Favorite preschool transition tips?

Question

I just started teaching Pre-K and I was wondering what your favorite transition tips were (if you teach preschoolers)? I need some ideas for transitions at breakfast/lunch, bathroom, and clean up from centers. Thanks for your help! :)

Answer 1

sing.  doesn't always matter what song, just sing.

Answer 2

To transition from activities such as clean up, use a song.  It doesn't have to be The Clean-Up Song, it can be anything.  I always give my kids a warning to listen for the song in a few minutes, then I sneak over to the CD player and play it without saying a word.  Usually they hear it and go "Oh!" and start cleaning up to finish and get to the carpet before the song is over.

To transition to other activities, aka from Circle to lunch, I would vary it.  Some days I would say, "If you are wearing..." go sit at your table.  Or "If your name starts with B..."  If you have kids that have trouble waiting or trouble with transitions, call something that they have first to minimize problems.

Also to get their attention for a transition, I used a finger play.  If they were really loud, sometimes whispering would work because they see you doing the play, but can't hear you, so they stop being noisy.  Other days, I would use turning off the lights- that really got their attention!

Whenever it was time to line up to go somewhere, my kids had a line-order that we followed all year long.  It was great because it eliminated running to be first, pushing people they didn't like, etc.  So every time we lined up, Joe was behind Sue.  It took a little bit of time in Sept. to get the kids to remember their spot, but it made the rest of the year go extremely smooth.  I highly recommend that.  

Whenever the whole class had to use the bathroom, (like before going outside or resting) I would keep the class on the carpet and do songs and fingerplays while 2 of the kids lined up for the bathroom.  One went in, and the other waited outside the door.  Then they would wash their hands and return to the circle, and I'd simply point to two more kids mid-song to have their turn.  This was great because it eliminated the long line at the bathroom and all the pushing/fighting that would normally ensue.  And it kept everyone engaged in the meantime.

The whole idea of transitions is to keep them short and organized.  You never want to have kids waiting a long time to take their turn to do something.  Keep that in mind and you'll be fine.  Good luck in your classroom this year!

Answer 3

You can sing songs, or my favourite is you can dance while you clean up or to the breakfast table etc.

Answer 4

1) Visual Ruleboard: Have pictures showing the routine for the day-you can extend this if children are a bit older to have a clock face so children can see when its change is happening. You can get child to turn around the pictures as they have finished. This shows an end!

2)  Sandtimer...we have a five minute timer-i hold it up and say "5 minutes till tidy up time" turn it over and leave it in sight. When it runs out the children all yell "tidy up time".

These are the 2 I use. I keep to routines so my children get used to them and begin to follow them independently.  

Answer 5

I always liked to use books. Up from the table,wash hands, get a book and go to circle time....Or mat if it's after lunch

Answer 6

My favorite thing to use in the classroom are these:

http://www.timetimer.com/products.php

It's easier for younger children to understand, because the red disk slowly disappears, giving them visual reminders.  It's easier for them to see that their time is almost up, so they need to start wrapping things up, rather than you all of the sudden saying it is time to clean up.  They are a little pricey, but well worth it.  Maybe you could talk to your director about them?

I agree with the other posts, that songs always work!  I like to make up my own little songs ( I may think they are silly, but the kids love them).  Maybe you can make up a different song for what you are transitioning to?  Good luck!

Answer 7

Lots of songs, books and love! They are transitioning from Mom! Art projects are great to-water colors-crayons-play dough! Set up a number of tables with different activities and rotate the students-keep them buy-playing outside is great too!