In this video, Gina from autismhelper.com provides a guided walkthrough of her inclusive Pre‑K classroom, detailing how she organizes and runs learning centers. She explains the picture‑name tag system that lets children select a center, the capacity limits per center, and the flexibility to switch due to short attention spans. Gina emphasizes the expectation that children clean up before moving, describing hand‑over‑hand assistance for those who struggle. She then describes each center: a reading area with puppets, puzzles, books, and word cards; a writing area stocked with varied paper, letter pegs, magnetic and dry‑erase boards; a social‑studies corner with local pamphlets and a CD player; a Cozy Corner for sensory regulation with deep‑breathing tools; a block area introduced gradually with cleaning support; a dramatic‑play kitchen with real food items and a messy‑clean‑up routine; and a science‑and‑math center featuring shape, color, number puzzles and matching cards. Finally, she explains how dividers are used to close all centers during circle time and reopen them afterward. The tour showcases practical, inclusive strategies for managing a dynamic early‑childhood classroom.
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Hi everyone, this is Gina from autismhelper.com. I just wanted to give you a little tour of my centers. A lot of you have been asking how I run it. So down here I have made pictures of all the centers that I have, and in this little bag over to the left, there are student picture names in there. So the students know that when they come and check their green centers tag on their schedule, they put it in a basket and then they come and find their picture and and they put it on the place where they want to go. And I try to only allow a certain number of people in each center, and once it's full with all the faces, they know that they have to wait for it to open back up again. I do let them switch because they're very little and their attention span isn't too long, and I want them to be able to feel free to move around. I just ask that they clean up before moving to a center. So let's give a little tour. This is our reading center. Puppets, puzzles, books, little word cards. This is our writing center. So lots of different types of paper available, little letters that they can put pegs in, magnetic boards, dry erase boards. All their materials. We did work up to this. This is social studies. So they have little pamphlets of local places in the area that they can look through and pretend to explore. CD player, how to teach them about that. Here is Cozy Corner. So again, little work cards that match the area. We have to teach them how to use this area, um, if they feel like they need to come here and take a deep breath and blow out the candle. And then here's some more materials that they can use. A lot of kids just come in here and kind of sit down. Over here is my block area. Lots of different blocks that we worked up to using. Obviously this wasn't something that we put out all together in the beginning. Um, as we get new students, we just have to watch them and help them learn how to use them properly, how to clean up. If you have a kiddo who doesn't like cleaning up, we we just do hand-over-hand cleaning and at least get them to do a few pieces with us. So there's some more train tracks, more animals they can play with, lacing cards, all different types of things to play with, and blocks. My crib's broke, so the baby dolls are sleeping up here. Next is the kitchen area. They love this area, has dramatic play in it, lots of real food items, cabinet with clothes. Very messy right now, but my task is that they clean up. This is my science and math center. So we have different shape puzzles, colors, numbers, little cookie game. Again, matching math cards that go with the center shapes, science words. All different types of little materials. And when we're ready for this, I just turn it around that way they can use that center. So during circle time it's closed, so we just move it back around and close it up like that. So during the day all my centers are closed with the dividers, and then we open them up. So that is just a little tour of all my centers. Hope you enjoy!
