Take a Seat
Clap your hands. (Clap hands.)
Stomp your feet. (Stomp feet.)
Shake your booty. (Wiggle.)
And take a seat! (Sit down.)
*If you don't like the word "booty" you can substitute "body" or something else.
You Can Do It!
If a child says they can't do something, hold up your hands and say "YOU CAN DO IT!" Before long the rest of the class will join you when this happens.
Tuck In
When it's rest time for the little ones the children can choose:
Hotdog, hotdog, hot diggity dog! (Roll the child in their blanket like a hotdog.)
Burrito (Roll the child like a burrito.)
Taco (Hold the sides of the blanket up like a taco shell.)
Sound Match
Write every letter on two index cards. You will need to use as many cards as there are children in your class. For example, if you have 24 students use 24 of the cards or the letters A – L. Pass a letter to each child, but tell them not to let anyone see their letter. Children walk around the room making their sound until they find someone making the same sound. They stoop down and think of a word that starts with that sound. When all students are stopping the teacher yells, “Pop Up ABCs” and the children stand up. Continue playing the game with different letters.
*Make a similar game for younger children with pictures of farm animals. They walk around making their animal’s sound until they find their partner.
Skip or Duet Reading
Take turns reading every other word.
*You can do this as a large group activity or children can do this with a partner.
Singing (Angel Hollandsworth)
When you sing “Today Is Sunday,” give each child a paper plate and plastic fork or spoon to keep the beat.
*Sing the ABC’s or other songs as you tap out the beat.
Drawing a Person
Many children have difficulty drawing a person, so this is a technique that might help. It's also an interesting way to focus on positional words. First, fold a piece of paper into thirds as shown. Open. Prompt children with these directions:
1. What's at the top of you? Your head! Make the head in this top section.
2. What's in the middle of you? Your body! Make a body in the middle section.
3. What comes off your body? Your legs! Make your legs in the bottom section.
4. What's at the end of your legs...
5. What comes off the sides of your body...
6. What's at the end of your arms...
7. What helps you see...(Some children may need to look in the mirror to see what color their eyes are.)
Talk...hear...smell...continue calling out details for the children to add.
Note! One time I had a little girl who liked to draw naked people. I didn't make a big deal, but I said, "You know, everyone has to wear clothes to school." That's all it took!