What's the best way to get a group of pre-schoolers to settle down during circle time?

Question

What's the best way to get a group of pre-schoolers to settle down during circle time?

Answer 1

"lets play Simon Says"....Simon says to be quiet. work everytime with my kindergatens.

Answer 2

This is an indication that you must change the way you do circle time.  Maybe you repeat or do the same thing all over again and children at this age get bored easily.  Start your circle time by doing music and movement.  And the rest just make it exciting  Have children be part of your circle time, don't just have them sitting and listening.

Answer 3

i know:

     just tell them that you guys are going to be playing the silent game so that they won't talk or be running around. and whoever wins gets to help the teacher!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

I keep talking quieter and quieter - as soon as everyone is quiet, I will read the story - as soon as everyone is quiet and sitting on their bottoms,  I will read the story - as soon as everyone is sitting on their bottoms and puts their hands in their laps I will read the story.

I also have a whistle that I can give a blast and it means "freeze" - it works - they freeze coz it alarms them and then I have the floor!

Answer 5

Sing some action songs to get the wiggles out then do your normal circle time.

Answer 6

It really depends on the group...I have a collection of circle time action songs that get them moving and end with them quiet and still.  

Often times I find that if I start to whisper they start to to quiet down so they can hear me.

I've used...with older preK students... if you can hear me clap once.  Then if you can hear me clap two times.  Of course I'm speaking very softly and clapping softly.  More and more children take notice and join in...usually then I have them clap a pattern a few times and then put their hands in their lap.

1,2,3 eyes on me.

Routine is the biggest thing... doing the same thing for every day.  I find that if the children are reading books at circle time...this is a calm activity that is easy clean up and they are ready to go.

Good luck in finding something that works best for you!

Answer 7

What has worked for me is to first have children sit on "their assigned" spot on the floor (could be labeled with their name or a colored square piece of rug) and when you are ready to begin and want their attention....someone turns out the lights (flip the switch) and explain that you want it quiet and that is what it means when lights go out. and then procede when ready.

Answer 8

We instruct them to do specific actions such as touch your nose, make a fish face, wiggle your fingers while demonstrating it. Don't back down, be presistant even if they're still jumping about and talking over you; other students are bond to get into it and in result they will want to join the fun; keep doing the activities intill everyone is relatively paying attention.

Answer 9

I teach ages 2 1/2 to 6, and use a variety of methods during circle time.

Sing the phrase "Who is sitting quietly?" then use each child's name, "Matt is sitting quietly, Clara is sitting quietly."  Keep going until you've sung everyone's name.

Sing "Wiggle your finger and wiggle your toes/Clap your hands and put them on your [fill-in a body part and change it each time]"

Say "If you can hear me put your hands on your head."  Keep giving instructions like that, lowering your voice a little bit each time.

At another time, when the children are listening, introduce them to the "Peace sign".  When children get a little out-of-hand, put up your peace sign and encourage them to follow suit.  Soon they will implement the peace sign on their own.

Sing the "Open/Shut Them" song.

Have a song that you sing at the beginning of every circle.  Keep it as part of the routine so that they know when it is time to listen.

Just start reading one of their favorite books or play one a book on tape or cd.

Instead of calling attention to children who are not listening or paying attention, point out those who are listening.  "I like the way Allie is sitting quietly."  "Sean is sitting nicely with his hands in his lap."

Sometimes you just have to give in and do some silly dancing or movement for a little while so that they can get it out of their systems.  I've done dancing to silly songs, like the Chicken Dance or Hokey-Pokey.  When the songs are done, I turn on something quiet like Enya and tell them they have to pretend to be asleep.  After a moment, when everyone is calm, then you can get started.

Try some yoga breathing exercises or positions.

Answer 10

Routines, Routines, Routines

Sing certain songs each day.

"Open Shut Them" is a good one to begin with. Then a good morning/hello  song.

Set up a structure for your circle time so that they know what to expect. And keep it to 15 minutes.

Answer 11

I do a couple of different things sometimes....

One thing I do is a little silly but they love it and it seems to work on them all the time, I work with toddlers and they sit on the steps during circle time sometimes they try to move from step to step or talk so i Just say real real loud "SHHHH SHHH Whoa!!!! (They usually freeze immediately) lol What is that noise ( some of them might be talking) and I just say again shhhhhhh i hear something do you hear it?!? DO you hear that noise? What is that?

Then some of them are start answering in whispers "cars" "the heater" "so and so talking" and then i ask a couple of questions and I see ok now lets get back to circle time.

OR we sing a song it goes like this

"Joey, Joey, jump up and down jump up and down joey joey jump up and down now sit right back down" and we just go through all the names and only call on who is not talking- it helps get the wiggles out