I love to create fun themed math and literacy centers for my students because let’s face it, our students are asked to do SO much at such a young age, and sometimes they just need a little developmental play! I created these community helper centers as a fun way to integrate our literacy and math skills while we learn about community helpers in social studies.
These community helper centers will have your students begging to learn! They give your students an opportunity to play while practicing important kindergarten skills. It’s also a fun way to incorporate teaching your students all about the people who live and work in their community.
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Community Helpers Literacy Centers
I designed these centers to be used during anytime of the year, so the skills range from concepts your students can complete easily at the beginning of the year and skills that are more suited for the second half of the school year (or to differentiate for students who are ready!)
Fine Motor Handwriting Lines
Have your students work on tracing different lines to help build their fine motor muscles. These are important in helping young students improve their handwriting skills.
Alphabet Formation Practice
These x-ray letters helps your students form uppercase letters. To prep this center, you can cut white pipe cleaners into several sizes, keeping some straight and curving others. Your students will find the appropriate pieces to make each letter look like an x-ray. You can also have your students use white play-doh to form each letter. For added fun, I cut a plus sign out of red construction paper and taped it onto a white bag I picked up at the dollar tree. I put the letters inside the bag so my students can pick the letters out of it. They love pretend play and this center is no exception!
Lowercase Letter Formation
Your students can pretend to be dentists and clean those dirty teeth in this center! I placed the lowercase letter teeth cards on the bottom of a plastic tray and covered them with dried black beans. My students use a toothbrush to “clean” away the dirt and find the letters. Just remind your students not to put the toothbrush in their mouth 😉 If you find it too tempting, you can definitely do this center without the toothbrush. Once they find the letter, they use a dry-erase marker to trace it. They can use the toothbrush again to scrub the dry-erase marker off the letter.
Beginning Sounds Match
This center is always a favorite! I adhered velcro dots to the back of the picture stamps and in the corner of the postcards. My students stamp the postcard with the correct beginning sound stamp. You can also have your kiddos trace the letters on the postcard and write them on the lines. For added fun, I taped a mailbox onto the front of a small basket and have my students drop the postcards into the slot.
Sight Word Practice
These sight word cards are editable so you can add the words your students need to practice. They will read the word on the card, write it on the line, then build the word using the letters provided or you can have them use magnet letters instead.
Community Helpers Math Centers
One-to-one Correspondence
Have your students count “trash bags” to match the numbers on the trash trucks. You can use any tiny manipulative you have on hand. I also like to add the plastic tweezers from the Dollar Tree to this center for extra fine motor practice!
Number Formation
This center allows your students to practice number formation, one-to-one counting, and practice writing numbers.
Number Recognition Practice
Are you driving the speed limit?! The kiddos love this center activity! They roll the die (these large foam dice are from Dollar Tree!) and cover the number they rolled. You can have two students take turns rolling and covering using different colors. I also included an addition roll and cover page for your students who are ready to practice adding. They roll two dice, add the numbers together, and cover the sum.
Identifying Shapes
Another class favorite! I cut out the shape cookies and adhered a magnet strip to the back. Then I placed the shape mat onto a cookie sheet so the magnet cookies stick right on it! I found an oven mitt and spatula in my daughter’s toy box {shh…don’t tell her ;)} and made the chef hat out of a strip of bulletin board border and a piece of white tissue paper! Just staple the tissue paper along the bulletin board border and fluff it out a bit!
Addition and Subtraction Practice
I cut out some addition and subtraction equations and placed them in a small envelope. My students pick out an equation, write the sum on the envelope with dry-erase marker and either place it behind the correct mail truck or under it.
You can find all these centers (and more!) in my Community Helpers Centers on my website. Click the image below to find it in my shop!
Looking for more fun themed centers? Find my centers bundle on my website!
