Materials
chart paper
markers
pre-gummed paper chain strips, or 2" x 6" strips of colored paper and tape
Instructions
1. Starting school or starting a new year in a different class can be a scary
experience for a young child. A large part of this is fear of the unknown.
This activity is a way to help children adapt to the classroom routine.
2. Make an attractive chart, assigning colors to different activities. For
example, green=outdoor play; red=music and movement; blue=circle
time; yellow=snack; orange=art; purple=storytime; white=rest time.
Make sure to include lots of fun pictures on the chart to make everything
look exciting.
3. When the children arrive in the morning, explain exactly what they will
be doing that day using the color chart. Tell them that the chart will help
remind them what happens next.
4. Help each child make a paper chain showing all the day's activities. For
example, if the first activity is circle time, followed by outdoor play, then
the first two links would be blue (circle time), then green (outdoor play),
and so on. To avoid confusion about which end is the last link, designate
gold or silver as the color for pick-up time.
5. After every activity, the
child can cut
or tear off
one link
from the
chain. This
gives the
children a
visual image of how much time
is left and exactly what will be
happening throughout the day.
Soon the children will be able to
cope without the chain.
More to do Whenever a new child joins the class, ask another (enthusiastic) child to be
the new child's partner for the first week, and tell him about each activity as
it happens.
