A game center is an excellent way to encourage hands on exploration, teamwork, cooperation and learning in your preschool classroom. Here is a list of games that are essential tools for your preschool classroom:

1. University Games Brown Bear-Panda Bear, What Do You See?- This game by University Games is a perfect curricular tie in to the Eric Carle classic books. This game is simple, and it reinforces the basics of rhyming and sequence. Place this game in a center with Eric Carle Bear books, as well as stuffed bears. This game is great for helping preschoolers learn to take turns and be patient.

2. Chutes and Ladders is a classic Hasbro game that has not gone out of style. Reinforcing concepts of counting, as well as simple strategy, this is a wonderful game for a small group of preschoolers to play.

3. Boggle Junior Game by Hasbro is perfect for preschoolers interested in reading and spelling. This challenging game is exciting for all students!

4. The Richard Scarry Busytown Matching Game by The Wonder Forge is fantastic for groups of four or less children to work on their memory skills. This particular game involves short term recall skills, which will aid children in picture and symbol recognition. Eeboo makes a super matching game as well, using a classical picture approach.

5. Melissa & Doug Block Balancing Games is fun and useful for your preschoolers' small muscle control. Children can work in teams or opposite one other child to try and balance the shapes included a variety of ways.

6. The My Friends Tigger and Pooh Word Builder Game is a game that reinforces word recognition, as well as sentence structure. Plus, it is based on lovable Winnie the Pooh!

7. The Lunch Box Game by Orchard Toys promotes observation and memory skills, plus it is loads of fun! Use this game in your classroom when exploring a nutrition lesson, or anytime.

There are many other educational and enjoyable games to utilize in your preschool classroom, which, along with the games listed above will promote learning and cooperation among your students.