So your children are running around the room, making a mess of the resources but not actually engaging in anything and making a lot of noise. You have toddlers sleeping in the room next door and you are starting to feel stressed and out of control.
Sound familiar?
What do you do?
This is one of my favourite strategies. Call the children to a group time and tell them they are going to play a game. Spread them around the room to lie down on their backs. You might want to give them pillows and I would recommend separating the children so they are not next to someone they usually play with.
Turn on some relaxing music and place a small block on each child’s head. Explain that the block has to stay on their head without touching it. Whoever lasts the longest without it falling off wins.
Except you don’t call them out when it does fall off. Let them put it back on. Comment on those who are doing a great job. If being competitive really works for your children, mention who you think is currently winning. You can even challenge them further by seeing who can take a deep breath without it falling off.
Once you feel as though they are starting to become restless, tell the children they can go back to the group time area if they have had enough. Don’t force them to stop if they aren’t ready. Read a book to the ones that come to the group.
I hope you find this strategy helpful!
What strategies do you have for calming down a class?
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