Settling Rhymes 476n41

1. There are many songs that can work well for getting ready to listen... Here are a couple that I use...

Only one can talk at a time And this is what I'll do I'll be as quiet as a little mouse Till other folks are through.

I put my hands upon my head On my shoulders... On my face At my waist and and at my side Then behind me they will hide I lift them way up in the sky Let my fingers fly fly fly Clap clap clap...and one two three See how quiet they can be. (I make a big deal of interlacing my fingers and they do it with me.)

2.

Ready for story time. To get ready for religion or story time, have a little song to announce that special time. Here is the song I sing for religion (melody: Brother john): I am special(x2) Look and see(x2) I am very special (x2) God loves me (x2).

3.Settling down. I am waiting I am waiting For all my friends For all my friends To come and our circle To come and our circle Sit right down Sit right down.

4. Circle Time... (Row, Row, Row Your Boat) Hush, ssh, quiet please, Let's all gather near. Find a friend and sit right down, Circle time is here.

5. clean-up to sitting down for story –

If you're ready for a story find a seat; if you're ready for a story find a seat; if you're ready for a story check your hands and then your feet; if you're ready for a story find a seat. 6. Ready for snakes. Second for waiting till everyone is seated so all can start snack at the same time: Put your hands in the air, in the air; put your hands in the air, in the air; put your hands in the air, but we don't want to leave them there! Sooo...put your hands in your lap, in your lap; put your hands in your lap, in your lap; put your hands in your lap and we'll get ready for our snack; put your hands in your lap, in your lap. 6.Ring Time To settle down. I have found that this song settles the children quickly without effort. Sung to the tune of (Pierre Jacques)

It is ring time, It is ring time, come and sit, come and sit Let us learn together,

Let us learn together It's ring time It's ring time.

7. This is a song I made up for coming to a group time. It is to the tune of "If you're happy and you know it".

Put your legs in a box, in a box. Put your legs in a box, in a box. Put your legs in a box and a bubble in your mouth, Put your legs in a box, in a box. Put your hands in your lap, in your lap.... Put a bubble in your mouth , in your mouth,......... It can be changed into any words that you use for a similar situation. When I start singing the song the children know it's time to sit down and listen!

8.Attenstion time. 1,2 You know what to do. 3,4 Sit on the floor. . 5,6 Your feet you fix. 7,8 Sit up straight. 9,10 Let's listen again. 9.Group Time

Sit criss cross applesauce hands in your lap Criss cross applesauce hands in your lap Sit criss cross applesauce hands in your lap Cause that's the way we like to sit .... Yeah I cannot describe the tune just make it lively :o) 10.Attenstion time.nursery.

Point to the window Point to the door Point to the ceiling Point to the floor Point to your elbow Point to your knee Point to you and point to me. It gets their attention on you! 11. When settling down for a quiet time we recite the following rhyme: Here are grandma's glasses ( put thumbs and forefingers together and place over eyes. Here is grandma's hat (form teepee on head with hands.) And here is how she folds her hands and lays them in her lap. Here are grandpa's glasses (form circle on eyes with fingers and thumbs. I usually use a deeper voice) Here is grandpa's hat. (teepee on head) And here is how he folds his arms just like that. (Put arms akimbo.) Children may have to be shown how to put arms akimbo the first time.

12. Transition Songs

To "She'll be coming round the mountain" If you're ready for a story, please sit down, If you're ready for a story please sit down, If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story, If you're ready for a story please sit down. 13.To sit down children for circle time A couple of songs we use for reminding kids to sit down at circle.

Hold hands over head, palms together like a belly dancer: Then we say, "One, two, three, four, hoochy-coochy to the floor". Song: (If You're Happy And You Know It) Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat Everybody have a seat on the floor. Not on the ceiling, not on the door, Everybody have a seat on the floor. 14.Listen to the story. Hands upon my head I place Upon my shoulders and on my face At my waist and by my side And then behind me they will hide And then I'll raise them way up high And let my fingers fly, fly, fly With a clap, clap, clap And a one, two, three Lets see how quiet we can be! 15

I came up with a song to sing while we're waiting for all the kids to us on the carpet for story or group time, or even to line up. It's to the tune of the wishing well song from Snow White

We're waiting, we're waiting For the friends we love To us, to us Today, today. ******You can change the last line to fit the circumstance, like, For story, for story or To play, to play***********The kiddos love it!

I am waiting I am waiting I am waiting just for you To show me that your ready And I'll be ready too. (As the children sit down) We are waiting We are waiting We are waiting just for you To show us that you're ready And we'll be ready too. The children love to be one of the first ones seated to help you sing. When children are talking sung to (Are You Sleeping) Are you talking? Are you talking? I hear you I hear you Show me that you're quiet Show me that you're quiet SH Sh Sh Sh Sh Sh

16.

I have little two & three's in my daycare, so I like to sing this when it's story time: (Sing a Song of Sixpence) It's time to watch and listen, We're going to read a book. We'll sit down on the rug And use our eyes to look. We'll look at pictures, And hear the story, too. Oh, what fun it is to share This story time with you! 17. (Row, Row, Row Your Boat) Hush, ssh, quiet please, Let's all gather near. Find a friend and sit right down, Circle time is here. 18. "Instant Silence Song"Use your own tune to this verse that silences my 4 year olds instantly. My friend is "Tori"

My friend is "Tori "T - O - R - I My friend is "Tori" Have the child stand while you are singing "their" song. Several of my students have learned to spell their name. 19.

To get the children to come to circle time we sing... Lets sit for story (or circle) For story, for story, Lets sit for story, Please come and sit with me. (at this point children start to arrive and we sing).. Bobby is at story, at story, at story Bobby is at story, he came to sit with me (and so on till everyone is sitting down) 20.

I’m Glad You Came to School

Sung to: The Farmer in the Dell

I’m glad (child’s name) came to school, I’m glad (child’s name) came to school, We’ve planned lots of fun for you, I’m glad (child’s name) came to school,

21. These worked well with my preschoolers then, and worked well with my 1st graders last year. Both of these are chants-clapping or snapping fingers helps.

If you want to hear a story this is what you've got to do, Got to sit on the rug like the pretzels do. So find your place, and clap your hands, so your teacher'll know that you understand That's Right! (That's right) That's Right! 22.

Transition Songs Time For Circle: Sung to Oh, My Darling Clementine Time for circle, time for circle, Time for circle time today, Let's sit down, let's be quiet, Wonder what we will do today? 23.

Circle and Large Group Transitions

Circle activities can help everyone to get ready for the next part of the routine, as well as help children feel part of the group. Circle times can also be another transitional problem if: the teacher is not prepared and keeps the children waiting; there is not enough space for everyone; activities prepared are not appropriate for the particular age or a large group; the children are forced, rather than invited to participate; guidelines for group time behavior are not clear. A big problem often occurs when group times are too long. Plan realistically for the group's attention span. Ask the children for their ideas for group time activities. A group time can also be used to help with the other transitions. For example, during a group time after breakfast, you can talk to the children about morning activities, have a few at a time select an activity and move to it while another teacher is setting up. Getting ready for group time Often you can start right into a song or fingerplay while a few children are still talking and you get everyone's attention quickly. On other occasions, some "quieting downers" are required. "Let's open our cars." (pretend to turn on imaginary knobs at cars) "Let's put on our listening hats." (you could use real or imaginary hats) "Let's stretch our ears like long rabbit ears so we can hear really well." "Let's row, row, row our boats to Storyland." (sing Row, row, row your boat several times, getting quieter each time until singing has reached a whisper) Wiggles I'll wiggle my fingers and wiggle my toes, I'll wiggle my arms and wiggle my nose. And now that all the wiggles are out, We'll listen to what circle's about. My Fingers I stretch my fingers away up high Until they almost reach the sky.

I lay them in my lap and you see Where they're as quiet as they can Be! Ten Little Fingers I have 10 little fingers and they all belong to me (hands upright) I can make them do things, would you like to see? I can shut them up tight (fists) or open them wide, I can put them together or make them all hide (close fists together) I can make them jump high (swing hands above head) Or make them go low (swing hands down low) I can fold them up quickly and hold them just so (hands in lap). 24. Sung to: Row, Row, Row Your Boat (Child’s name) sing, sing with me. Sing out loud and clear To tell the children everywhere That Music time is here. 25,Waiting for others We're waiting, we're waiting For the friends we love To us, to us for story, for story. 26.Waiting for play Waiting for others

We're waiting, we're waiting For the friends we love To us, to us To play, To play. 1.A little bird

Once I saw a little bird Hop, hop, hop, So, I cried, “Little Bird, Stop, stop, stop,” I was going to the window To say, “How do you do?” But he shook his little tail. And far away he flew.

2.buttrfly butterfly Butterfly, Butterfly, flutter around. Butterfly, Butterfly, touch the ground. Butterfly, Butterfly, fly so free. Butterfly, land on me! Butterfly, Butterfly, reach the sky, Butterfly, Butterfly, say good-bye! 3.Early to bed Early to Bed Early to rise Makes a man Healthy, wealthy and wise!

4.Early to bed &early to rise Cocks crow in the morn, To tell us to rise. And he who wakes late Will never be wise. For early to bed And early to rise Is the way to be healthy And wealthy and wise.

5.Golden rules Breathe Fresh Air. Play in the open air. Drink pure water. Eat Good food. Wear clean clothes. Take exercise daily. Take rest and sleep well. 6. Grasshopper, In the green grass Please do stop. And let me . But it hops and hops and hops And never stops.