In child-centered education programs, children construct their own knowledge from their experiences and interactions with the world around them, and teachers foster children's growth and development by building on children's interests, needs, and strengths within a safe and caring environment. The Step by Step educational program developed a series of child-centered teaching manuals for caregivers and teachers in early childhood programs in Central and Eastern Europe. Initially directed at the preschool level, the series has been extended from birth to age 10. This manual provides preschool teachers (3- to 5-year-olds) with a guide for the establishment of a classroom environment designed around activity centers, involvement of families in the classroom and larger community, and individualization of teaching geared to the needs and interests of each child. The manual's contents are: (1) "Part 1: Child-Centered Thinking," includes program rationale and philosophy, and goals and developmental guidelines; (2) "Part 2: Family Participation," includes the benefits of family participation and strategies to encourage it, building community, observing and recording children's development, and planning the integrated curriculum; and (3) "Part 3: Child-Centered Learning," includes art, blocks, cooking, dramatic play, literacy, mathematics/manipulatives, music, outdoors, sand and water, and science. Contains approximately 50 references. (EV)