The new school year is about to begin. Kids are excited and staff is reenergized to start the year off on the right foot. Unfortunately, trying to calm kids down and organize them in a physically active environment proves to be extremely frustrating.
What staff tends to do is start yelling louder and then find they are losing their voice AND losing their battle of getting everyone to quiet down.
The solution is to have some simple and fun techniques that will immediately get their attention and quiet the group. The quicker they are calm, the quicker you can organize them and get them moving!
Here are three techniques that are extremely effective;
- Count Down – Hold one hand and count down from 5, while getting quieter. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1.” Have the children raise their hand too, and join in the countdown out loud. Take your time counting down, giving the children ample time to quiet themselves.
- Clap Once, Clap Twice – Say loudly; “Clap once if you hear me, clap twice if you hear me.” Model the claps, and children will quiet down.
- Eyes – Say loudly: “1, 2, 3 eyes on me!” and have the children respond with “1, 2 eyes on you!”. Repeat until everyone has settled down.
Introducing these techniques and using them frequently will set the tone for the year and will help make physical activity much more enjoyable for all!
For breakfast, I had yogurt, fruit, and a wonderful cup of coffee.
Author: @sandyspin