Difference between Kindergarten Centers and Investigation Areas
What is the difference between kindergarten centers and investigation areas? Discover tips, strategies, and examples in this blog post and create engaging learning areas that meet curriculum goals through hands-on learning.
Ever wondered what the difference is between a kindergarten center and an investigation area? For many kindergarten teachers, these terms can be a bit confusing. So in this blog post we will explore exactly what these two types of learning activities are and when it’s most effective to use each one.
As play-based teachers, we strive to balance structured, skill-focused learning with child-led, open-ended exploration. Kindergarten centers and investigation areas can complement each other, and there’s a place for both in any play-based classroom setting.
Kindergarten centers are structured. They are teacher-directed spaces that target specific skills, ensuring students are working on teacher planned activities specifically designed to meet particular curriculum content.
Investigation areas are more open-ended. They invite children to explore materials based on their interests and developmental needs. These areas are still thoughtfully planned and set up by the teacher to connect with the curriculum and provide meaningful learning experiences.
Both approaches are powerful when used intentionally and both are designed to align with curriculum goals. In my experience, both kindergarten centers and investigation areas significantly boost student engagement.
Keep reading to gain clarity on these terms and discover what you need to do to set up and make the most of both types of learning spaces.
Whether you're aiming to sharpen skill development or spark creativity through exploration, this blog post will help you create an engaging kindergarten classroom environment that supports all your students.
What is a Kindergarten Center?
Kindergarten centers play an essential role in providing focused practice that targets specific curriculum standards. By setting up differentiated activities that align with these standards, you can ensure that your students receive the repetition and practice needed to build a strong foundation in key academic areas.
These centers are especially effective during the beginning of the year when students are learning routines and foundational skills.
Unlike free-play or exploration-based areas, kindergarten centers are purposefully structured by the teacher to ensure that students focus on completing specific tasks to deepen their understanding of essential concepts through hands-on practice.
Centers can include tools like magnetic letters for literacy activities or math manipulatives to help develop number sense and other math concepts.
Types of Centers
There are various types of centers that teachers can set up in their classrooms to address different aspects of learning. Common examples you'll find during center time include:
Math Centers: Activities that develop counting, sorting, pattern-making, and other math skills. These can include activities like counting manipulatives, number puzzles, or math games.
Literacy Centers: Stations that encourage students to practice literacy concepts like phonics, reading, writing, and vocabulary. Examples include phonological awareness activities, letter identification games, activities with CVC words, sight words games and reading or writing practice.
Fine Motor Centers: Tasks like threading beads, cutting with scissors, or using tweezers to enhance fine motor skills. These tasks are fine motor practice activities to ensure that students get lots of practice in developing their coordination.
I often use center rotations during our daily small group time.
My center management system consists of four developmental groups, each with planned activities that students rotate through. This system allows students to experience a variety of differentiated learning tasks in one session.
During these small groups rotations, one group always works directly with me for an explicit teaching lesson, and sometimes a teacher aide works with another teaching group, while the remaining two groups are working at center activities. They might be using task cards for independent work or working at fun centers as a group. Either way, they are usually consolidating particular skills from previous lessons.
Educational Support
Centers are a great time for you to offer structured yet engaging learning opportunities that give your young students a chance to deepen their understanding of essential concepts - and it is all done through hands-on practice.
Example: Successful Literacy Center Activity
One successful example of a kindergarten center activity is one we did using my Compound Word Clip Cards. These cards are specifically designed to develop phonological awareness skills by practising the blending and segmenting of compound words.
During one of our group rotation activities, I introduced the picture cards to my young students, guiding them as we used the clip cards to identify individual words and combining them to form compound words. This hands-on activity was an entry level phonemic awareness activity giving my students essential practice in blending sounds to form words.
After completing the group rotation activity with me, the next week, I set up a new center with the Compound Word Clip Cards. My students were excited to revisit the activity independently. They used the cards to clip and match word pairs to form compound words. This extra practice was a great way for my students to consolidate the skills learnt the week before.
My students were engaged and on task because they knew what to do and how to do it. This literacy center not only reinforced their phonemic awareness skills, but also a built a sense of accomplishment as they successfully completed the activity on their own.
Kindergarten centers, such as this literacy-focused one, allow for targeted practice in specific skills while also fostering autonomy and maintaining a level of fun that keeps students motivated to learn.
What is an Investigation Area?
An investigation area is an open-ended, child-led learning space where students are free to explore materials without rigid directions or assigned tasks.
While these areas are often aligned with the curriculum, they allow for student choice. They do not include a mandatory “must-do” component, so children can follow their interests and explore the activities at their own developmental levels.
Investigation areas encourage curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, giving students the opportunity to explore, discover, and experiment in a guided yet flexible environment - making them an ideal (if not essential) part of any kindergarten classroom daily routine.
Types of Investigation Areas
Investigation areas can be tailored to various aspects of learning and can include:
Nature Table: A space where children can observe, touch, and learn about natural elements like leaves, rocks, shells, and plants.
Art Corner or Makerspace: An area equipped with a variety of art and collage materials for creative expression and exploration.
Block Play: An open-ended area for constructing and problem-solving with building blocks.
Sensory Play: Activities involving tactile experiences such as sand, water, or sensory bins filled with different textures.
Dramatic Play: An area where children can role-play, act out scenarios, and develop social skills through pretend play.
Small World: Miniature setups that allow children to engage in imaginative play with small figurines and props.
Educational Support
Investigation areas are deeply rooted in research and educational theories that value child-led learning.
Kathy Walker’s Walker Learning approach emphasises the importance of incorporating students’ interests and developmental needs into learning environments, making investigation areas an essential element of a play-based pedagogy.
Similarly, the Reggio Emilia approach where children are seen as capable of constructing their own learning recommends setting up investigation areas that provoke thought, curiosity, and interaction.
Research has also shown that open-ended play fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, supporting children’s cognitive and social-emotional development. You can support individual learning journeys and developmental growth by allowing children to make choices and explore resources and materials in their own way.
Example: Child-Led Exploration at the Block Play Area
An example from my own classroom illustrates the beauty and flexibility of investigation areas.
We were learning about patterns in maths, so I decided to add loose parts to the block play area.
In my mind, I thought the children would use the loose parts to create patterns. This was my intention but I accepted that the children would explore these materials in their own way. Adding the loose parts would naturally provoke the children to link our maths focus to their exploration.
Most students did just that, arranging the materials into simple and complex patterns. However, as expected, some children took different approaches: a few chose to sort the loose parts into categories, practising an essential pre-requisite skill for pattern-making, while others created pictures with the loose parts, expressing their creativity and imagination.
This is the true beauty of investigation areas - every child can work with the materials at their developmental level, practising the skills they need to develop and finding success in their own unique way. The individual needs of your students are naturally met.
Whether they are creating patterns, sorting, or designing - investigation areas support differentiated learning and help children build confidence as they discover new ideas and abilities.
How Are They the Same?
While kindergarten centers and investigation areas have their unique characteristics, they share common goals that make them both valuable components of a play-based classroom.
Both provide important skills through carefully selected activities that allow individual students to grow and practise essential skills.
Understanding these similarities can help you get the most from each.
Shared Goals
Both kindergarten centers and investigation areas are designed to support child development and meet curriculum objectives. The teacher intentionally selects materials and activities that align with developmental and educational goals for both types of spaces.
Whether through structured, teacher-directed activities or open-ended exploration, both types of areas are set up with a clear purpose:
to engage students
deepen their understanding
and foster a love for learning.
Both approaches promote active participation, giving children the opportunity to build on their existing knowledge and skills.
Through thoughtful design and planning, you can create environments that encourage curiosity, exploration, and growth while still ensuring curriculum standards are met.
Cross-Curricular Integration
One of the most powerful aspects of centers and investigation areas is their ability to integrate learning across different subjects.
For example, teachers can create a cross-curricular investigation area that combines literacy and science by setting up a table with books about insects alongside a sensory bin filled with bark, stones, plants, and toy insects. This setup invites children to explore scientific concepts while also developing literacy skills as they browse through the books or talk about what they observe.
Similarly, a kindergarten center can be designed to blend literacy with science. In a structured center, children could match pictures of various insects with sentences that contain scientific facts about them. This not only reinforces reading and comprehension skills but also enhances their understanding of scientific content and vocabulary.
Skill Development
Both hands-on centers and investigation areas contribute significantly to the development of essential skills.
These spaces encourage children to practice creativity and critical thinking as they work with materials in different ways, whether through constructing, creating, or problem-solving.
Both also foster collaboration and communication as children work together on group tasks or rotate through activities that require teamwork. Children learn to negotiate roles, share ideas, and support one another’s learning as they work together in these spaces.
Both types of learning spaces also enhance problem-solving skills by allowing children to encounter challenges and experiment with solutions. Whether they are building a block tower that keeps falling or figuring out how to match sentences with pictures, these experiences build resilience and critical thinking.
By intentionally planning both kindergarten centers and investigation areas, teachers can create a well-rounded classroom environment that supports creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving.
How Are They Different?
While kindergarten centers and investigation areas share the common goal of supporting child development and aligning with curriculum objectives, they differ significantly in structure, the role of the teacher, and sometimes learning objectives.
Understanding these differences can help you determine when to use each type of space for the most effective learning outcomes.
Structure vs. Flexibility
The most notable difference between kindergarten centers and investigation areas lies in their structure.
Centers are highly structured, teacher-directed spaces where specific activities are planned with clear procedures and learning outcomes in mind. These activities are designed to guide students in practising and reinforcing particular skills, such as counting, reading, or fine motor development.
For example, a math center might include counting manipulatives or number puzzles that directly target specific numeracy skills.
Investigation areas, on the other hand, are open-ended and flexible. While they are still aligned with the curriculum, they don’t have a strict “must-do” component or specific outcomes that must be achieved. These spaces invite children to explore materials and ideas at their own pace and according to their interests.
For example, an art corner or makerspace allows children to experiment with various tools and materials without prescribed instructions, fostering a more organic and creative learning experience.
Role of the Teacher
The teacher’s role differs greatly between centers and investigation areas.
In kindergarten centers, teachers take on the role of instructors. They plan and guide activities, ensuring that students complete tasks correctly and achieve the targeted learning outcomes. The teacher may circulate among groups, providing direct instruction, feedback, and assistance as needed.
In investigation areas, the teacher acts more as a guide or facilitator. Rather than directing students through activities, teachers set up the space with carefully chosen materials that suggest possible explorations and provide subtle scaffolding.
They observe students’ interactions, ask open-ended questions to deepen thinking, and offer gentle guidance to support learning. For instance, if children are exploring patterns using loose parts in a sensory area, the teacher might say, “That is interesting. What might happen if you add these materials to your pattern?” Questions are purposefully asked to spark further investigation.
This shift in roles allows for a balance of teacher-led and child-led learning. While centers provide structured, focused practice, investigation areas allow children to take the lead, with teachers stepping in to scaffold and support as needed.
Learning Objectives
The learning objectives for kindergarten centers and investigation areas can also differ.
Centers are used when a skill-focused approach is needed. These structured spaces are ideal for practising specific skills that align with curriculum standards, such as phonics, handwriting, or counting. For example, a literacy center with phonics games can help students practise decoding, reinforcing their reading skills.
Investigation areas, by contrast, are most beneficial when the goal is exploration and deeper learning through inquiry. These areas allow students to make connections across different subject areas and build critical thinking skills.
For instance, an investigation area with a nature table that includes books, plants, and magnifying glasses can promote scientific inquiry while also encouraging literacy and observational skills.
The open-ended nature of investigation areas supports children at their individual developmental levels, enabling them to choose activities that resonate with their interests and learning needs.
In essence,
centers are perfect for reinforcing specific, targeted skills through structured practice
investigation areas are best for fostering independent exploration and holistic learning experiences.
By understanding these differences, you’ll be able to get the most from both types of learning experiences.
Choosing the Right Approach for Your Classroom
Finding the right balance between structured centers and open-ended investigation areas is key to creating a dynamic, play-based classroom.
Both approaches serve important purposes in fostering different aspects of student learning and development. Here’s how to effectively incorporate both into your teaching practice.
Guidelines for Balance
To maximise the benefits of both learning centers and investigation areas, consider using centers for group rotations and specific skill-building activities. These structured activities are perfect for practising curriculum-aligned skills in a focused, teacher-guided setting.
For example, dedicating time during the day to math or literacy centers will allow your students to independently work on targeted skills while you explicitly teach another small group of children.
Equally important is making time for open-ended exploration through daily investigation sessions.
Research and best practices suggest that children should have at least 45 minutes of dedicated investigation time each day. This allows them to engage deeply with materials and activities at their own pace, promoting creativity, critical thinking, and independence. Scheduling this daily block ensures that students have the opportunity to develop holistically, connecting different areas of learning through their explorations.
Supporting Research
The value of balancing structured and open-ended learning is supported by educational approaches such as Reggio Emilia and Walker Learning.
The Reggio Emilia approach highlights the importance of the environment as the “third teacher,” encouraging child-led exploration and inquiry through thoughtfully prepared spaces. This philosophy aligns with the concept of investigation areas, where children are free to explore and construct their own learning experiences.
To learn more about setting up your learning environment to be a third teacher, check out this blog post: Environment as Third Teacher
Kathy Walker, the founder of the Walker Learning Approach, also emphasises the importance of balancing intentional teaching with student-led investigations. According to Walker, “The lower years of primary school require concrete, hands-on , investigation-based experiences balanced with intentional teaching.”- Play Matters, p.7
Incorporating both centers and investigation areas aligns with these research-backed approaches and will help you build a comprehensive and engaging learning environment.
Want to Learn More?
To learn more about integrating these strategies into your classroom, check out these helpful resources:
These posts offer deeper insights into setting up both structured and open-ended spaces and explain how they contribute to a well-rounded play-based classroom.
To make implementing investigation areas easier and more effective, explore All My Investigations Products. These resources are designed to help you set up purposeful and engaging spaces that align with your curriculum and support student-led learning. They provide a variety of activities and materials that encourage exploration, creativity, and critical thinking, ensuring your students stay engaged and inspired.
Bringing It All Together: The Power of Balanced Learning Spaces
Understanding the distinctions between kindergarten centers and investigation areas can greatly enhance the way you plan and structure your play-based classroom.
Kindergarten centers are structured, teacher-led spaces designed to target specific skills and align with curriculum standards, making them ideal for focused practice and explicit teaching.
In contrast, investigation areas offer open-ended, child-led exploration that encourages curiosity, creativity, and deep learning, guided by teacher support and connected to curriculum goals.
Both approaches will bring immense value to your teaching practice.
Centers provide the structure and repetition needed for skill-building, while investigation areas allow children to explore at their own pace, following their interests and practising critical thinking and problem-solving.
Together, they create a rich and dynamic learning environment that not only meets curriculum objectives but also supports the holistic development of your students.
By integrating both centers and investigation areas in your classroom, you'll be creating a dynamic classroom that fosters student independence and engagement while also meeting curriculum goals.
For an in-depth guide on setting up both purposeful kindergarten centers and investigation areas, download my Free Guide to Play-Based Learning and get ready to set up fun activities that support your students' learning throughout the entire year.
This free resource will walk you through the process, helping you create engaging, curriculum-aligned spaces that foster student engagement and cater to their developmental needs.