Terrific Transition Times
Author/Source Unknown

In a childcare or daycare setting, transition times are when you are trying to help children finish an activity or routine of the day and move on to another one. Because we are often asking a large group of children to do the same thing at the same time, (known to be as easy as herding cats) transition times can often be the most chaotic. There is also a higher risk for children to be injured. Fortunately there are some effective stratagies for keeping control of the group and making this time a learning time as well. The main goals for terrific transition times are to; to capture and hold the children's attention, maintain a secure and preditable routine, move children from one activity to another in a safe and organized manner, and to have fun. Here are some strategies to meet these goals during major transition times.

Cleanup Time

During free play, children will often be very engaged in their chosen activity and they will find it difficult to abruptly stop what they are doing. You may find it helpful to give them a warning that playtime will be over soon. It is best to avoid simply calling out "five more minutes". Rather go directly to each child and tell them, "You have time for just one more turn at the art easel, cleanup is in ___ minutes." or " You may not want to start on that puzzle, cleanup will be coming before you have time to finish it."

Even with fair warning, many children will be reluctant to stop playing to cleanup. It is helpful to make cleanup a fun time as well. Select a special signal to alert the children that play time is over. This may be a song, flicking of the lights or ringing of the bell. You may wish to allow a child to do this fun task. Many programs have a special cleanup song that the children enjoy singing while they cleanup.

Your direct supervision will insure compliance in the children. Rather than standing in the middle of the room giving orders like a drill sargent, direct children invidually. "Susie, I need you to put that puzzle back on the shelf, it is cleanup time." "Anntiqua, would you help me get these green blocks off the floor?"

You can also make cleanup time fun by engaging the children's imagination. "Let's pretend we are squirrels gathering up our nuts (legos) for winter."


Everybody Line up

A simple announcement to "Get in line!" or "Go get your coats on.", can often cause chaos with groups of young children. It is best to guide them to do so in a orderly manner, often by taking turns. There are many ways to maintain order while also keeping those waiting engaged. You may wish to ask children to line up or complete a task according to a certain criteria. "If you are wearing red, please get in line." "Anyone who is wearing boots can go to the lunch table." You can also incorporate motor skills and fun during this time by asking children to make the transition in a very special way, "Hop to the bathroom like a frog". Songs will also make this transition time go smoothly.

Let's All Get Together

The transition to a group or circle time has two stages, getting children to the area and getting children ready to participate. Many daycare or childcare programs use a special signal to let children know it is time to gather. Again this could be a bell, hand clapping or a special song. You may find it helpful for each child to have a special place to sit designated by a chair, mat, or carpet square.

Once the group is together, your goal is to capture their attention and get them ready to listen and participate. Some providers use a magic wand that is used to caste a spell of listening. Other providers or teacher have a magic fairy dust or spray that sets the tone for calm. There are some great songs and fingerplays to make this a terrific transisiton time too!

Songs and Fingerplays for Terrific Transition Times

It's cleanup time in the preschool now
It's time for girls and boys
to stop what they are doing now
and put away their toys

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Teacher: Where is ______? Where is ______?
Child: Here I am, Here I am.
Teacher: Go and get your coat now
(wash your hands, or get a book now, etc)
Then sit down, then sit down.

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Hello everybody
hello everybody
hello hello hello

Sit down eveybody
sit down eveybody
sit down sit down sit down

Time to listen everybody
Time to listen everybody
time to listen time to listen time to listen

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If you want to hear a book please sit down
If you want to hear a book please sit down
If you want to hear a book, Just stay quiet, take a look
If your want to hear a book please sit down.
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 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.

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I have ten little fingers and they all belong to me
I can make them do things, would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight or open them wide.
I can put them together or make them all hide.
I can make them jump high, I can make them jump low.
I can fold them quietly hold them just so.

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to the tune of Frere Jacques:

Are you listening, are you listening?
Boys and girls, boys and girls?
It is time to listen, it is time to listen
Boys and girls, boys and girls.
instead of time to listen it could be -it is time to sit down, or it is time to clean up.

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To get their attention you could say

1,2,3 all eyes on me.
"Clap you hands
Stomp your feet
(child's name) can't be beat!

Wipe your knees
Rest awhile
(child's name) makes me smile!

Clap your hands
Jump up and down,
(Child's name) is the best kid in town!"

We sometimes substitute our class name if we are in a big hurry.

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Good Morning
(Melody: A Tisket, A Tasket)

Good morning, good morning
It's time to say "good morning"
Another day has just begun
I know that we'll have lots of fun!

Good morning, good morning
It's time to say "good morning"
I'm very glad that you could come
So we can play and have some fun!

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Hello Time
(Melody: Oh, Susanna)

0h,it's time to say hello, hello
Hello and how are you?
Oh, it's time to say hello, hello
To every one of you.

Hello friends, * a big "hello" to you!
We will sing and play and laugh today
Yes, this is what we'll do.

* Substitute with "boys," "girls," "children," teacher," "parents," or individual names.

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Hello Song
(Melody: Polly Wolly Doodle)

Oh, I'd like to say hello, hello
Hello----how do you do?
Oh, I'd like to say hello, hello
To you, and you, and you.

How are you? How are you?
How are you, my little friend?
I'm so very glad to see you
Yes, so very glad to see you!
Oh, I know that we'll have fun today!

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Hi There!
(Melody: Shoo, Fly)

Hi there, so glad you came
Hi there, so glad you came
Hi there, so glad you came
1-2-3 let's shout "hurray!"
Hurray (spoken)

Hi there, so glad you're here
Hi there, so glad you're here
Hi there, so glad you're here
1-2-3 let's give a cheer!
Yea! (spoken)

Teacher can shake hands with
the children as this song is sung.

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Greetings (In Various Languages)
(Melody: Bluebird)

Hello, hello everybody
Hello, hello everybody
Hello, hello everybody
So very glad to see you.

Hola, hola, everybody
Hola, hola, everybody
Hola, hola, everybody
So very glad to see you.

Shalom, Shalom everybody
Shalom, Shalom everybody
Shalom, Shalom everybody
So very glad to see you.

Bonjour, bonjour, everybody
Bonjour, bonjour, everybody
Bonjour, bonjour, everybody
So very glad to see you.

Buenos dias, everybody
Buenos dias, everybody
Buenos dias, everybody
So very glad to see you.

Show pictures of children from various countries
as you sing a greeting in the spoken language of that song

Spanish: Buenos Dias, Hola

French: Bonjour

German: Guten Tag

Italian: Buon Giorno

Swahili: Jambo

Norwegian: God (goo) Dag

Hawaiian: Aloha

Hebrew Shalom

Japanese: Konichiwa

Chinese: Ni Hao Ma

Russian: Dobroze Utro

Polish: Dzien Dobry


*****

Hello... Hello... Bonjour

Hello... Hello... Bonjour
You can say it once
You can say it again
It's almost as easy as counting to 10
Hello Hello Bonjour

Continue song using Hello's in whichever language you like.

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Hello (tune: Frere Jacques)

Hello, _____, hello, _____
How are you? How are you?
we're so glad to have you,
we're so glad to have you,
here at school, here at school.

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Circle
(Tune: Row Row Row Your Boat)

Hush,Shhh
(finger to lips)
Quiet please
let's all gather near
Find a friend and sit right down
Circle time is here.

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Tune: Ferre Jacques

We are waiting,we are waiting
Please sit down, please sit down
Come sit on the carpet,come sit on the carpet
Please sit down,please down

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Who Is Here Today?
(tune: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)

Let's see who is here today,
Who has come to join our play?
Everyone sit close at hand,
Say your name, then you can stand,
Let's see who is here today,
Who has come to join our play?

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Hello Song
(tune: Three blind mice)

Hello, _____, Hello, _____
How are you? How are You?
We're glad you're here to laugh and play,
We hope you'll have some fun today,
You're welcome, welcome everday.
To our playschool.

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( tune: Happy and You Know It)

Good morning, good morning.. How are you?
Good morning, good morning. How are you?
How are you this special day.
We're glad you came to play.
Good morning, good morning.. How are you?

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What Is Your Name:
(tune: Frere Jacques)

What is your name? What is your name?
Tell us please, tell us please,
We would like to meet you,
we would like to meet you,
What's your name? What's your name?

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Happy Faces
(tune: Jingle bells)

Smiling faces, happy faces,
giggling all around
oh, what fun we'll have this way
in a happy class today.
He-he-he, he-he-he-
Ha-ha-ha, ha-ha-ha-ha,
In a happy class today!

*****

"Biddely Diddely Bumblebee
Won't you tell your name to me?
(child says name) Karen!
(everyone claps and repeats the name twice)
Karen! Karen!

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Between Activities:

First part sung to "This Old Man"

It is naptime, it is naptime
Go to sleep, go to sleep
All my little bunnies, all my little bunnies
Not a peep, not a peep
(All of the children lay down, pretending to be asleep)

Second part is spoken (children are still "sleeping")

All my little bunnies fast asleep
All my little bunnies not a peep
If I should sing my song today
Will all my bunnies get up and play?

Third part, the children "wake up" and hop around,
knowing that when I say stop they need to freeze

Get up little bunnies hopping hopping
Get up little bunnies hop hop hop
Get up little bunnies hopping hopping
Get up little bunnies hop and stop!

I do this 2 or 3 times in a row until their wiggles are out. As soon as I say stop the first time I wait for everyone to stop and then I immediately sing the first part again and the children usually lay down in sleeping position right away. I have a class that can get very unruly and this works everytime for me. I also change the words to fit the season. Such as autumn leaves twirling twirling and Green Balloons floating floating

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All the little bunnies hop hop hop
All the little bunnies stop stop stop
Sit around in a circle sit inside your nest
All the little bunnies rest rest rest

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Have all children crouch down on the floor.
Repeat the following have them pop up as you say their name.

Jack in the box sit so still,
will Greg POP UP?
Yes he will.

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Sneaky Alligator...
Sneaky, sneaky alligator
Sneaky as can be
Sneaky, sneaky alligator
Come and follow me
Quiet as can be.

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Wiggle Song
(The Bear Went Over The Mountain)

Oh, my hands are starting to wiggle,
My hands are starting to wiggle,
My hands are starting to wiggle,
And.... So is the rest of me!

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Willaby, Wallaby

Willaby, Wallaby, Woo
An elephant sat on you
Willaby WalIby Wes
An elephant sat on Les
Or Willaby WalIby Wyelashes
An Elephant sat on my eyelashes
(substitue any body part or name rhymes)

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Too Much Noise
Swish, swish, swish.
Too much noise.
Can you help me,
Girls and boys?
Swish, swish, swish.
Swish some more.
Swish that noise
Right out the door.

Substitute: crunch,buzz,beep or splash.

*****

Circle Time
Come on, everybody it's
circletime, circletime, circletime...
Come on, everybody, it's circletime,
please come and sit with me.

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Welcome Song
(tune of London Bridge)

Time to put our work away, work away, work away,
Time to put our work away, so we can play outside.
Now it's time to come inside, come inside, come inside,
Now it's time to come inside, so we can have some snack.
Let's all go wash our hands, wash our hands, wash our hands,
Let's all go wash our hands, so we can have some lunch.
Now it's time to say goodbye, say good-bye, say good-bye,
Now it's time to say good-bye until another day.

You can make up other verses as needed. For example, I like to
Sing the following verse to help the child shake excess sand off Before they come indoors.

Now it's time to stomp our feet, stomp our feet, stomp our feet,
Now it's time to stomp our feet, so we can go inside.

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Ready And You Know It
(tune of: Happy and You Know It)

If your ready and you know it, sit right here....
If your ready and you know it, sit right here....

or get your coat etc.

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Storytime
(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 storytime with you!

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The Clean Up Song
(tune of: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

It is time to clean up now.
Clean up, clean up, we know how.
We can clean up; you will see
Just how clean our room can be.

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(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.

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(If You're Happy and You Know It)

Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug
Put your bottom on the rug,
And give yourself a hug,
Put your bottom on the rug, on the rug.

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Line Up
(London Bridge)

Everybody make a line, make a line, make a line
Everybody make a line, make a line, make a line
For now it's_______________ time.

(playground, music, bathroom, etc.)

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This Is The Way

This is the way we pick up our toys,
pick up our toys,
pick up our toys...
This is the way we pick up toys
before we have our snack.

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Clean Up
Clean up, clean up
Everybody do your share
Clean up, clean up
Everybody everywhere

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Good Bye Song
Zipadeedoodah
Zip a dee hay
My oh my what a wonderful day
Preschool is fun lots of learning and play
Zip a dee doo dah
Zip a dee hay

It's time for me to go now
But I be back on Monday
It will be another fun day
Zip a dee doo dah
Zip adee hay
My oh my what a wonderful day
Preschool is fun lots of learning and play
Zip a dee doo dah
Zipa dee hay

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Shaking Hands Good Bye
(tune of: Skip To My Lou)

shake hands with friends coz it's time to go
shake hands with friends coz it's time to go
shake hands with friends coz it's time to go
I hope I'll see you on _____________
(say next day you will meet)

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London Bridges Falling Down
Everybody please line up!
Please line up! Please line up!
Everybody please line up!
We are going inside!

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Storytime Rap

IF....YOU...wanna hear a story this is what you gotta do
You gotta sit on the run like the pretzels do!
So find your place and clap your hands
So the teacher will know, that you understand!
Zip your lips and turn on your ears
Cause THIS (holding up book)
is the story that you're gonna hear!

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End of day we sing same song as beginning, different words:

We had fun today!
We're glad you came to play!
So long for now, good-bye my friends,
We'll play another day!

*****

12 sweet kids, sitting on the rug
_________ got up and gave me a hug!

11 sweet kids....

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To start Circle Time
(tune:Farmer in the Dell)

We'll work and play today
We'll work and play today
Hello! Hello! to everyone
We'll work and play today!

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Clean Up Freeze

Play a song as children clean up from an activity of play time. Throughout the song, stop the music and have everyone freeze. Restart the music to get the little ones moving again. Works really well.

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Special Words

Each day announce a special word of the day the relates to the theme. For example if the theme is transportation, the special Word might be trucks. Each time you say the word, children must stop and listen for special instructions. It's a great way to get attention quickly.

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The Clean Up Train

When the classroom needs extra cleaning up,announce that it is time for the clean up train. Ask each child to line up behind you,and hold on to the persons waist in front of them. Begin chugging around the room, when you see an area that needs special attention, call out first stop block area. The person directly behind you is in charge of that area. Keep going until everything is in order. When it's all finished lead the children around the room and let them make Toot! Toot! sounds.

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I teach 4 & 5 year olds and my transition is pretty simple. At the beginning of the year I set up a clear routine and once the children are comfortable with it they practically run transitions themselves!

I have two boxes....one is labeled "Let's Take Turns" ....the second reads "My Turn's Done". Whenever we transition (from play to circletime, from play to clean-up, etc.) I choose a name from the "Let's Take Turns" box. That person then rings a set of sleighbells that I have hanging in our room. The sleighbells signal the children that it is circletime or clean-up time (depending on the time of day). Because we follow the same routine...Free Play/CircleTime/Free Play & Project Time/Clean-up---the children learn to know instinctively what to do when the bells ring.

If I have a particular child in the room that has trouble transitioning I always give them a quiet, one-on-one 5 minute notice that a transition will be happening soon so they have time to wind down what they are doing.

At our first circle we always talk about what is going to be happening that day, so if something is different ( ie. music teacher, gym teacher, science specialist etc. ) the children will know far in advance how the routine of the day will change.

I think it is the routine of the day, and clear signals that help my children transition securely and easily. By the end of the year they greatly enjoy trying to "beat" the bell signal. As soon as they see me approach the box, or ask a child to ring the bells they rush to the rug for circletime or begin picking up and announcing "it's clean-up" time!

My best advice is probably to try out different ideas until one feels right for you and your children.

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To Centers after circle, we'll show name cards if they are at that level. Or go with "If you are a girl..." or are wearing blue, or have a dog at your house, your favorite dinosaur is a stegosaurus,etc...

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At clean up time, the Clean Up Helper rings a school bell,
and everyone sings the Barney Clean Up song while we straighten up and put away.

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Then to the carpet while everyone takes turns washing hands for snack. While there, we let the kids choose songs to sing by picking a card (velcroed to a big board) that has the name of a song and a Boardmaker pic representing that song (many non-verbal kids, but it's also literacy building!) The kids who have washed and are sitting at the table sing along too.

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We use a lot of transition ideas, bec. we always have several for whom transitioning is particularly difficult. Those kids we also give 2 min. and 1 min. warnings also, so it's not a shock when it's time to move on!

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*Submitted by Sherry

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