9 replies to this topic

[sandie]

We would like to encourage our children to tidy up by introducing a song that we could play on cd each day. Does anyone have any ideas of a short, catchy song, so far we have thought of 'whistle while you work'

[Helen]

Hi Sandie,
There's a lovely tidy-up time song on the Kindescope "Holding Hands" CD; we review the Kindescope products on this site, in the resources section.

[LJW]

At our Nursery we just sing our own very simple tidy up song to the tune of Frere Jacques: Tidy, up time, Tidy up time, toys away, toys away (repeat).
First though, having had their 5 minute warning, we count down from 5-0 and then say 'statues'. Everyone freezes where they are and after a lovely quiet moment or two (!) everyone starts to sing the tidy up song and the kids then whizz off to tidy away! The y have a real sense of ownership and will often ask to sing the song or countdown for us. We sometimes vary it by starting a whisper 'tidy up' song to a child or group who then tiptoe off and spread the song to the next group.... etc.
Hope this is helpful.

[jo365]

I really like this idea of a tidy up song, and counting down from 5-0.
tidy up time seems to bring out the worst in some children. I'll try this idea as what we do is not really working that well.

Jo

[ang w]

We use tidy up time as an opportunity to listen to different types of music, jazz, classical etc. it appears to work and the children have the chance to be selective.

[Mimi]

we also have a variety of music we play, at the start of the music the children know they must not start anything new but can finish off what they are doing and then tidy up.

[lynn uk]

we sing "tidy up tidy up every body every where tidy up tidy up everybody do your share".....sometimes works !!!don t know where we stole it from

[Lorna]

We use the flight of the bumble bee.... I chose it as it is a busy piece of music... indicating that we should all be busy and helping. Although it does drive some of my colleagues mad.

Lorna

[Rosemarie]

I have three songs that can be song during tidy up time thay came from the preschoolrainbow site.

1st one is sung to "Farmer in the dell"

Let's clean up today, Let's clean up today. We've had our fun, Our day is done. So, let's clean up today.

2nd one is sung to "Frere Jacques"

Are you helping, are you helping. Pick up toys, pick up toy. Let us all be helpers, Let us all be helpers. Girls and boys, girls and boys.

3rd one Improvise a tune.

Clean-up, clean-up. Everybody get some toys. Clean-up, clean-up. All the little girls and boys. Clean-up, clean-up. Everybody do your share. Clean-up, clean-up. Everybody, everywhere.

[Dianne]

I've been trying a little one I made up to 'Frere Jaques' this half term and some of them really do enjoy singing it as they work!! It also reminds me not to get in such a stress about it - do another couple of minutes to get it all tidy really hurt if they're not doing a great job? I seem to get quite stressed about a lot of rather silly little things - especially towards the end of term. I think I need to put a sign in the class reminding myself to relax a bit more!!

Dianne xxx