughout this post and our center management system are:
CHOICE! FREEDOM! CONTROL!
The key to our center management system is THE CENTER WHEEL!

The wheel is a simple visual way for my students to know what math center/workstation/hippopotamuses they go to. It’s kid-friendly. It’s teacher friendly.

The groups are NOT the same as my small math groups.
So, it’s time for math centers. How do math centers for kindergarten work?
1. Check the basket.
2. If you have work to finish, you must finish the work first.
3. If you don’t have work, check the wheel.
4. Get to work!
Math Centers: Check the wheel!
So our center choices are: Math baskets, ten frames/graphing, math the room, Technology and Sensory Bin/Light Box
Math Centers: Math Tubs/Math Baskets


Math The Room




Sensory Bin and Lightbox


Technology: QR Codes
Give them control and the choice.
A few other tidbits of information…
Math centers last for 30-40 minutes!
THE PROCESS STAYS THE SAME. THE SKILLS AND CLIPART CHANGE BUT “THE HOW” IS THE SAME. THIS MEANS AFTER OCTOBER THE STUDENTS CAN GRAB A CENTER AND DO IT TOTALLY INDEPENDENTLY BECAUSE WE’VE LEARNED HOW TO DO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CENTER ACTIVITIES! AGAIN, THIS KEEPS CENTERS TEACHER AND STUDENT FRIENDLY AND WE DON’T LOSE TIME EACH MONDAY EXPLAINING NEW CENTERS!

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2 comments
Hello Mr. Greg!
Obviously you have a variety of bin and they are colored coded. I’m sure each been has a different activity. So my question is, how many activities do you have to make. I’m assuming if you have 15 bins, you have 15 different activities/centers going?
Thanks,
Adriana
That is correct!