ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

I was originally writing this blog for November 1^st.  However, I thought it might be more helpful for you to have these suggestions a few days ahead!

My thoughts are with you today!  November 1st should be a holiday because after all the trickin' and treatin' and sugar, it's a challenging day!  My advice is don't make yourself crazy trying to do too much today.  Shut your door, play outside, review skills, play games, sing songs, make a book, and take a deep breath!

Here’s an “Emergency Kit” for today (or any day when things get crazy)!

Whisper Day – Make a “whisper only” sign for your door.  Explain that you will only use a whisper voice all day long.  Talk, read, sing, and do all activities with a soft voice.

Turn off the Lights – Something as simple as turning off the lights can reduce stress and energy.  You could also play some quiet music as children enter the classroom.

Quiet Game – One child is selected to be “it.”  “It” stands in front of the room and says, “Mousie, mousie, how quiet can you be?  When I clap my hands 1, 2, 3 (slowly clap 3 times), we shall see!”  “It” chooses the classmate who is being the quietest and then that child comes to the front of the room and is the new “it.”  (My class LOVED this game.  It was a great way to develop self-regulation and calm them down.)

Give Your Mouth a Vacation – Challenge children to “give their mouths a vacation” and practice breathing through their noses.  Demonstrate how to slowly breath in on a count of 8 and then breath out on a count of 8.  Remind them  breathing slowly in and out can help them if they are angry.

Shake Down – Children stand and shake their right hand 5 times as they count.  Then shake the left hand 5 times.  Shake the right foot 5 times.  Shake the left foot 5 times.  Next, shake body parts 4 times, then 3 times, then 2 times, then 1 time.  Oh, yeah! 

*Do this several times using a softer voice each time until you are doing the silent version.

Use Your Imagination – Ask the children to close their eyes as you read a story.  Challenge them to make “pictures in their brains.”  Give them a sheet of paper to illustrate the story.

Scribble Designs – Have children take a black crayon, close their eyes, and scribble on a sheet of paper.  Open their eyes.  Can they fill in the whole page with different colors and designs in each space?

Buddy Poem – Divide students into groups of two.  Demonstrate how to write the word “November” down the side of a sheet of paper.  Together they write an acrostic poem by coming up with a word for each letter.

Silent Show and Tell – Have children close their eyes as friends take turns talking about what happened on Halloween night.  (If you don’t do holidays, then friends can take turns telling jokes or riddles.)

Make Rain

Hold up your palm as you say, “Let’s make rain.  Do what I do.”

Tap pointer finger on palm for several seconds.

Tap pointer finger and middle finger.

Tap pointer, middle, and ring finger.

Tap pointer, middle, ring, and pinky on palm.

Clap hands together loudly.

Clap hands and stomp feet and then reverse the movements.

Clap hands.

Tap pointer, middle, ring, and pinky on palm.

Tap pointer, middle, and ring finger.

Tap pointer and middle finger.

Tap pointer finger on palm.

Slowly bring palms together and put in your lap.

*This will really sound like a rainstorm is coming and going.  Children will want to do it again and again.  Woe be unto the child who does not cooperate with the group!