From Bingo to Butterflies: How Play Sparks Learning at Glassell Park Early Ed Center

by Beatrice

At the Glassell Park Early Education Center, a group of six young children gathered around a small table playing bingo. But instead of the usual number-filled cards, they used geometric shapes in various colors.

When one child showed her card to teacher Ashley Ramirez, she encouraged the child, saying, “Now you say ‘Bingo!’”

“It looks like they’re just playing, but we’re actually teaching them,” explained Jorge Reyes, the center’s principal.

Play is a central part of the curriculum at L.A. Unified’s early education centers, which serve children aged 2 to 5. With more than 80 centers across the district, the programs aim to prepare young children for the structure they will experience when they transition to school, said Dean Tagawa, executive director of L.A. Unified’s Early Education Division.

These centers are open year-round and cater to parents’ work schedules. Children must be toilet-trained to enroll, though Reyes noted that even if a child is not fully potty-trained, they will still receive support.

To enroll, parents must be working, attending school, or actively looking for employment. Priority is given to low-income families, though higher-income families may also be admitted based on available space, with fees charged on a sliding scale.

The centers also accommodate children with special needs and provide access to special education programs, Tagawa added.

At the early education centers, children learn to interact with others and engage in group activities, but they are not required to stick to a single task. Instead, they have the freedom to explore different activities.

Children are taught to count, identify shapes and colors, and begin learning the alphabet. They also practice writing their names, according to Reyes.

In the outdoor classroom, children plant seeds and watch them grow into vegetables and fruits, which are later harvested and used in meals. Alfredo Iraheta, a teacher at the center, oversees the garden and integrates it into his lessons.

Nearby, several milkweed plants thrive near a composting area, giving children the opportunity to learn about the role these plants play in the life cycle of monarch butterflies.

While some children may cry on their first day, fearing they will not see their parents again, Reyes shared that by the end of the day, the tears often shift. “They cry because they don’t want to leave,” he said.

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