1 - 2 I CAN TIE MY SHOES!

It’s pretty amazing that children have better technical skills than many adults, but they don’t know how to tie their shoes. Believe it or not, "knows how to tie shoes" was on our checklist in the old days.

When my kids were little I got a big stuffed animal and used an apron to teach them how to tie. The apron strings were much bigger and easier to manipulate than shoestrings.

Here are two poems that might help children with this task.

1-2-3-4 – TYING SHOES
Let’s get ready to tie your shoes.
Over and under. Now, what to do? (Pull strings tight.)
1. Make a loop that looks like a tree. (Make a loop with right string.)
2. The other string is a rabbit you see. (Hold up left string.)
3. The rabbit goes around and in a hole. (Take left string around loop and stick in the hole.)
4. Pull the loops tight and there is your bow! (Take both loops and pull.)

Hint! Take a marker and color one half of the shoe string. It will be easier for children to tell which loop is the "rabbit' and which is the "hole" if they are different colors.


TYING SHOES VERSION 2
Take the 2 strings (Make loops with each string.)
And make two bunny ears.
Over and under
And a knot will appear. (Tie loops in a knot.)
Pull the ears tight
And what do you know? (Pull loops.)
You’ve tied your shoes
And there is your bow!

Hint! One teacher suggested getting a bag and sending home the shoe with a different child each night. It would be a nice reminder that children still do need to know how to tie their shoes in 2025!




SHOE SHERIFF CLUB
You’ll love this idea from Karen Hansen and Karen Aikin! When children learn to tie their shoes they get to sign their name on a poster that says “Shoe Sheriff Club.” Each day a child on the poster gets to wear a badge and be Shoe Sheriff for the day. If someone’s shoes come untied, they have to go to the Sheriff instead of bothering the teacher.

*Ashley Swedell puts shoes on table legs and if children finish their work early they can practice their tying.

Note! Janet Cantrell has children practice tying using their own leg!




Passport of Accomplishment
Make an award similar to the one below to distribute to children when they learn to tie their shoes.

EASY PEASY NAME CARDS

How can something so simple be used in so many ways? Make name cards and you’ll be able to use them to help children get to know their classmates, plus:print connections
alphabet knowledge
phonological awareness,
motivation to read
transitions
classroom management
writing

Directions: Write each child’s name on a card and glue their picture on the right as shown. Store the name cards in a box or basket.

Sign In
Place name cards by a large sheet of paper. Each day when children come to school they can find their card and write their name on the chart.

Writing Center
Keep cards in the writing center so children can use their friends’ names to write stories, notes, etc.

Transitions
Pull names to line up, answer questions, go to centers, etc.

Seating
Place cards on the rug before circle time. Children find their name and sit in that spot. (The cards can be used in a similar manner for snack or table activities.)
NOTE! This is a perfect way to separate children who challenge you.

Mystery Name
Choose one child’s name each day and place it in an envelope. Give clues about the consonants and vowels in the name. For example, “This person’s name has one vowel and it is in the middle.” Write an “a” on the envelope. “Whose name could it be? This name has a /t/ sound at the end.” Write a “t” on the envelope. “Anybody guess whose name this might be? There is a /p/ at the beginning of this name.” Write a “P” on the envelope. “Stand up if this is your name.” Pull the name card from the envelope to verify.

BINGO
Give children dry cereal or buttons and let them play Bingo with their name cards. As you call out letters they cover them up if they are in their name.

Hint! As children become familiar with their names, let them choose a symbol or sticker to replace their photo. During the next stage, write each child’s name using a different color for the first letter in their name. Finally, just use cards with the children’s names.

NAME ON YOUR PAPER

Long ago a veteran teacher gave me some good advice about starting the school year. She said, "GO SLOW!" Take your time and teach children the correct procedures and you'll be set for the rest of the year.

It will be so much easier to teach children routines (like putting their name on their paper) with a song.

Name on Your Paper (Tune: "Shine and a hair cut - two bits")
Name on your paper ~ first thing!
Name on your paper ~ first thing!
Where does it go?
At the top.
Where does it go?
At the top.
Name on your paper~ first thing!
Name on your paper~ first thing!

*Add a verse that says, "Date on your paper - second thing!"

Put Your Name First Thing
Here's another song to the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It" to remind children to write their name.

Put your name on your paper first thing.
Put your name on your paper first thing.
Your teacher needs to know who did the work and so
Put your name on your paper first thing.

Secret Code
Each day give your students a "secret code" to put on their work. Write it on the board and explain that it's the date. For example, the secret code for today would be 8-7-18.

Name Notes
Here's a great idea for class note cards. Give each child a 4" square and ask them to draw their picture and write their name. Reduce the size and glue to half a sheet of paper or around a full sheet as shown. Make many, many copies and use for notes to parents or place in the writing center for the children to use.

GOOD BYE SONGS

Always end the day with a song to give children a happy thought and a smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9QbZnLqeMw

It Is Time to Say Good-Bye (Tune: "She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain")
(Clap your hands and stomp your feet to the beat.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends.
It is time to say good-bye,
Give a smile and wink your eye. (Smile and then wink.)
It is time to say good-bye to all my friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Yeehaw!!! (Fist in the air.)

Goodbye Friends (Tune: “Where Is Thumbkin?”)
Goodbye friends. (Wave good-bye.)
Goodbye friends. (Children repeat each line.)
Time to go. (Point to clock.)
Time to go.
We had fun learning.
We had fun learning.
Love you so. (Cross arms as if hugging and then point to children.)
Love you so.

The More We Get Together (Traditional Tune - Sing in sign language.)
The more we get together, together, together.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.
For your friends are my friends,
and my friends are your friends.
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be.

The more we learn together…

The more we play together…

The more we sing together…


3 –H Good-bye
Heigh-de-ho, heigh-de-hay,
Sure am glad you came today.
Before you go, what do you say?
Hug, handshake, or high-5 today? 

*Cut out a hand (handshake), heart (hug), and "5" (high five). Children choose the one they want to give the teacher before they leave the classroom.

Car Wash
Children form two lines facing each other and begin moving their hands in a circular motion like a car wash. One child at a time walks down the center of the car wash as friends gently touch them and say something positive about them.

Thumbs Up
Put your thumbs up if you learned something new today. (Put thumbs up.)
Clap your hands if you had fun today. (Clap hands.)
Give yourself a hug if you were a kind friend today. (Hug self.)
See you tomorrow for another special day. (Wave and smile.) 

TIDY UP

Clean up will be much more successful if you choose a song and sing it consistently when you want the children to tidy up. You really can use any song that you like (country, broadway, college fight song), but use the same song every day and model what you want the children to do.

I used to sing these songs in my classroom and to my own children at home. (My daughter and son would clean up just to get me to shut up!)

A Helper I Will Be (“The Farmer in the Dell”)
A helper I will be.
A helper I will be.
There’s work to do,
There’s work to do.
A helper I will be.
A picker up I’ll be.
A picker up I’ll be.
It’s time to put our things away,
A picker up I’ll be.

Hint! Change the words to whatever you want the children to do, such as “pick up the trash,” “push in the chairs,” etc.

Tidy Up (“Jingle Bells”)
Chorus:
Tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
Tidy up, tidy up, we’re finished for today.
Oh, tidy up, tidy up, put your things away.
For we’ll get them out again another school day.

We’ve had lots of fun as we’ve worked and played.
Now it’s time to all join in and play the clean up game.
Chorus

Can You? (Tune: “Skip to My Lou”)
I can clean quietly, how about you?
I can clean quietly, how about you?
I can clean quietly, how about you?
How about you, my darlin?

*Change the words to “push in my chair,” “pick up trash,” etc.

Magic Trash
Select one random piece of trash to be the “magic trash.” Have children pick up the room. As they dump the paper and scraps in the trash can, inspect what they have in their hands. The one to find the “magic trash” gets a prize or gets to be the line leader. (Only you and I know there's no special piece of trash!)

Timer
To help prepare children to clean-up or move to another activity, set a timer for five minutes. Explain, “You have five more minutes. When the timer goes
off we will have a whisper clean up.”

Who You Gonna Call?
Send a letter home asking if anyone has an old dust buster to donate to your classroom. Choose one person each day to be the “dust buster.” When there’s a mess shout, “Who you gonna call?” Children respond, “Dust buster!” The designated “dust buster” of the day GETS to clean up the mess.

Classroom Jobs
Assign classroom jobs weekly. Title the jobs by real careers.
Supervisor – Calls the roll.
Maintenance – Picks up the classroom.
Police Officer – Makes sure everyone walks slowly in the hall.
Mail Carrier – Passes out papers.
Librarian – Cleans the classroom library.
Gardener – Waters the plants.
Meteorologist – Gives the morning weather report.
Accountant – Does the lunch count.
UPS – Takes reports to the office.

WASH YOUR HANDS AND BACK TO SCHOOL JOKES

Washing hands can be an effective way to keep you and your children healthy. It might be wise at the beginning of the year to have a discussion about WHEN you should wash your hands. (You have to remember that children come from different homes with different expectation.) 

Practice washing hands following the guidelines and teach children a song to make the task more fun.

Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands (Tune: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")
Wash, wash, wash your hands
play the handy game.
Rub and scrub and scrub and rub
Germs go down the drain!

Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up. Remind them to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice as you look in the mirror.

Scrub a Dub
(Tune: "Yellow Bird")
Scrub a dub, rub, rub, a scrub a dub.
Scrub a dub, rub, rub, a scrub a dub.
Germs go down the drain,
And that’s not a shame.
Wash the dirt away,
Get hands clean today.
Soap them up real good,
Rinse them like you should.
And healthy you’ll be!

Potty, Flush, and Wash (Cindy and Tracy)
Several years ago at a workshop two teachers taught us this song to the tune of “London Bridge.”
Potty, flush, and wash your hands,
Wash your hands, wash your hands.
Potty, flush and wash your hands
Every time!

BACK TO SCHOOL JOKES

Video

https://bit.ly/drJAugRiddlesNarr

PDF

https://bit.ly/drJRiddles8-25

LINE UP - LINE UP

Kids and lines don't go together very well, but it's a necessary part of classroom life. Instead of "keep your hands to yourself," try one of these positive approaches.

I’m Ready (Say or sing to the tune from "Gilligan's Island")
I’m looking straight ahead of me.
My arms are at my side.
My feet are quiet as can be,
I’m ready for outside.
Hint! Write the chant on a poster and tape it to the door.

Line Up Song (Tune: “Hi Ho, Hi Ho”)
Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to (lunch, play, home, etc.) we go.
With our heads held high and arms by our sides
And our belly buttons all in a row.

Hips and Lips
Teacher says "Hips" - children put one hand on their hips.
Teacher says "Lips" - children put index finger from the other hand on their lips.

Hallway Trip
“Zip” – pretend to zip your lips.
“Flip” – fold arms across your chest.
“We’re ready for the hallway trip.”

Line Up Call Back
I say “line.”
You say “up.”
Line (teacher)
Up (Children)
I say “sit.”
You say “down.”
Sit (teacher)
Down (Children)
“Happy” – “Monday” etc.

Let’s Pretend!
Marshmallows - Have the children put “marshmallows” in their mouths (Puff out cheeks.)
and put “marshmallows” on their feet. (Model walking slowly and gently.)

Museum Hands – Children clasp their hands behind their backs.
Butterfly Wings or Angel Wings - Children put their hands behind their backs and stick out their elbows and flap them like wings.

Fix It Up
When students forget school rules and appropriate behavior, simply say:
STOP! (Put your hand in the air.)
BACK IT UP! (Have them return to their seats.)
FIX IT UP! (Choose a child to describe the appropriate behavior.)

Days of the Week
Name your tables, rows, etc. according to the days of the
week. On Monday, the “Monday table” gets to line up first all day long. For example:
“Monday table, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.” On Tuesday, call the “Tuesday
table” first all day. “Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday.” Every group will
have a turn being first as well as last.

Line Up Rhymes
Use these rhymes to dismiss children:
Apples, peaches, pears, plums –
Tell me when your birthday comes.
(Each child tells their birthday.)

Cat, dog, frog mouse –
Tell me the number on your house.
(Children say their street address.)

Ring, ring, anybody home?
What’s the number of your telephone?
(Children state their phone number.)

A E I O You may be dismissed.
(Point to children as you say the vowels. The child who would be “U” may line up.)

Wall Push Ups
While children are waiting and standing in line in the hall encourage them to do push ups against the wall.