Nursery getting children's attention...

[NewbieTeacher]

Does anyone have tried and tested methods/songs/actions to get (and keep!) the attention of nursery/reception children at the beginning of and during (very short!) carpet sessions? My school is not keen on counting, bells or clapping etc.

Would songs like five currant buns or five speckled frogs be too count-y? I get the children to play the parts of the buns, the bun buyers and the frogs and we do actions to accompany them (they especially like being frogs and "leaping" into the pool (carpet)). Usually gets good results!

Thank you, will give these a go! I seem to struggle to get them all to be quiet initially and then during discussions. Am used to counting or clapping but have been asked to use other techniques as they are do young.

What about 'everybody sit down' song if you are familiar with that?" Everybody sit down, sit down, sit down, everybody sit down on the floor. Not on the window (point at windows) not on the door (point at the door), not on the ceiling (you've probably got the idea by now), on the floor" . Can't think how to describe the tune! Also we have another one that we made up! Once on the carpet it's just a case of continuous positive reinforcement. We have makaton pictures for good sitting etc which once are introduced we point to a lot too! And hand signs for good sitting. And if you use a peg system or similar there's a lot of peg moving up for even a brief moment of attention. You have to keep your expectations realistic though! Good luck! I've spent the last couple of years in nursery after many years in KS1 and it's certainly been an experience! I think every teacher should do it actually, helps to see where children start from before we start the crazy pressure to get those levels up...

We have a spotted rug in the reception class, and every child has their own spot. Big enough for their bottoms obviously 😀 Works really well, and it's been a particularly wriggly class.

Everybody do this, do this, do this, everybody do this, just like me (while doing an action like tapping your head/waving hands).

Clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, clap your hands and wiggle your fingers, now we've made a pattern.

Sung call-and-response - Are you listening? Yes we are.

Everybody sit down is the same tune as Charlie had a pigeon if that helps

We have a tambourine to get attention, ten wriggly fingers while they listen to instruction to tidy up. Sing tidy up song (London Bridge tune - now's the time to tidy up, tidy up, tidy up, now's the time to tidy up, tidy up time!) repeated ad nauseam until tidy, then "1, 2, 3, 4 get you bottoms on the floor, 5, 6, 7, 8, hurry up and don't be late!" sung to a very simple tune, you could make up your own!

Omg no one else in the whole wide world has ever said that they know Charlie had a pigeon

One two three, eyes on me! Children respond with one, two, eyes on you.

DD nursery they used to say "are you listening" in a song song voice & children responded "yes we are".

Surely everyone knows "Charlie had a pigeon"? We also had a "Roger had a tractor" version, in honour of our local farmer, as kids!

Singing- you: Show me you're ready. Show me good sitting. Show me good listening. Show me good looking.

All reinforced with picture cards.