Any ideas on how to get children to line up in a fun way?

Question

I'm a nursery nurse and i need some new ideas to encourage the children to line up quickly but in a fun way.

Answer 1

Draw a straight line and a crocked line...Do a countdown and they all have to be in the line by the time you finish and also have them pretend tha together they form a shuttle and cannot take off until they are all lined up. The crocked line is to remind them that shuttles don't take off, those are broken (doing the broken shuttle is just for fun).. Good luck

Answer 2

tell them they are in a marching band, or they are army solders going to march.

Answer 3

The old idea of children connecting and making sounds like a train ........always works.    (Good Luck)

Answer 4

choo choo train, worked for me!

Answer 5

height order by bubble sort

Answer 6

My daughter is 4 and they sing, "put your back against the fence, against the fence" (if you're happy and you know it) and inside the classroom they chant this:

"show me that you're ready. Ready to go outside!  (sounds like NANA BOO-BOO to me)

then shout:

Line up! hands down! eyes on the door and ZIP your lips!"

Answer 7

I have found that children loved to be recognized.  I sometimes have my children line up by saying something like...." If you have one a blue shirt, line up.  If you are wearing sandals, line up.  If you have on a watch, line up.  If your first name begins with a "T", line up.  So forth and so on.... I hope this helps.

Answer 8

Get them to do it by eye-colour, lightest to darkest. It's fun, and gets them interacting.

Answer 9

a teacher in one of my daughter's daycare's used this song in order to get her class of toddlers to move in an orderly fashion.

Worked like a charm.

ear Hunt "repeat after me" song

(children repeat each line)

(Thanks to Liz R. from Oregon for sending this in!)



REPEAT EACH PHRASE... slap thighs throughout.



Goin on a bear hunt (repeat)

I'm not afraid (repeat)

Got a real good friend (children hug each other during this part...repeat)

By my side (repeat)

Oh, Oh (repeat)

What do I see? (repeat)

Oh look! It's some tall grass! (repeat)

Can't go over it (repeat)

Can't go under it (repeat)

Can't go around it (repeat)

Got to go through it (repeat... Make motions with arms like you are clearing a way thru grass)



Goin on a bear hunt (repeat)

I'm not afraid ( repeat)

Got a real good friend (repeat with hugs)

By my side.(repeat)

Oh, Oh! (repeat)

What do I see? (repeat)

Oh look! It's a tall tree.(repeat)

Can't go over it (repeat)

Can't go under it (repeat)

Can't go through it (repeat)

Got to climb up it (Repeat and pretend to climb up the tree)



Goin on a bear hunt (repeat)

I'm not afraid ( repeat)

Got a real good friend (repeat with hugs)

By my side.(repeat)

Oh, Oh! (repeat)

What do I see? (repeat)

Oh look! It's a wide river. (repeat)

Can't go over it (repeat)

Can't go under it (repeat)

Can't go through it (repeat)

Got to swim across it. (Repeat and pretend to swim.)



Goin on a bear hunt (repeat)

I'm not afraid ( repeat)

Got a real good friend (repeat with hugs)

By my side.(repeat)

Oh, Oh! (repeat)

What do I see? (repeat)

Oh look! A deep, dark cave. (repeat)

Can't go over it (repeat)

Can't go under it (repeat)

Can't go through it (repeat)

Got to go in it. (repeat, close eyes as you pretend to enter the cave)



Oh,oh! It's dark in here. (repeat)

I feel something   (repeat)

It has lots of hair!  (repeat)

It has sharp teeth!  (repeat)

It's a bear!! (children love to scream this part)



(At this point, increase the speed of your thigh slapping and swim back through the river, back up and down the tree,

back through the tall grass, till you get safely home and lock the door.)



I'm not afraid! (Repeat)

Answer 10

I don't know if its practical, but my granddaughters nursery teacher puts a song on or sings a song, then they either have to line up before the end of the song ends or have to get dressed after PE before the song ends. The first one gets a token in their jar. Five tokens and they get a little reward at the end of the week. Don't know if your childrens age group are a bit young or not.

Answer 11

Tell them they need to look like a giant Caterpillar, have them stand in a line with their arms on each others shoulders.

Answer 12

Use a gun.

Answer 13

i worked in a day care i had two classes, 1 2/2 tp 2 1/2 and then 2 1/2 to 3 1/2. SING SING SING!!! make up a song and sing it every time you want them to line up this repetition will help them associate the times they should do certian things. make new words to songs you already know like london bridge. this is how we line up now line up now line up now this is how we line up now lets get together

Answer 14

get into line NOW ha ha ha , dont for get the ha ha ha's and mayb put in a fue he he he's

Answer 15

not sure how old the children are, but how about giving them all a number and either trying to get into line sorting themselves out, or shouting out the numbers, could be alphabet/height.  Just as long as it's fun and safe.

enjoy

J