Things/ Songs to do to get children quiet?

Question

I need some song ideas for how to get kids quiet. Things like handsup mouths shut or hands on shoulder hands on knees hand behind you if you please

Answer 1

My son's TAM kindergarten class used this:

clap, clap, clap clap clap

kids repeat claps

then,

stop, look, and listen

Answer 2

read them a book.

Answer 3

Hands on  head, hands on shoulders, hands on knees, quiet time please (put finger to lips)

This is fave in my setting and works everytime. I know a friends setting has a mouse puppet and it hides if they are too quiet and they have to sing

"A mouse lived in a little hole, lived quietly in a little hole, when all was quiet, as quiet can be, when all was quiet...out popped he"...then the mouse came out and they were ready to work.

Other ideas is a card to hold up showing someone with fingers to their lips...great for those who dont listen!

Answer 4

this might help I teach kids  alot and with my preschool i find that head shoulders knees and toes is a good song it wears them out so they get quiet and gets their wiggles out during story time or when u teach them. and with my preschool and my 1st thru 4th graders the father Abraham works really good or u can tell them that if they are quiet during story time or when its your time to talk and teach give them a piece of candy or a trip outside to play or something those things always work for me

Answer 5

Pass around a quiet stick/ stone- once you  pass the stick/stone to the person sitting next to you you are quiet,

Say " I like how Andrew is sitting so quietly" then all the kids will TRY  sit quietly like Andrew

"If you can hear clap you hands"  "If you hear me touch your nose"  you give a list  commands until they are quiet,

123 eyes on me= teacher

12= eyes on you=Students

clap a patten and students repeat the clapping pattern to

you

Answer 6

Those minature bubble containers do wonders.  I like to hide them in my hand and then "surprise" the children with bubbles.  Of course the first time you do this it can be a little "rowdy" but as you talk softly about the bubbles and blow one to each child who is sitting with their hands in their laps...it quietens down.

Remember that your/your staff's tone, volume of voice, and example is what is going to have the most influence.

The following are songs, chants, fingerplays I've collected over the years.  May one be of some help.  

It's Time To Come To Circle

Tune: "Did You Ever See A Lassie?"

It's time to come to circle,

To circle, to circle.

It's time to come to circle,

To circle right now.

There's ________ and ________,

and ___________ and _________.

It's time to come to circle,

To circle right now.

We're sitting in a circle,

A circle, a circle.

We're sitting in a circle,

Right here on the floor.

With __________ and _________,

And __________ and __________.

We're sitting in a circle,

Right here on the floor.

Welcome To Circle Sung to: "Where is Thumbkin?"

  Where is ______?   Where is _______?

Here he is!  Here he is!

How are you today, sir?

Very well I thank you.  (child response)

Sit right here!  Sit right here!

Come And Join Us Sung to: "Clementine"

Come and join us in the circle

For a fun and happy time.

We will learn and play together

In our circle, yours and mine.

Listen carefully and look closely

Have good manners and be kind

We will learn and play together

In our circle, yours and mine.

Listen Closely

Tune:  I’ve Been Working on the Railroad

Listen closely to the teacher.

Listen as (s)he speaks.

Listen closely to the teacher.

No grunts, no growls, no squeaks.

Everyone is oh, so quiet.

And looking the teacher’s way.

Everyone is still and ready

To hear what (s)he has to say.

Outside Voices:  As children come in, explain that softer voices are needed inside.  Show the children a decorative bag. Tell them that when they come in from play time, they can put their outside voices in the bag so they won’t hurt anyone’s ears or disturb others.  Hang the bag by the door, and let the children put their loud voices in it as they come into the room.

Give Me Five

1.Eyes on Teacher

2.Ears listening

3.Mouth quiet

4.arms by your side

5.feet still

Two much noise

Swish, swish, swish.

Too much noise.

Can you help me,

Girls and boys?

Swish, swish, swish.

Swish some more.

Swish that noise

Right out the door.

Substitute: crunch, buzz, beep or splash.

Are you Listening

Tune: "Are You Sleeping?"

Are you listening? Are you listening?

Everyone, Everyone.

If you are listening. If you are listening.

(Clap, stomp, slap, etc.) three times. 1..2...3..

Quiet Down Song Sung to: "If You're Happy and You Know It"

Put your finger over your lip like this,

Put your finger over your lip like this

Close your mouth with a zip,

Put your finger over your lip,

Put your finger over your lip like this.  

Shhhhhhhhhhhh

I like to do hand motions with this song.

Quiet Down again

Tune: "London Bridge"

Let us quiet down again,

down again,

down again.

Let us quiet down again,

That's much better.

Put you fingers

Put your fingers in the air, in the air

Put your fingers in the air, in the air

Put your fingers in the air, 'how's the weather way up there?'

Put your fingers in the air, in the air.

Put your fingers in your lap, in your lap

Put your fingers in your lap, in your lap

Put your fingers in your lap, and give a little clap

Put your fingers in your lap, in your lap.

Put your fingers on your lips, on your lips

Put your fingers on your lips, on your lips

Put your fingers on your lips and give a little zip

Put your fingers on your lips, on your lips.

Story Time Transition

Sometimes my hands are at my side.

Sometime behind my back they hide.

Sometimes my fingers wiggle so.

Wiggle fast.

Wiggle slow.

Sometimes my hands go clap, clap, clap!

But now they’re resting in my lap.

They’re as quiet as can be

Because it’s storytime, you see.

Wiggle Your Fingers

Wiggle your fingers in the air.

Wiggle them wiggle them everywhere!

Stomp your feet upon the ground.

Stomp them, stomp them all around!

Now sit down and cross  your feet.

Hands in laps all nice and neat.

Now we’re ready to start out day.

We’ll listen first, and then we will play.

My Hands

My hands upon my head I place.

Upon my shoulders, on my face.

At my hops and by my side,

Then behind me they will hide.

Then I will wave them way up high,

And let my fingers fly, fly, fly.

Now, I clap them, 1,2,3.

Then I fold them silently.

I Wiggle

I wiggle my fingers.

I wiggle my toes.

I wiggle my shoulders.

I wiggle my nose.



Now no more wiggles

Are left in me.

So I will be still,

As still can be.

Hands up high

Hands down low

Hide those hand now where did they go?

One hand up the other one too

Clap them, fold them, now we're through.

Right Hand, Left Hand

This is my right hand (raise up)

I raise it up high

This is my left hand (up overhead)

I touch the sky

Right hand, left hand (raise one then other)

Roll them round and round (Roll in front of you)

Right hand, left hand

Let's all sit down !!

Up and down, round and round (draw circles in the air),

put your fingers on the ground.

Over (hold hands above lap) under, (below legs) in between (you've hidden your hands in between your legs)

Now my fingers can't be seen!

Hands in front, hands behind ,

now my hands I cannot find.

Here's my left hand , here's my right,

Hands and fingers back in sight (wriggle fingers).

Eyes on me

1 2 3 eyes on me

I'm looking to see whose looking at me

I'm listening to see whose as quiet as can be!

Hands up high

Hands up high

Hands down low

Hide those hand now where did they go?

One hand up the other one too

Clap them, fold them, now we're through.

1,2,3 eyes on me. (teacher says)

1,2 eyes on you. (students say)

I am Waiting

(to the tune of "Frere Jacques")

I am waiting,

I am waiting,

Just for you,

Just for you,

Show me that you're ready,

Show me that you're ready,

1, 2, 3 - eyes on me!

1, 2, 3 - looking at me!

1, 2, 3 - smiling at me!

Right hand, left hand,

give a little clap.

Right hand, left hand,

put them on your lap.

Two Feet Go Tap

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap,

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.

I stand up quietly by my chair, then...

Two little arms reach high in the air.

Two little feet go jump, jump, jump,

Two little fists go thump, thump, thump.

One little body goes round and round,

And one little child sits quietly down.

Special Spectacles:   Using thumb and index finger on both hands, form circles. Put these up next to your eyes to look like glasses as you say or sing the following.  May wish to use funny looking glasses: empty glasses frames, pretend glasses of pipe cleaners and plastic rings.  Encourage the children to pretend to put on their “special spectacles” to look book at you.

I’m putting on my spectacles to see what I can see.

I’m putting on my spectacles and I see.

(child’s name), and (child’s name), and

(child’s name) looking at me.

I

I touch my head,

I touch my toes,

I shake my hands,

Just see them go!

I fold my arms,

I cross my feet,

I nod three times,

I take a seat.

I tap my head.

I push my nose.

I pull my ear.

I touch my toes.

I clap, clap, clap.

Then I sit down

And make my lap.

(reverse to standing by changing the last two lines to Then I stand up.  Uh, oh, where’s my lap.)

Sing ‘n’ Sit Tune:  Shortnin’ Bread

Everybody, have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.

Everybody, have a seat on the floor.

Not on the ceiling!

Not on the door!

Everybody, come and have a seat on the floor.

Two Little Hands

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.. (all clap)

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap.. (all tap)

One little body turns around, and then sits quietly upon the down.

Tune: "Teddy Bear Teddy Bear"

Preschool, Preschool touch your nose

Preschool, Preschool touch your toes

Preschool, Preschool pat your hair

Preschool, Preschool take your chair!

Two Little Feet Go Tap

Two little feet go tap, tap, tap.

Two little hands go clap, clap, clap.

A quick little leap up from my chair,

Two little arms reach high in the air.

Two little feet go jump, jump, jump.

Two little fist go thump, thump, thump.

One little body goes round and round.

And one little child sits quietly down.

Howdy Neighbor

Howdy neighbor! (make big waving motion)

What do you say? (shake hand with each other)

It’s going to be

A beautiful day. (make circle in front of body with arms)

So clap your hands, (clap your hands)

And stomp your feet. (stomp feet)

Jump up and down, (jump)

Then take a seat.

We Step, Step, Step

We step, step, step (step in place)

And clap, clap, clap

And bow without a sound.

We step, step, step,

And clap, clap, clap

And then we touch the ground.

We clap down low.

We clap up high.

We touch the ground.

We touch the sky.

We step, step, step,

And clap, clap, clap,

And then we sit right down.

Story Time

Tune: "Sing a Song of Sixpence"

It's time to watch and listen,

We're going to read a book.

We'll sit down on the rug

And use our eyes to look.

We'll look at pictures,

And hear the story, too.

Oh, what fun it is to share

This story time with you!

I'm a ready listener

Read me a book

Hands in my lap at the teacher I look

When I am ready the teacher will say

This is the book that I have for you today.

Answer 7

I train my children in 5 differnt voice levels.  

Level 4:  Loud and screaming level.

Level 3:  Normal talking level.

Level 2:  Quieter and calmer voice than level 3.

Level 1:  Very quiet voice.  Can only hear it if you're quiet and listening carefully.  Almost silent, but not quite.

Level 0:  No noise at all.

You can have them practice this with songs.  As you sing a song, say different numbers after every 2 lines and they change their voice to match the level.  Have them finish the song on level 0, 1, or 2 if you're ready for them to calm down or have them finish the song on 3 or 4 if you want the energy to stay high.

When you're ready for circle time, be sure to have them at level 1 or 2.  With very little practice, they will be able to control how well they calm their voices down.  It might take a few days, but it should not take too horribly wrong.

When you're in meetings, make sure you ALMOST ALWAYS use level 1 or 2 to talk to the children.  I sometimes slip into 3 or 0, but I try to keep my range in 1 or 2.  If a student gets too loud, I simply have to remind them of the level number and ask them to speak in 1 or 2 since that's the voice I am using as well.

Matt

Answer 8

I used this one a lot:

Hands

The words describe the actions

My hands upon my head I'll place.

Upon my shoulders, on my face,

At my waist and by my side,

Then behind me they will hide.

Then I'll raise them way up high,

And let my fingers fly, fly, fly,

Then clap, clap, clap them--

One - Two -Three!

Now see how quiet they can be.

Also this one:

Directions:

Open, shut them,                        (open and close hands in front of you)

Open, shut them,  

Give a little clap clap clap.            (clap 3 times as you say “clap” )

Open, shut them, open, shut them,      

Lay them in your lap lap lap.        (fold hands in lap)  

Creepy crawly, creepy crawly,

Right up to your chin chin chin.      (fingers crawl up chest to chin)

Open up your little mouth,             (open mouth)

But do not let them in in in.            (quickly put hands behind back)

Higher higher,

Higher higher,

Almost to the sky.                        (hand over hand like climbing a ladder)

Then like little birdies                    (link thumbs together to make a bird)

Watch them fly and fly.

Lower lower

Lower lower

Almost to the ground.                    (hand under hand like climbing down a ladder)

Quickly pick them up again

And  turn them round and round.    (hands circle around each other)

Faster faster                                 (hands circle fast)

Slower slower.                              (hands circle slow)

Open, shut them,                           (open and close hands in front of you)

Open, shut them,  

Give a little clap clap clap.             (clap 3 times as you say “clap” )

Open, shut them, open, shut them,      

Lay them in your lap lap lap.         (fold hands in lap)



Eric Gidseg

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