Songs To Get Attention

[Guest]

Hi has anyone got any simple songs they use to get the childrens attention on the carpet, or a song they use to get all the children to all sit on the carpet ?

 

 

 

At the moment a bell is rung to show its tidy up time. I dont really like using this. I was going to play cd song such as bob the builder etc (more fun than a bell) so children know when that song plays its tidy up time but my lsa who thinks this isnt a good idea

 

Any stratergies or songs you use?

 

Thanks

[Guest]

I have used Bob the Builder very successfully for the past 2 years in Reception. The children begin tidying up straight away and know to be sat down on the carpet as soon as it finishes. They are allowed to sing along with it as well (although I draw the line at dancing otherwise it gets a little too busy!) It always amazes visitors that the classroom can go from what appears to be noise and chaos, (as they tidy up), to silence and everyone sitting on the carpet as soon as the music stops. Give it a go - it's the most fun i've ever had tidying up!

 

 

WHEN BOB THE BUILDER STARTS TO PLAY

IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO CLEAR AWAY!

[Guest]

we use a bell at the moment....and yes it does work but the playing a CD sounds much more fun. The children take it in turns to be the bell ringer and starts singing 'tidy up time' to there own made up tune!!!!!

[Deb]

We also use music from a CD to denote tidy up time. We use classical music mainly but sometimes use CD's children bring in including Bob. Like the idea of having to tidy up before the music stops, must try that as ours are suddenly very tired when it's time to tidy up.

 

When we call children for register we ask them to 'stop what you are doing and show me your hands'

 

We then all clap our hands and sing:

 

1, 2, 3, 4 put your bottoms on the floor (we go to the carpet area and sit) Then sing:

 

5, 6, 7, 8 cross your legs and sit up straight.

 

 

 

There was a thread with similar ideas quite a while ago but I couldn't find it doing a search.

 

I seem to remember one Peggy suggested which our children enjoy and never seem to get bored with:

 

I've got ten fingers and they all belong to me (often count just to make sure!)

I can make them do things, would you like to see?

Make them small (clench fists),

Make them wide (spread fingers wide)

Bring them together (as in prayer) pausing as children love the next bit

Make them hide (hide behind your back)

Reach up high (in high voice)

Reach down low (in low voice)

Fold them in my arms just so (very quietly)

 

Hope these give you some ideas and I'm sure others will be along soon with lots of their lovely ideas.

[Guest]

The other song I use is;

 

I'm going to close my eyes and count to three ( cover my eyes with hands)

When I open them I'd like to see,

Legs crossed, arms folded, are you ready 1, 2, 3.

 

I take hands away from eyes and WOW lo and behold everyone is sat still, legs crossed and arms folded smiling up at me expectantly.

 

sometimes I count to three in french just for some variation. It does work every time, if they sound a bit excited I whisper the 1, 2, 3.

 

Peggy

[Elfy]

We tided up to the scissor sisters the other day, that went down very well. To get children's attention when on the carpet I often sing 'clap your hands and wiggle your fingers. When I want them to sit down on the carpet I sing 'everybody sit down' to the tune of 'everybody do this' from music express.

 

Elfy

x

[Annie-pops]

We always use (to the tune of Frere Jacques)

Are we ready,are we ready

Let me see, let me see

Put your hands together, put your hands together,

Look at me, look at me.

 

Also, along the lines of Old MacDonald

Everybody's sitting down, ee ii ee ii oh

" " " " " "

With a clap, clap here and a clap clap there etc etc

 

 

At tidy up time we sing one I remember from Barney!!

 

"Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere

Clean up, clean up, everybody do your share!"

[dublinbay]

We choose 2 'special helpers' for each day - children see the list we choose from and know their turn will come soon. Helpers sound the chime bars - children go into statue mode (adults too) - helpers announce 'tidy-up time' - (some children manage to disappear into the twilight zone!!!!) - children allowed to finish off a craft if they want too and then its tidying up.

Helpers give out small mats and children form circle on the floor. Its not the quietest of times and to get them settled on the floor we do a simple simon game, hands in the air, tickle the clouds, hands on shoulders, hands on knees, hands on laps etc. Usually quietens them down.

Have used Peggy's suggestion of hiding eyes and counting to 3 - that really works!

Also like the 'are we ready' song. May give that a try too. Thanks

[apple]

hello all

we have the problem with the 'twilight zone' too dublin bay. n fact as a nursery team we have just been talking about how we can improve tidy up time for everyone i.e. getting those children who think that helping to tidy doesn't involve them We have a squeezy whistle to signal time to stop, we encourage them to wiggle fingers in air so we know we have their attnetion and them pu the CD player on- we have a range of music from classical to pop/rap etc. We tend to find that some music encourages some children to dance rather than tidy

We are a 52 part time nursery and so there are inevitably going to be those that want to shy away from responsibility-

we are therefore going to try this-

 

On monday morning we will talk about tidying in our Lola circle time session.

We will make a list of things that we should do at tidy up time and why we need to tidy.

We then devise a rota to show children whose turn it is on which day- we will show them a staff rota that we have for preparation of fruit and milk- this will highlight how adults take turns at getting things ready, clearing up etc.

 

when the signal sounds to tidy up all children go back to their mat area

one group will then have the duty of tidying away while the others are with their practitioner

We have 4 groups so on Friday all children work together as one big team to tidy up

The best tidy up group of the week will have the grand honour of keeping the golden dustpan and brush for the week in their area

 

We are hoping that eventually we can get back to the routine of all tidying up every day, but at the moment we want to encourage those that dont do it Does this scheme sound mad? Only time will tell what do you think?

[Guest]

Hi has anyone got any simple songs they use to get the childrens attention on the carpet, or a song they use to get all the children to all sit on the carpet ?

At the moment a bell is rung to show its tidy up time. I dont really like using this. I was going to play cd song such as bob the builder etc (more fun than a bell) so children know when that song plays its tidy up time but my lsa who thinks this isnt a good idea

 

Any stratergies or songs you use?

 

Thanks

 

 

AT tidy up time I start by singing:

 

The little elves came here today,

and with our toys the elves did play

They scattered them here,

They scattered them there,

Our toys were scattered everywhere

 

( I then go on to sing)

 

Time to tidy away,

We must finish our play.

 

 

Just before ringtime when I need everyone to be still and taking part I say this little action poem:

 

I wiggle my fingers

I wiggle my toes

I wiggle my arms(or legs or whatever)

I wiggle my nose

 

There are no more wiggles left in me

Now see how still I can be.

 

I'm afraid for the songs you would have to make up your own tunes, unless I can figure out the notes and come back and type them here for you.

Edited October 22, 2007 by Guest

[Guest]

we use tidy up music and find this works really well.

 

once we are sat down on the carpet we sing:

 

open shut them, open shut them, give a little snap...snap (pincer fingers open and close)

open shut them, open shut them, give a little snap, snap, snap, snap, snap, snap.

 

open shut them, open shut them, give a little clap..clap (open & close whole hand)

open shut them, open shut them, pu them in your lap...lap.

 

preschooleducation have lots of songs for transition times.

[dublinbay]

Just remembered something I used last week - probably got this here too. A child, very reluctant to help and who walked around the room looking busy. I encouraged her to pick up some duplo and said aloud "I knew you were soooo good at tidying up, well done, what a good job"

The child finished picking the duplo up with a huge smile on her face and went on to put the trains away too.

It's probably something we will have to say constantly but if it works for one child we will continue.

We'll try anything at this stage!!

[Guest]

Just remembered something I used last week - probably got this here too. A child, very reluctant to help and who walked around the room looking busy. I encouraged her to pick up some duplo and said aloud "I knew you were soooo good at tidying up, well done, what a good job"

The child finished picking the duplo up with a huge smile on her face and went on to put the trains away too.

It's probably something we will have to say constantly but if it works for one child we will continue.

We'll try anything at this stage!!

 

On a similar note to this; another thing we say to the children is "you may.." as in , you may put the dollies back in their beds now etc. With a nice smile and a kind, slow gesture.

Rather than asking them we offer them the opportunity as though they had asked, thus it being their idea.

 

We also have little squirrels, log men ("where are my log men?" etc.) all manner of things for them to be while tidying away. Sometimes we are a shop, sometimes a palace with court maidens and footmen, sometimes pirates, it all depends what the predominent game has been during free play. We make it an extension.

After tidy time one of the children is allowed to sweep the carpet (we take turns and have a rota book so we don't forget) with the ewbank sweeper. Others can help with brooms or brushes sometimes. They love doing this part after tidy away.

[Guest]

Hi,

At tidy up time we often sing

(to the tune of 'for he's jolly good fellow')

 

Ben's a jolly good helper

Ben's a jolly good helper

Ben's a jolly good helper

he has tidied up all the lego

 

Great for encouraging individual children to help.

 

To get childrens attention we sometimes say rhyme

 

'My hands upon my head I place

On my shoulders on my face

at my waist and by my side

Then behind my they will hide

 

Then I raise them way up high

let my fingers fly fly fly

Clap clap clap them 1,2,3

Now see how still they can be'

 

 

 

 

Nikki

Edited October 22, 2007 by Guest

[Guest]

I use the 7 dwarfs song - Hey ho its off to work we go (an idea I pinched from here!!) and once we're on the carpet we do the 'Everybody do this song' using different actions (brain gymish) and end with 'everybody do this' where I model good sitting ad sing it in a whispering voice to settle the children down. I think it depends on your class and you should trial different things until you find something that works well.

[Guest]

hi first time I have replied to a post but wanted to share our carpet song to encourage listening, It is to the tune 10 Little Indians and goes

 

1 little, 2 little, 3 little children

4 little, 5 little, 6 little children

7 little, 8 little, 9 little children

10 Little Harlequin children (Harlequin is our nursery so adapt to suit!)

 

Sitting on the carpet ready to listen

sitting on the carpet ready to listen

Sitting on the Carpet ready to listen

10 little Harlequin Children.

 

the children love counting up with their fingers and pointing to their ears to listen - have used this in many both infant and nursery settings.

 

A x- x