If you are employed in a state that uses a registry to track professional development hours, you will be able to provide your registry ID (Stars, MOPID, Registry or other ECE ID#) after you have completed the quiz for the course. If you pass the quiz we will report your course completion to the state registry using the registry ID that you provide.

Design engaging and effective learning centers that support children’s development through purposeful play and exploration. Designed for early childhood professionals, this self-paced course explores the purpose of classroom centers, what materials to include, how to organize and arrange them, and strategies for using centers effectively. Through practical guidance and classroom examples, participants will gain the knowledge and confidence to create inviting learning environments that encourage independence, creativity, and meaningful learning. Course length – 3.0 hours.

This course helps answer the following questions:

• Why is it important to have centers?

• What centers should you have and what should be in them?

• How should items be organized in centers?

• How should centers be placed in the room?

• How should you use your centers?

• What are the benefits of each center?

Participants who successfully complete this course will be able to:

• Identify at least three benefits of thoughtfully planning and organizing classroom learning centers with 80% accuracy on the course assessment.

• Select at least three developmentally appropriate learning centers and materials based on the needs of a specific group of children.

• Identify at least two developmental benefits associated with each learning center presented in the course.

• Create a family-friendly message that explains the developmental benefits of at least three classroom learning centers.