Materials
none
Instructions
1. Make transitions easy by singing through them. Make up songs as you go
along. For example, the following is a simple follow-the-leader song that can
be used throughout the day:
Follow the leader
Follow the leader,
Follow the leader to the _________ (gym, playground, or any other place)
2. If the children come to school on a school bus, sing this song as they arrive:
(Tune: "This Is The Way We...")
The school bus goes to __________'s house, __________'s house,
_________'s house,
The school bus goes to __________'s house to bring him (her) to school.
3. Adapt this tune for almost any transition task. For example:
This is the way we pick up our rugs, pick up our rugs, pick up our rugs,
This is the way we pick up our rugs and put them away.
This is the way we wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands,
This is the way we wash our hands before we eat our snack.
4. Good waiting songs allow each child to have a turn to add to the song. In the
song, "Alligator Pie" (by Dennis Lee), children alternate between slapping
their thighs and clapping their hands to create a rhythm. If you don't know
the tune, say it as a chant.
5. Repeat, giving each child a chance to sing about their favorite pie or the
silliest pie instead of "Alligator" pie.
6. Other good waiting songs incorporate some movement while children are
still sitting, such as the following (sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the
Dell"). You can call on each child to identify another body part to wiggle:
I wiggle, I wiggle, my fingers,
I wiggle, I wiggle, my fingers,
Hi-ho-the-derrio,
I wiggle, I wiggle my fingers.
