Preschoolers love to sing and stay active. The trick as a teacher is to get them moving to the place where you need them to be at the time they need to be there.
This can be challenging when dealing with the toddler and preschool minds. It is an age of curiosity and exploration without time restraints. So little Sally or little Joe have no clue what it means when you say Circle time is at 9, snack at 9:30, playground at 10 and oh, now we are late.
So how do you get the very different kids and their personalities on the requested schedule? One way to do so is through song. Kids respond well to music and lucky for me as a teacher I have picked up many songs over the years to get them moving.
Here is a song to learn and teach your kids for every part of the day. It is fun to watch kids as someone starts to sing. Their eyes grow big and their mouths stop moving and before long they are singing along with you.
Greeting/Start of the Day
It is important to set the right mood when a child enters the classroom. As a teacher, you do not know the amount of yelling, struggle the kid might have had just to make it to school on time. It is important to start the day with each child feeling wanted and loved as the new day begins. Here are a few songs I have picked up over the years for you to try:
Sung to Mary Had A Little Lamb
We welcome you to school today, School today, School today,
We welcome you to school today, Please come in and play.
We're glad to have you here today.
We're glad to have you here today,
Yes, it's a special day
A second song that is more personal and will need to be taught to the kids in the first few days is sung to the tune of "Frere Jacques."
Teacher:
I'm Ms. (name), I'm Ms. (name),
That's my name, That's my name,
Glad to see you here.
Glad to see you here.
What's your name? What's your name?
Child:
I am (name), I am (name).
That's my name. That's my name.
I am glad to be here,
I am glad to be here.
At school today, at school today.
Circle Time
Circle time is always a challenge to get kids to participate in. These are a few songs to signal the start and get them in place within a few seconds.
Sung to "Where is thumbkin?"
Make a circle, make a circle
Big and round, big and round
Everybody join hands, everybody join hands
Let's sit down, let's sit down!
Sung to "Row, Row, Row Yoru Boat"
Hish, ssh, quiet please,
Let's all gather near.
Find a friend and sit right down,
Circle time is here.
To learn about the days of the week concepts is a great active days of the week song sung to the "Happy Days Theme song."
Sunday, Monday. . .Happy days,
Tuesday, Wednesday. . .Happy Days,
Thursday, Friday, . . .Happy Days,
Saturday-y-y
What a day-y-y,
Groovin all week with you!!
Ooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!
Let the kids dance and have fun with this one.
Clean Up time
So we all know the Barney song and if you are like me, it became old pretty fast. Here are a couple other clean up songs that are just as easy to learn.
Sung to "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
It is time to clean up now,
Clean up, clean up, we know how.
We can clean up; you will see
Just how clean our room can be.
Sung to "He's got the whole world in his hand"
It's time to put the toys away.
It's time to put the toys away.
It's time to put the toys away.
So we can go outside.
Line Up Time
This can be the most challenging for preschoolers because it is so new to them. They don't have to line up at their home on a day to day basis. Sometimes as teachers we forget that the only time they do line up is at school. Here are a couple songs to make this transition easier.
Sung to "London Bridge"
Everybody make a line, make a line, make a line
Everybody make a line, make a line, make a line
For now it's bathroom time. (can substitute bathroom for whatever action is next)
Sung to "If you are happy and you know it."
If you're ready and you know it, face the door.
If you're ready and you know it, face the door.
If you're ready and you know it
Then it's the time to show it
If you're ready and you know it, face the door.
I hope these spark some great ideas. As teachers, you have the right to make up songs for whatever occasion. The kids don't care what you sound like, they just recognize song. It is a great way to get their attention and change the mood when necessary.
