TRANSITION TIPS TO GET YOU THROUGH THE DAY
With a song, chant,
game, and clap,
you'll move through routines
with a snap!
Attention Grabbers to Focus Children's Attention
GIVE ME A CLAP
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a clap, give me a clap,
Give me a clap. (Clap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Give me a snap. (Snap twice.)
Now put your hands
In your lap. (Sing softly and model placing hands in lap.)
MISS SUE FROM ALABAMA
This catchy chant will capture children's attention in a fun way:
Miss Sue, Miss Sue, (Snap fingers.)
Miss Sue from Alabama.
Sitting in her rocker,
Eating Betty Crocker, (Pretend to eat.)
Watching the clock go
Tick-tock, tick-tock banana rock. (Point index fingers up and then tick
Tick-tock, tick-tock banana rock. tock from left to right.)
A B C D E F G, (Brush hands off shoulders.)
Wash those spots right off of me.
Oosha mama, oosha mama, (Point fingers and dance.)
Oosha mama, FREEZE! (Freeze and don't move!)
TOOTSIE ROLL
Tootsie roll, (Roll arms around.)
Lollipop, (Pretend to lick lollipop.)
We've been talking. (Hold up hands and open and close.)
Now, let's stop! (Pretend to zip lips.)
Hint! You may have to say this 2 or 3 times until all the children join
in.
MAGIC CLAP
Explain to the children that you have a magic signal that only your class
will know about. Every time you clap your hands, you want them to repeat
the clap and look at you. Practice this by clapping patterns, such as:
clap, clap ~ clap
clap, clap, clap ~ clap ~ clap
etc.
After children have repeated the clap and are focused on you, give directions
for the next activity.
Hint! If children don't follow along after the first clap, continue clapping
patterns until they are all paying attention.