Transition from activities and pace

[kl33]

HI All,

 

Has anybody got some good songs for tidying up or activities other than mission impossible and copying activities. Looking for some fun exciting ways to get the children on the carpet and learning something whilst getting there?

[Panders]

Funnily enough we used music up until about 4 years ago, but began to find that it was, shall we say, whipping the children up, rather than helping them along soooo we stopped now I turn the lights all off very briefly this finally signals it's time to sit on the mat which the children do very quickly and get praised for that. We then ask for their help to tidy up and give jobs to them, this works well for the majority. When they have finished they naturally return to the mat and sit down ready for a short game which splits them up before going out to wash their hands for snack time , so they don't all go out at once, we still have a whole group snack time.

[kl33]

Funnily enough we used music up until about 4 years ago, but began to find that it was, shall we say, whipping the children up, rather than helping them along soooo we stopped now I turn the lights all off very briefly this finally signals it's time to sit on the mat which the children do very quickly and get praised for that. We then ask for their help to tidy up and give jobs to them, this works well for the majority. When they have finished they naturally return to the mat and sit down ready for a short game which splits them up before going out to wash their hands for snack time , so they don't all go out at once, we still have a whole group snack time.

 

Thank you I shall try the lights tomorrow

[Moorside]

Tidy up tango sort and to the point try to tidy up before the end of the song available from boogey mites

[Melcatfish]

Funnily enough we used music up until about 4 years ago, but began to find that it was, shall we say, whipping the children up, rather than helping them along soooo we stopped now I turn the lights all off very briefly this finally signals it's time to sit on the mat which the children do very quickly and get praised for that. We then ask for their help to tidy up and give jobs to them, this works well for the majority. When they have finished they naturally return to the mat and sit down ready for a short game which splits them up before going out to wash their hands for snack time , so they don't all go out at once, we still have a whole group snack time.

 

We also stopped having tidy up music, there seemed to be more dancing and getting very excitable at just the time when we wanted them to be calming down and helping to get tidied up.

 

I have found that just as I did with my own children when it was time to leave somewhere or they were going to have to stop something it is helpful to let them know that we are approaching tidy up time by telling them "in a few minutes we need to tidy up" that way it doesn't come as a nasty shock when they have to stop what they are doing to get tidied and ready for home.

 

Mel

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