Circle time with 4 year olds?

Question

I'm an assistant teacher for 3 1/2 4 year olds.My co teacher and I are having trouble getting them to not shout out while reading books and having the lesson plan stuff.What has worked for you?Also any fun activities I can do as an assistan teacher in circle for the afternoons other than reading a book?

Answer 1

do  a grab bag like put small little toys in a bag and every day u call 3 names and they get to pull something from the bag

Answer 2

You could review what they learned that day, sing songs, put their names on cards with magnets, put several cards on the back of a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet and have each child find their name, you could do the same with letters and numbers.

Answer 3

get a magic wand which is sparkly and multicoloured and stuff (appealing to boys and girls) and tell the children a story about wizards and a magic spell about a noisy kingdom and a dragon etc. the aim of which is to tell the kids that they cannot talk if they don't have the magic wand in their hand. That way, you can hold it whilst teaching (useful as a pointer!) and give it to children when it is their individual turn. Also, children who break the rule aren't allowed the magic wand which will make the children feel really special when they have the wand.

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Answer 4

Songs, calendar, I spy games, Simon Says games, Hot potato, Question of the Day (ask them a question and let each of them respond individually).  Teach them that you will call on them when they raise their hands.  Remember that attention span is 1 minute for every age.  So they are not going to sit for longer then 10 minutes unless they are being engaged.  Let the children participate, and they will love it!  Get a felt board and do stories on there.  For example: sing old mc donald and as you do each animal, have a child put them on the board.  You could pass out the felt pieces and when you call the animal in the song, that child puts it on the board. They love helping and this will really get them into it!

Answer 5

"this is listening time"

"I can't read if it is not quiet" and put the book down until it is

fingerplay - Open them Shut them Open them Shut them - giv a little clap - Open them shut them open them shut them - lay them in your lap.

Honestly, this is what preschool is for - learning to listen and not shout out during story and quiet times - it's all about learning self control and restraint. It doesn't work right away - it takes time and consistency - just stick with it.

Answer 6

Get the kids to make something - card making is fun. buy some socks and big eye things and make sock puppets. even make up i little maths song or something so not only they have fun, they learn by having fun. Also get then in groups to make cookies 1 person puts in flour then give the bowl to the next kid to put in the milk and go aruond like that.

hope i helped you and good luck =]

Answer 7

i work with 2-3 years old children. circle time is around 15 minuts, not longer. fingerplays are always a success, short role play stories or action songs work nice too. keep it short and intense, possibly with not more that 15 children. if someone is still too loud, let him sit away from the circle, it ĺl be an example for the others. u can read a book with 5-6 children at the most, it will never work with more. u can repeat it though.

Answer 8

Maybe warm up w/ a few action songs/ or finger plays to get all the wiggles out. Kiddles.com has plenty to choice from

Show & Share

Bean-Bag-Activities-Coordination- CD is always fun

Craig & Steve CD's

I spy game

Duck,Duck, Duck Goose/hot potato/ A tisket a tasket  game/cobbler cobbler mend my shoe/

Act out story you just read

Subscribe to mailbox magazine to get ideas

Answer 9

You could create a talking stick and no ones allowd to talk unless you have the stick except for the teachers! You could also play the quiet and listen game. Who ever talks then has to go to the other side of the room away from everyone else! You could bring bean bag chairs and have a contest to see who can stay quiet the longest and listen. You could tell them you'll do a fun activity after you're done reading the book and the activity could be drawing their own picture book and then they get to explain it in front of the class! And if they're not quiet you don't do the activity! Though that doesn't always work so my first two could work!

Answer 10

play a game, who can be quietest through the whole book.. or put on a timer and say we will be quiet until the timer goes off.

you can play circle time games like each person counts as you point to them.. ex: you point to johnny and he says one, then you point to mikey and he says two, which can also be done with the alphabet instead of books or just relax and talk about your days and your feelings..

Answer 11

Lots of good ideas up there, but one thing I used to do was just hold up my hand, palm facing the child shouting out, to indicate "stop". I talked to the children about what that signal meant: for them to stop talking, but I would listen to what they had to say when I was done. I always tried to follow through when I was done with something like "Now, Jacob, what did you want to say?" (I did the same thing when my own child would interrupt me during a phone call or conversation.) I would put my hand up to the child and just keep reading. It usually worked!

You might occasionally use books where children are supposed to shout out like " The Doorbell Rang" when children say "ding dong" everytime you say "the doorbell rang" or to say "Not I" in different voices for The Little Red Hen.

Answer 12

make a contest. whoever doesn't sream gets a lollipop at the end of the day.

other than reading a book in circle, you can play zip-zap-zop.

here is the source

Answer 13

You have some great answers!  

My advice...and you may already do it...but is to have a routine.  Even throughout the day, having a visual schedule is a big help with this age.  You can remind them by pointing to the picture that "now we are at circle time". You can also ask them how we behave at circle time.  Remember that you have to TEACH the appropiate behavior because it doesn't come naturally.  :-)

Making sure that I switched between sit down/reading to more active activities made a bid difference.  Children NEED to move.  Choose books that encourage movement from the children.

Start the "meeting" with a fingerplay-song-chant that in the end the children are sitting with their hands in their laps.

Remembering that, yes, it is OKAY to stop what you are doing and get up and dance.  Some days it's not worth it to "battle" with them.  Usually on overcast days or days that they haven't been able to get outside.  Put the book down, get the musical instruments or movement toys out and dance.  :-)

Guessing can is a nice addition to an afternoon circle time.  Decorate a can/container with the words guessing can on it.  Have the children take it home and put an item that fits INSIDE of the can into the can and have the parent write 3 clues about the items. Then you and the child can read the clues and the rest of the class can guess it.

Instead of just reading a book...incorporate puppets, paper/scissor stories, signed (sign language) stories, stories of a different language.  Stories with lots of drama and repetition so the kids can get involved (3 Billy Goats, etc.). I definately recommend reading books over and over.  When the children are familiar with them they enjoy to "retell" them.  You can give them props or put pictures on a "necklace" and they can act out the story.

Good luck!

Answer 14

i'm 14 so i probably have a bit of knowledge i suppose, when i wass little we loved role play and cicle time was a fun time. I also liked show and tell, it gave me a sense of pride when i could show off to my friends.

hope i helped =]

Answer 15

My son just finished preschool for three year olds and my daughter is going this year.  The teacher of our preschool is really great at redirecting the kids.

She is always very nice and smiles a lot, and when one or more of the kids gets unruly she speaks them in a kind but firm voice and says it's reading time or it's my turn to speak, when this activity is done or when I'm done speaking you can have your turn.  It works! My son is not bad but he is very head strong and he listens to her (most of the time).

As to the other part I noticed that the children love dancing during circle time.  The teacher has music like head, shoulders, knees and toes you could probably find plenty of CD's like that Online try PRESCHOOL TEACHER SUPPLIES and go from there.  

They have a schedule for the students to have a special day each day and after snack time that student brings in a show and tell toy, the teacher puts it in a bag and the other kids have to guess what it is based on clues given by the child, after which they pass the item around.  

Good Luck,

Sassy

Answer 16

The best suggestion I have is to keep your circle time short...10 minutes at the beginning of the year and maybe 15 minutes towards the end. three's are naturally active and it is hard for them to have self control. However, you can definitely help them develop self control by praising the children who are acting appropriately...I like the way mary raised her hand, I like the way Tommy really thought about his answer. You'll be amazed at how quickly the children want to do the right thing. Have a sense of humor about it ..  Boy you are a bunch of wiggle worms today. i bet you can hold real still like a --- or be as quiet as a ---. If the children see that you are losing your temper it seems to make them act up more. Relax, enjoy.

Answer 17

Well here are some of my fav. movement songs:

http://www.123child.com/UBB/showthread.p...

Songs from a Hat

Write down the names of songs you sing on a regular basis. Place them into a hat. Have a child draw a song then sing it.

Song Cube

You can make a cube from a cardboard box. Place Velcro on each side. Then write the names of songs you sing on pieces of paper, laminate them, then add Velcro. Place six songs on the cube. Have the children roll the cube and sing whatever song comes up on the cube.

Try both of the activities with actions. Jump 3 times, say your name, sit down, spin around 2x, etc.

Mystery Can

Send a large coffee can home with a child. Send a letter with the can similar to this: Dear parents: This month we are going to be playing a game called "Mystery Can" I am sending the can home with your child. Please help your child find something to place inside the can that is special to your child and return it tomorrow with three clues written on a piece of paper. The children will try to guess what it is and the first person to guess correctly will take home the can.

There is a whole lesson plan on the book "From Head to Toe" here:

http://www.123child.com/UBB/showthread.p...

I love this book cause the kids can participate.  

I read the book with the kids... it says something like

"I am a crocodile and I can wriggle my hips"

I show the kids how to do the action, then I read:

"Can you do it?"

The kids yell back

"I can do it!!!"

I might read the same book over and over and have them repeat things they know will happen, in other words, interact verbally with the story in a positive way.  What happens next?  

Like Brown Bear Brown Bear what do you see, I see a ???? what is next?  And the kids can shout out the answer.  

Look for books with repetition so the kids can in involved in the story.  Here is a list of my fav toddler/preschool books:

http://www.amazon.com/My-favorite-Toddle...

Oh circle time is also a great time for group games, like simon says, or you could do a group math activity like graphing your favorite flavor of ice cream.  The key is to keep the children actively engaged.  

Please feel free to visit my site:

http://www.123child.com/

We have a ton of lesson plan ideas that I am sure you will find useful.

Also check:

http://www.childfun.com

http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/

http://www.dltk-kids.com/

http://stepbystepcc.com/

http://www.geocities.com/djkreinus/

Good luck and have fun!!!!