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Ask Hello. "Should Children Sit During Circle Time?"

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Educators offer options to sitting during circle time.

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Early childhood educators know how challenging transitions can be! NAEYC has collected a list of resources to support your unique ECE needs. Whether going back to school or looking for strategies in the classroom, NAEYC is here to help.

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Creating Anti-Racist Early Childhood Spaces in the Classroom

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Creating Anti-Racist Early Childhood Spaces in the Classroom

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Rosemarie Allen, Dorothy L. Shapland, Jen Neitzel, Iheoma U. Iruka

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Viewpoint. Creating Anti-Racist Early Childhood Spaces

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In this article, we outline the past and present along with strategies for creating anti-racist early childhood spaces.

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State of Michigan Curriculum Requirements

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State of Michigan Curriculum Requirements

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Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality

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Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality

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What Does a High-Quality Primary Classroom Look Like?

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In a high-quality classroom, teachers follow five guidelines to promote children's learning.

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Something that I learned about during my years in college that still permeates my classroom and pedagogy is the Reggio Emilia approach to early education. I am not a teacher in a Reggio school nor have I attended a study tour in Reggio Emilia, Italy, but I am passionate about the approach and how it can be used it in my public school classroom. I frequently receive questions about my Reggio-inspired space or activities that I share on Instagram, so this post will serve as a detailed guide for early childhood educators who are interested in this approach.

A background in Reggio

First, it's important to have a base understanding of what the Reggio Emilia approach is and what it isn't. According to the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance, the approach entails "a deep knowledge in theory and community-constructed values that have been and are continuously being translated into high quality early childhood practices" (NAREA, 2021). Teachers using this approach have an understanding of Vygotsky, Piaget, and Dewey, to name a few. Social construction of knowledge is key, allowing children to be actively involved in their education. Modern methods like project-based learning are similar in their approach. A Reggio-inspired teacher seeks to create a space that supports children in all forms of development. This space goes far and beyond the physical space but includes the concepts, projects, activities, discussions, methods, and exploration that students experience.

The Reggio approach is not just a way to decorate a classroom. While the physical environment plays a role, there is much more to being a Reggio-inspired classroom than the colors of the rug or the types of bins used. You will get some tips in this post about colors and materials, but without more background and learning, it will just be decoration.

There are multiple ways to learn about the Reggio Emilia approach from observing in Reggio learning centers and talking with Reggio educators to reading books and attending conferences. I was fortunate to begin my learning in college during my undergraduate program. Learning about the history of Reggio Emilia and working in Reggio-inspired early learning centers jumpstarted my journey into the Reggio world.

To start your own Reggio journey, I suggest starting with your mindset . There are so many things about the approach that differ from traditional classroom design, instructional materials, planning, and activities. So, ask yourself the following questions and consider your responses:

What role do the children play in their learning?

What role do I play in children's learning and within the classroom?

What role does the classroom space play in children's learning?

Answer honestly and completely. Your answers will help you either begin to shift your thinking surrounding the role of yourself and your space, or you may realize that you see those roles in a different way than the Reggio approach. The next step is to start building some background.

A great place to start is the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance website. There, you can find lots of information about the Reggio approach. I do have some book recommendations for those looking to have resources nearby to refer back to, highlight, and cite. The book that I usually suggest is below, but you can find more books here .

How do I create separate areas and arrange furniture?

What many people notice about a Reggio-inspired classroom are the separate, intentional areas for children to use. In a traditional Reggio classroom, you would find an atelier (creative expression area), loose parts, a sensory/sand play area, building area, writing center, math/numbers center, and a meeting area (in the larger school setting, this is called a piazza).

One way that these areas become meaningful is the addition of provocations within each area. Provocations are teacher-planned but student-led scenarios that seek to engage, inspire, or challenge children. A beginning-of-year provocation in the atelier may be a self-portrait creation, in the building center there may be a provocation to build your home, or in the writing center there could be a provocation to write and decorate your name.

Although you may see specific things like a play kitchen, a light table, or other specialized furniture, you do not need those things to set up areas. All you need is space. Furniture placement is important here. If your classroom uses tables for children, you will want to think about how many tables you need for student work areas. Flexible seating and allowing students to work in other areas can help free up tables for Reggio areas. You can read this post to see how I set up my play centers, which is what I call these special areas. You can do the same with desks, just be creative in how you arrange them. Reggio encourages a constructivist approach, so students should have the opportunity to sit near each other and work together. Pods are best for facilitating this approach.

Shelving can be helpful for creating these areas, but consider what your classroom already has. A traditional Reggio space isn't especially roomy, but I prefer a more open concept. Remember, you're creating a "Reggio-inspired" space, so you can edit the layout to fit your classroom needs. I use shelving to house multiple centers, and students move the materials to a table or floor area to play. I also use shelving for community supplies for easy access. Remember, though, work with what you have and can repurpose.

What do I prioritize when setting up my classroom for the beginning of the year?

As most teachers would agree, creating a classroom environment usually involves money, shopping, and lots of stuff. It's quite the opposite when setting up a Reggio-inspired space. Children are the main focus. Their artwork, quotes, work samples, and creations are what will "decorate" your space. A Reggio-inspired space uses the walls as a canvas for children rather than a place to fill with teacher-created materials. Blank walls are encouraged in the beginning of the year. Bulletin boards are left empty, ready to be covered with self portraits, name art, a study of the school campus, or photos of children and their families.

In terms of materials, you will notice that most Reggio classrooms utilize natural elements like wooden crates or woven baskets. This may or may not be what you currently use, but there is no need to throw out perfectly useful plastic bins. A Reggio-inspired space showcases the children, leaving the materials, walls, rugs neutral. If you are lacking neutral colors or materials, what can you paint? Cover? Repurpose? If you have a choice of which colored bins you use, could you only use bins with more natural colors like blues and greens? Do you have clear bins? All of those things work perfectly fine. Over time, you can make swaps with other teachers, find items at garage sales, or repurpose found items.

It's important to state that there is nothing wrong with color! A neutral background lets the work of the children stand out, that's all. Neutrals can also mirror the child's natural environment, both outdoors and in their own homes.

When setting up the Reggio areas, think in terms of simplicity. A sensory table could easily be created with an affordable plastic bin and water. An atelier (art center) just needs paper and drawing materials. Loose parts have quite the open-ended concept, and you could bring in stones, pine cones, beads, coins, or other items that you may already own or find outside. This post details what my centers include. There does not need to be an abundance of "toys" like Magna Tiles or marble runs. Use what you have for creative expression areas. If you don't have blocks for a building center, use rinsed out aluminum cans from your pantry at home. Continue to think in terms of repurposing.

Your students will create many things that you think you need to have prepared for the beginning of the year. Wait for them and create them together.

This includes things like labels for materials and centers, posters for expectations, borders for bulletin boards, alphabet cards for a word wall, a number line, and nametags for tables (as seen stuck in the plants). There is no need to have these things made ahead of time in a Reggio-inspired space.

Can this approach be done outside of pre-K or kindergarten?

Short answer, yes! If you've spent time learning the background and history of Reggio, you've seen that it's far beyond just setting up play areas. The approach itself revolves around letting young children construct their learning. This could be done in multiple grade levels with a teacher who is prepared to deviate from the programs their school has provided or from the scope and sequence.

Letting students take the lead may involve a detour of your typical learning. It may look like spending more time on building relationships, learning from each other, and doing a lot of partner or group work. It could mean that you reevaluate your physical space and set it up to provide areas for creative expression or passion projects. However you want to use the approach in your Reggio-inspired classroom, it can benefit students beyond age 5. You likely already use many aspects of Reggio!

How does reading/math/writing look in a Reggio-inspired classroom?

Like you've read earlier in this post, you can be Reggio-inspired by letting your students take the lead, letting them set the pace, and giving them a variety of materials and methods to show their learning and express their interests. A Reggio-inspired reading time could focus on student interests with book selection and partner reading. Math time could look like students working together to solve an open-ended problem (the CGI method pairs well with this approach). Writing could involve lots of research projects, narratives, or fiction story writing.

In every classroom, including Reggio ones, there is explicit instruction using proven methods. But I see the main shift from traditional to Reggio-inspired in how teachers allow students to gain more control of the topics, pace, methods, and paths that the learning takes.

There is no way that one post can change your traditional approach to a Reggio-inspired one. But it can start you on the path.

I am Reggio-inspired, but I am also influenced by other philosophies, research, and methods. I am a firm believer in design thinking in terms of how you set up and run your classroom. I believe that research in best practices for early childhood, work spaces, and emotional development are just as important to study as your curriculum. Because my pedagogy is based on a variety of things, I created a course to help other educators change their classrooms, improve student engagement, and shift their thinking around instruction. It's called The Research-Based Space, and you can pre-order it now! Class begins in early August and includes live sessions with me. Click below to learn more!

I hope this post sets you on the path to learning more about the Reggio Emilia approach and has encouraged you to become Reggio-inspired!

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What is "Reggio-Inspired"? A Detailed Guide for Early Childhood Educators, Research and Play

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Something that I learned about during my years in college that still permeates my classroom and pedagogy is the Reggio Emilia approach to early education...

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Materials to create a Reggio inspired Classroom

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Materials to create a Reggio inspired Classroom

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Creating an Enriching, Reggio-Inspired Classroom Space - Research and Play

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The Reggio Emilia approach is known for its focus on creating an environment that encourages exploration, creativity, and active learning. Central to this approach is providing open-ended materials that foster children’s curiosity and enable them to construct their own knowledge. In this blog post, I’ll share strategies and ideas for setting up a Reggio-inspired classroom

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Social Emotional Activities for the Classroom

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Social Emotional Activities for the Classroom

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How do I integrate social emotional learning? This is a question many educators are asking themselves. The good news is that there are countless ways to add SEL into the classroom, without it taking over your entire day. Social-emotional learning is a huge umbrella that accounts for the way we build relationships and teach meaningful skills from self-awareness to decision-making and everything in between.

This list is designed to give teachers and administrators options; no educator can do all of these activities all the time. Instead, choose a few and give them a try in your classroom to see what works best for you and your students.

Just a note: The majority of links below are free. This is intended to provide you with additional support to get started integrating SEL into your classroom. Every classroom deserves that. I've also included some extra paid activities if you need something more. I hope they make a difference for you and your students.

Maybe most importantly, these strategies are largely universal; they can be done with pre-schoolers all the way up to high schoolers. They can be done in a general education classroom, special education resource room group, a homeroom block, or an advisory period.

1. Daily Greetings

One of the simplest SEL techniques is starting the day with personalized greetings at the door. Have students choose the greeting (wave, fist bump, or thumbs up), or simply just say good morning to each student by name as they walk in.

2. Emotions Check-In

According to some research, just expressing our emotions can help alleviate those very feelings. Use a daily emotions check-in to help students share how they are feeling and what they need to be at their best.

3. Class Circle

Once a day, gather as a group in a circle. Use targeted relationship-building questions to share. It's important to give everyone a chance to share who wants to. And on that note, it's also important to allow kids to pass if they're not comfortable sharing one particular question.

4. Journal Writing

Provide a SEL journal prompt each morning for kids to respond to. If your students are still working on writing skills, they can draw their responses and share aloud. SEL journaling provides a safe space to open up and allows you to integrate SEL with academic skills in a natural way.

5. Gratitude List

Once a day (or when time allows), have students write out a gratitude list. They should list out 3 things they are grateful for that day. These can be big things, like family or friends, but they can also be seemingly small things, like the smell of chocolate chip cookies or comfortable shoes. When we practice gratitude, we help kids and teens feel happier, more focused, and calm.

6. Morning Meeting

Start each day with a guided morning meeting. Any educator can implement a daily morning meeting some easy steps: greetings, a SEL-focused topic, guided discussion questions, a few activities, and a closing or reflection.

7. Mindful Morning Check-In

Use a mindful morning check-in to start the day. It is a five-step process that involves taking 5 deep breaths, listing 4 things you notice around you, identifying 3 things you are grateful for, saying 2 positive self-talk statements, and naming 1 thing you are looking forward to for the day.

8. SEL Read Alouds

Integrate social-emotional skills and reading using read alouds and stories. The truth is that read alouds are fun and engaging for kids of all ages (even big kids). Start or end your day with a read aloud, highlighting relevant SEL skills before, during, and after the story. You can choose a read aloud to work on a specific SEL skill (empathy or friendships, for example), or you can pick up any book and see where it takes you. Use a SEL read aloud list to help get started.

9. SEL Chats

Provide a targeted SEL question (or a few questions) and have students chat to discuss. Use SEL discussion-starters, such as: What is a good choice you've made recently? What could you teach someone else? What are some skills you feel most confident in? These questions are helpful to build relationships within the classroom, and they also allow for further discussion of critical SEL skills (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships, and decision-making). Come up with your own questions or use these SEL task cards with prompts for the year.

10. Coping Skills Practice

Healthy coping skills are essential to learning how to manage emotions and stress. Make it a point to practice coping strategies together, such as listening to music, drawing, reading, exercising, practicing yoga, and talking with a friend. These techniques can be practiced for just a few minutes as a time as a meaningful reminder for students.

11. End-of-the-day Reflection

The end of the day is the perfect time for reflection. That includes thinking about what went well, what students learned, what they are most proud of, and how they feel. Use targeted end-of-the-day reflection questions to start the process.

12. Recite Positive Affirmations

Positive self-talk helps students feel confident and ready for success. Choose favorite positive affirmations, create a list, and read them together. A list can be read at the start of each day or before a big test.

13. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is learning how to be present in the moment. This self-regulation technique helps students feel calm, focused, and happier. Start your practice with mindful breathing exercises. These can be done anytime, but really pay off first thing in the morning, in between transitions, or right before quizzes and tests.

14. SEL Art Activities

Use art activities to allow for self-expression while integrating SEL skills at the same time. Use self-portraits to focus on self-awareness. Try mindful coloring to work on healthy coping skills. You can have students work together to create a shared drawing to build teamwork skills.

15. Class Meetings

Hold a class meeting on a regular basis to review expectations and solve problems together. These become a healthy spot to work on conflict resolution skills, as students can share struggles they are working through and get feedback from others. Class meetings are also the perfect venue for reviewing class expectations on a regular basis.

16. SEL Quote of the Day

Quotes are character-building! Share a meaningful social-emotional quote on the board. Have students discuss and share what it means to them. Some favorites to start out with are, "You are enough and a work in progress all at the same time," and "It's never too late to stop and go down a different path."

17. Daily Check-In Journal

Provide a daily check-in journal first thing each day. This allows students to share how they are feeling, while also integrating other SEL skills and supports that kids need. As a bonus, journaling also means students are working on their writing skills.

18. "What Would You Do?" Scenarios

Integrate SEL skills by discussing some "What would you do?" scenarios. For example, you might ask, "You have a big test tomorrow, but a friend wants you to go out to the movies. What would you do?" Have students talk and share ideas to learn and grow. Make up your own questions or grab this set to get started.

19. Brain Breaks

Breaks are a critically important part of replenishing self-regulation skills. Provide brain breaks through movement like yoga or mindful breathing exercises. Schedule them into the day (such as between tasks) or use them when you notice students just need to refocus. Here are mindful brain breaks to try with a nature theme.

20. Show-and-Tell

Once a week, give students a chance to share items and ideas that are important to them. They might share an art project they created or a new game they got for their birthday at home. This gives kids a safe space to communicate and share a piece of themselves with their classmates.

21. SEL Skill of the Day or Week

Introduce one meaningful SEL skill of the day (or week). Briefly discuss it and ask some guided questions. Then, highlight that skill when you see it in action to help students generalize it to their own lives.

22. SEL Crafts & Hands-On Activities

Provide hands-on learning opportunities with SEL crafts. Have students make a coping strategies wheel or practice mindfulness with hands-on tools. Activities that are hands-on are often memorable.

23. Play Games

Many games build social-emotional skills. Use games to fill some end-of-the-week reward time, also weaving in those social-emotional skills at the same time. Choose games you might already have in your classroom (such as Jenga and Scrabble), or use games that specifically target SEL skills.

24. Shout Out Board

Create a bulletin board in the classroom where students can give "shout outs" to others. The idea is that students can give compliments and kind feedback to their peers and teachers. For example, a student might give a classmate a shout out for helping them organize their notebook. This builds a sense of community and allows a chance to highlight SEL skills along the way.

25. AM / PM Check-In

Provide individualized check-ins for students in need. During an AM/PM check-in time, an adult might ask a student how they are doing, review goals for the day, and reflect on how the day went.

26. Weekly Goal Reflection

Meet with individual students once a week to review goals and track progress. Goal reflection meetings can just be a few minutes, but have a big impact because students are getting 1:1 support. One helpful strategy is to have an individual binder for each student to record their goals, grades, and progress.

27. Daily Jobs

Help build responsibility by assigning classroom jobs. Examples of jobs might include paper collector, technology set up, and lunch counter.

28. Provide Catch-Up and Organization Time

Everyone needs down-time sometimes. Provide catch-up and organization time to allow students the chance to re-organize materials, finish missing work, and even get a head start on future assignments.

29. SEL Question of the Day

Provide one SEL question of the day. Project it or write it on the board. Give students time to discuss with a partner and write about it.

30. Group Activities or Challenges

Help students build a stronger community by implementing group activities and challenges. Have students work in groups to design kindness posters or work through an escape room challenge.

Social Emotional Learning Curriculum

I've developed a complete yearlong social-emotional learning curriculum for elementary students grades 3-5. It comes with everything you need to target skills like empathy, decision-making, confidence, friendships, self-control, and more. Learn more here.

A complete yearlong social-emotional curriculum for grades 3-5.

Grab your free printable poster to help remind you about SEL activities and strategies in the classroom!

Remember that it's about finding the social-emotional learning activities that work best for you and your learners.

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30 Social-Emotional Learning Activities for Every Classroom

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How do I integrate social emotional learning? This is a question many educators are asking themselves. The good news is that there are countless ways to add SEL into the classroom, without it taking over your entire day.

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If you've been around kids for a while, or have your own, you know that transitioning between activities and locations can be challenging for toddlers and preschool aged children. Think about how many times each day children start an activity, stop an activity, clean up, wash hands, eat, go outside, come inside, and so much more!

Being asked to stop one activity and start another is a common trigger for challenging behavior in all children, especially when they are being asked to transition from a preferred activity (e.g., building with Legos) to something non-preferred (e.g., cleaning up). The good news is that we can help children be more successful during transitions with one or more easy-to-implement activities.

What are Transition Activities?

Transition activities are strategies and calming techniques used during times of lesson transition to help prevent negative behaviors by promoting self-regulation. Young children have not yet developed the skill to independently cope with frustration and disappointment. They are still learning to control their emotions and manage their behavior. The whining, negotiating, delaying, or full-blown meltdowns and tantrums that are triggered by transitions occur because children feel unable to control their routine and become overwhelmed by their emotions. They quickly learn that these behaviors often work to successfully delay or avoid the transition. With our help, and bit of forethought, children can learn to manage transitions successfully.

Why are Transition Activities Important for Preschool Students?

Transition activities and strategies promote self-regulation by helping children know what to expect and actively participate in their daily schedule. They also promote an understanding of the sense of time (i.e., past, present, future) and help with the development of social-emotional skills. We can empower children to maintain self-control even when transitioning away from a favorite activity.

Here are a few good opportunities to implement a transition strategy:

Separating from caregivers upon arrival to school

Moving from one activity, center, or location to another

Sitting down at circle time

Clean-up time

Lining up

Coming inside from the playground

Times of waiting for an activity to start or waiting for a turn

Preschool Transition Tips for Success

One major key to success when helping children with transitions is developing consistent schedules and routines. Most preschool classrooms already follow a set schedule, but some children continue to struggle. As you develop a daily schedule for your children and students, keep the following tips in mind:

Provide visuals. Include pictures or symbols in your schedule. Being able to point to what is coming next is powerful.

Give a preview. Review the schedule with children each morning. Consider having a helper demonstrate moving from one location to the next to model expectations for upcoming transitions.

Establish routines. Within each part of the schedule, establish a routine. Routines are comforting for children and promote independence. A daily arrival routine might include putting belongings in a cubby, washing hands, and then completing an attendance task like putting a magnet on their name.

Create rituals. Rituals help establish a connection between the child and the preschool. For example, use certain songs for specific transitions (e.g., hello song, clean up song, hand washing song) or develop a class-specific call and response clap pattern or rhyme for getting everyone's attention, such as this popular one: Teacher: "1-2-3, eyes on me" Children: "1-2, eyes on you."

Limit transitions. When possible, limit or combine transitions (e.g., plan the bathroom break on the way to the playground).

Make a plan. Pre-determine what children and adults will be doing during transition times, and allow time in the schedule for the transition activity. Will they sing a song, listen to a story, listen to background music, carry an item?

Be realistic. Many children struggle with transitions that involve stopping an activity before it is finished. Ensure you are providing children with adequate time for them to finish projects and activities, or explain ahead of time the specific time when they will be able to finish their work if they are interrupted.

Give advanced warning. Give a verbal or nonverbal warning to prepare children for an upcoming transition. A verbal warning might be "Five more minutes until we clean-up for snack!" A nonverbal warning could be turning the lights off as the five-minute warning. Because young children do not have a well-developed sense of time, a visual timer is a great way for children to visualize how much time is remaining. You can easily find free visual timer apps in your app store or purchase a physical visual timer such as the one from Time Timer (www.timetimer.com).

Be balanced. Try to alternate between non-preferred and preferred activities so children can be reminded of fun things to look forward to throughout their day.

Keep a few tricks up your sleeve. Sometimes the day doesn't go as planned or children need to wait for an unexpected amount of time. Keep a few special books on hand or memorize a few fingerplays. These activities can engage children during waiting times.

Prepare for children who need more assistance than others. Some children have more difficulty with transitions than others. For a child who continues to struggle, validate their feelings. Say: "I see you are sad. You love playing with the cars! You want to keep playing, but it is time to clean up and go to lunch. You can play with the cars again after rest time!" Redirect the child's attention to the visual schedule and upcoming fun activities. Offer choices when possible (e.g., "Do you want to put the cars on the shelf or in this basket?"), or give that child a special helper job during the transition such as "line leader."

Praise Success! When you observe children transitioning appropriately, acknowledge their positive behavior with specific feedback. Highlight children who transitioned properly to help all children better understand your expectations (e.g., "Sam and Beth did a great job cleaning up their snack and sitting down on the carpet!").

Transition Activity Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers

The options for transition activity ideas are endless. Be creative! Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. Use a fun song get children ready to line up.
On the Get Set for School Sing, Sound, and Count with Me album, the Line Up Time song is a perfect choice to add to your daily lining up transition ritual.

2. Use a transition object.
Children sometimes have more success during a transition when they can move an object from place to place with them. If it's a toy (e.g., small animal figure), Just make sure to explain how to "park" the object near them while they complete their work. One larger object can be used to help a whole group transition. For example, a hula hoop can be placed in the room or hallway for all children to jump in and out on their way to the next location. Or they could limbo under a jump rope!

3. Make the transition into a game.
When children are having fun during the transition, even those who typically struggle might have better cooperation.

During clean up time or another challenging transition, bring in a little excitement by asking children to do the task in a new way. Maybe they can pretend they are elephants and pick up toys with their "trunk!"

When moving from one area to another, incorporate movement! Hop on one foot, walk like a crab, or tip toe.

Sometimes adding a time challenge is just the motivation children need to initiate the transition. Set a timer and challenge them to clean up or line up before the timer goes off, or play a song and let the end of the song be the target for finishing the transition task.

4. Use a fun finger play during waiting time.
The Get Set for School Sing Along album contains two finger plays you can use to engage children anytime you find them having to wait for an activity to start. Five Fingers Play and Ten Little Fingers Play are both easy to memorize and fun! (They teach important fine motor and school readiness skills too!)

5. Involve the senses.
Consider incorporating olfactory cues into transitions!

Keep a bottle of air freshener made with child-safe essential oils handy. Teach children that when they smell it, it's time to transition! Using lavender essential oil to signify the transition to rest time might serve a double purpose!

Increase auditory stimulation with fun sound effects. Download a sound effects app and experiment with using different sounds to signify the end of an activity or the start of a new one. Maybe a gong sound could signify it's time to come to circle time and birds chirping means get your coats on to go outside!

6. Add an academic component.
Here's an idea usin g 1-2-3 Touch & Flip Cards that also challenges children to demonstrate their knowledge of number recognition and ordinal numbers. Randomly pass out the number cards to children at the end of an activity. Ask them to line up at the door in numerical order according to the number on their card, or the number can represent whose turn is first, second, third, etc. in a turn-taking activity. ABC Touch & Flip Cards can be used similarly with children organizing themselves in alphabetical order.

Making Positive Transitions with Learning Without Tears

Many preschool teachers consider the ability to transition independently and successfully to be one of the essential skills children need to learn prior to Kindergarten. Using a transition activity can increase success for your children and make the difference between a good day and a bad one. The tips and suggestions above are a great place to start. Experiment and find out what works best to help the children in your life transition successfully at home and school. To learn more about the Learning Without Tears activities mentioned above, visit .

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6 Transition Activities for Preschoolers and Toddlers

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If you've been around kids for a while, or have your own, you know that transitioning between activities and locations can be challenging for toddlers and preschool aged children. Think about how many times each day children start an activity, stop an activity, clean up, wash hands, eat, go outside, come inside, and so much more!

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​Routine and predictability are essential for a preschooler's development. By using transitions, parents and educators can ensure their preschoolers feel supported, capable, and empowered as they move through various activities and phases of their day. But what exactly is a transition? A preschool transition is a strategy and practice educators, and parents use to help young children smoothly move from one phase or setting to another within their day.

The goal of these activities is to make transitions easier and more comfortable for children, helping them adjust to changes and new environments while promoting their social, emotional, and cognitive development. Transitions play a crucial role in establishing predictability within their day while aiding in managing emotions, following routines, and their ability to adapt to new situations.

By navigating transitions, such as moving from home to preschool or transitioning between activities, preschoolers develop essential life skills like emotional regulation, time management, and independence. These experiences also foster social interaction, language development, and cognitive growth, as children interact with peers, teachers, and caregivers during different activities. Transitions lay the groundwork for handling more significant changes in the future, while also instilling resilience, flexibility, and a sense of accomplishment. Transitions are a vital part of a preschooler's journey, promoting not only their immediate well-being but also their long-term success in various aspects of life.
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Download your free set of transition activity props at the end of this post!

Strategies to Make Transitions Smoother:

Transitions can be a struggle for many preschoolers. Transitions often involve children having to leave an activity they enjoy, which can lead to a feeling of loss of control. This can cause resistance and emotional distress. Given the wide range of challenges that transitions may pose , it's important for educators and caregivers to employ strategies that help ease transitions, create a supportive environment, and provide emotional support to preschoolers as they navigate these changes.

Predictable Routine : Maintain a consistent daily routine so children know what to expect. Predictability reduces anxiety around transitions.

Buddy System : Pair children up as transition buddies. They can help each other during transitions, fostering a sense of cooperation and responsibility.

Choice Boards : Use a choice board for selecting centers/activities where preschoolers develop autonomy in choosing what they can do next.

Transition Corners : Designate specific areas where children can gather and receive instructions for the upcoming activity.

Preschoolers love to learn new songs and chants which makes this approach perfect in the early learning classroom. Using music is a great strategy to engage and capture your preschooler's attention. Especially during a transition from circle time to washing hands, or during clean-up!
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Here are examples of songs and chants that you can try out to make transitions run a bit smoother:

​Walking Feet Song :
(To the tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It")
If you're walking and you know it, take a step,
If you're walking and you know it, take a step,
If you're walking and you know it, then your feet will surely show it,
If you're walking and you know it, take a step.

If You Hear Me...

Creative Movement Activities for Transitions:

There is one thing preschoolers love to do...moving their bodies! Movement activities add an element of fun and engagement during transitions in the classroom. These recommendations work great when moving from one activity to another.

Rainbow Movement : Assign each color of the rainbow a specific movement (e.g., red = jump, blue = spin, yellow = tiptoe). During transitions, call out a color, and children perform the corresponding movement as they move.

Movement cards are always a handy tool for transition times. Laminate and stick in your back pocket to have available as needed. Try out this technique with our Free Under the Sea Movement Cards

Auditory Sounds for Transitions:

Auditory cues, such as bells, chimes, or specific sounds, capture children's attention and signal the upcoming transition. By using the same auditory cue for specific transitions, children quickly learn to associate the sound with the upcoming change. This creates a consistent routine and familiarity for your students.

Doorbe ll : You can find all different types of doorbells on Amazon that work great for transitions. You can use this as your sign to clean-up or wrap up an activity.

Tambourine Shake : Use a classroom tambourine and shake it a few times as an indicator that an activity is ending.

Train Whistle : The sound of a train whistle can be used to encourage children to line up and follow each other, mimicking a train formation.

Play a Song: Play your preschoolers favorite song to signal that it's time for recess.

During transitions some of your preschoolers might be finishing a task, or washing hands leaving some students with the need for a filler activity. These recommendations offer a quick solution to offer during that "down time". These activities are usually short but engaging.

Animal Imitation : Call out an animal, and children imitate the sounds and movements of that animal. For example, "Show me how a snake moves!" or "What sound does a lion make?"

Movement Charades : Act out a simple action (e.g., jumping, spinning, hopping) without speaking, and have children guess what you're doing. Then let a child take a turn acting out an action for the others to guess.

Color Hunt : Call out a color, and children find and point to an object in the room that matches that color. For example, "Find something red!"

Transitions in early learning classrooms are far more than just moving from one activity to another, they're moments that impact children's cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. An environment with well-planned, smooth transitions enhances the overall learning experience and sets children up for success in their educational journey.

Download these Free Props!

How do you help make transitions more smooth in your program?
Let us know in the comments!

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​Routine and predictability are essential for a preschooler's development, and by using transitions, parents and educators can ensure their preschoolers feel supported, capable, and empowered as they move through various activities and phases of their day

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Visual schedules play an important role in creating a positive and effective learning environment for children. They promote routine, reduce anxiety, allows for smoother transition times, and improves the overall classroom management. The visual schedule cards I'm sharing today are great to use in your classroom!

What Are Visual Schedules?

A visual schedule is a tool that uses pictures and words to represent a sequence of activities in a clear and organized manner. It is designed to help students see what will be happening in the day. It is particularly helpful for visual learners and students who have special needs or are learning English.

The Benefits of Visual Schedules

Visual schedules are important in preschool classrooms for several reasons:

1. Routines - Preschoolers thrive on routine and structure. Visual schedules provide a clear, predictable sequence of activities throughout the day.

2. Language Development - Visual schedules incorporate words and pictures, which support language development. Children can associate words with the pictures, which help with building vocabulary.

3. Reducing Anxiety - Did you know that visual schedules are used to help calm anxious children? They feel more secure and less anxious about the day when they can see what is happening for the day.

4. Visual Learners - Some people are visual learners, like myself! We thrive on learning by seeing and having the schedule laid out on picture cards is so helpful for us!

5. Inclusivity - Using a visual schedule is beneficial for children with special needs or English language learners. They provide a means of communication and understanding even when language is a barrier.

6. Smoother Transitions - Preschool has a lot of transition times between activities. Visual schedules help with making these transitions smoother. They prepare children in advance of what activity is next.

7. Efficiency - Using a visual schedule will help teachers manage their classroom. The schedule helps them plan and communicate the daily schedule clearly to all students.

How to Use Visual Schedules

It's easy to implement visual schedules into your preschool classroom.

1. First, print visual schedule cards on card stock paper and laminate them. You can use the ones I'm sharing today with the link at the bottom of this post.

2. Next, choose the cards that represent the activities you want to include in your schedule. These are the cards I use in my preschool schedule:

Arrival

Morning Meeting

Centers

Bathroom

Snack

Jesus Time (we are a faith-based preschool)

Outside

Dismissal

3. Then, determine the order of activities for the day. Make sure you start with a clear beginning and ending to your day.

4. Place the cards in a visible and accessible location in the classroom. I use a wall that is at the front our classroom and at the eye level for my students.

5. Introduce the schedule to your students. Explain how it works and walk them through the day. At the beginning of the day or before transitioning to a new activity, review the schedule to the children.

6. Lastly, use positive reinforcement and offer praise to students following the schedule. You should also pay attention to how well the children are responding to the schedule. You may have to tweak it to make it work for your group of students!

Visual Schedule Examples

I love visual schedules! When my boys were toddlers, I created this one to help the flow of our day at home.

Here is an adorable visual schedule that is great if you want longer cards.

Here is another great visual schedule that also has cards with a clock on them.

I love this idea for using a visual schedule with special education students.

Free Visual Schedule Cards

I'd love to share my visual schedule cards with you! The printable has cards that will fit pocket charts. The third page has some blank cards so you can write in different activities. It is editable, meaning you can type text in and/or add a clip art picture.

Here are the cards included in this printable:

If you'd like a copy of this free printable, just click on the button below!

Frequently Asked Questions

I hope you will try using a visual schedule! I'd love to hear if you decided to add it in your preschool classroom. Feel free to share in the comments or email me with pictures!

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Use these visual schedule cards to help with your classroom routine, calming anxious students, and for smoother transition times.

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Classroom Shelf Labels with word and pictures

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Classroom Shelf Labels with word and pictures

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Printable Classroom Labels for Preschool

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Printable classroom labels for your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. Labels show kids where each item belongs and make clean-up time a breeze.

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As a parent or daycare operator, you understand the importance of keeping track of your child's belongings in a bustling daycare environment. From clothing and toys to special comfort objects, proper labeling ensures that everything you send with your child finds its way back to the right little hands.

In this guide, we'll delve into the labeling details, providing valuable insights and practical tips to make the daycare experience smoother for everyone involved. Whether you're a parent looking to organize your child's belongings or a daycare operator seeking effective labeling strategies, we've got you covered.

Imagine stepping into a vibrant and bustling preschool room filled with the sounds of laughter, the hum of learning, and the pitter-patter of tiny feet. Colorful artwork adorns the walls, shelves are brimming with books and toys, and the air is filled with excitement and curiosity. It's a place where your child embarks on adventures, builds friendships, and explores the world's wonders.

In such a dynamic environment, labeling becomes vital to ensure that your child's belongings stay safe and easily recognizable amidst the delightful chaos of preschool life.

Labeling might seem like a simple task, but its impact goes beyond just identifying items. It helps prevent loss and mix-ups, promotes organization and efficiency, ensures hygiene and safety, and facilitates seamless communication between caregivers and parents. By investing a little time and effort into labeling, you can make a significant difference in the daily routine of your child's daycare experience.

Throughout this guide, we'll explore various aspects of labeling, from understanding what needs to be labeled to choosing the right labels for kids and assisting children in recognizing their items by using labels. Together, we'll dive into the world of labeling and uncover practical strategies to ensure your little one's belongings are always safe, secure, and easily identifiable amidst the busy and bustling daycare environment.

Why Labels in Daycare are Important

Labels play a significant role in the daycare setting, bringing a whole range of benefits for both parents and daycare operators. Let's delve into why labels are an absolute must-have when creating an organized and smooth-running daycare environment.

First and foremost, labels for kids help prevent loss and mix-ups. In a daycare setting, where multiple children have similar items, it's easy for belongings to get misplaced or accidentally taken by someone else.

By clearly labeling your child's items with their name, you significantly reduce the chances of things getting lost or confused with those of other children. This not only saves time and frustration but also ensures that your little one's belongings find their way back to them promptly.

In addition to preventing loss, labeling promotes organization and efficiency. Daycare staff members can quickly identify and locate each child's belongings, streamlining daily routines such as naptime, meals, and outdoor activities.

Labeled items are easily sorted and stored, making it easier for caregivers to access and distribute them as needed. This level of organization enhances the overall efficiency of the daycare operation, allowing more time to be dedicated to providing quality care and engaging activities for the children.

Labels for kids also contribute to hygiene and safety in the daycare environment. Personal items like bottles, pacifiers, and utensils must be clearly labeled to avoid confusion and cross-contamination. Properly labeled medication and health-related items ensure that each child receives the proper treatment at the right time.

In case of allergies or special dietary requirements, labels help daycare staff identify specific items that require special attention, reducing the risk of accidental exposure or consumption.

Labels also help parents quickly identify and retrieve their child's belongings, ensuring that nothing is left behind at the end of the day. Clear and effective communication is key in maintaining a strong partnership between parents and daycare providers, promoting trust and a sense of security.

What Things Do I Need to Label as a Parent?

As a parent preparing your child for daycare, it's essential to label various items to ensure they are easily identifiable and make their way back to your little one. Here's a comprehensive list of things you should consider labeling:

By labeling these items, you'll not only help daycare staff easily identify and return belongings, but you'll also create a sense of familiarity and security for your child. They will feel reassured knowing their cherished possessions are easily recognizable in the daycare environment.

What Things Do I Need to Label as a Daycare Operator?

If you're a daycare operator, implementing a comprehensive labeling system is essential for maintaining order, ensuring the smooth functioning of daily routines, and providing excellent care for the children under your supervision. Every daycare is different, but here are some key items that you should consider labeling if it applies to your daycare:

By implementing a comprehensive labeling system for these items, you create an organized and efficient daycare environment. This helps in daily operations and enhances communication with parents and builds trust in the quality of care you provide.

What are My Options for Labeling?

When it comes to labeling children's items for daycare, a wide range of options are available to parents and daycare operators. Each option has its own set of advantages and considerations. Let's explore some popular labeling methods, their pros and cons, and their effectiveness on different surfaces.

Transparent or colored tape can be a versatile option for labeling, particularly on items that require temporary or removable identification. Use clear tape or colored tape to create labels for containers, folders, or drawers. This option allows you to change or update labels easily. Tape:
However, tape may not be the most durable choice for items that experience regular handling or exposure to water, as it can become loose or lose its adhesive strength quickly.

Stamps offer a unique and efficient way to label items. Customizable stamps with your child's name or initials can be used to mark books, papers, and other things. Stamps are easy to use, provide a consistent labeling format, and work well on various surfaces. Stamps:
However, they don't work well with various other surfaces and are usually unsuitable for fabrics or items that require frequent washing, as the ink may fade or wash off over time.

They are typically made from durable materials that withstand regular use and exposure to moisture. With custom labeling stickers, you can ensure that your child's belongings are not only labeled but also reflect their unique personality.

Tips for Helping Young Kids Recognize Their Labels

Labeling your child's belongings is not just about identification; it's also about helping them recognize and take ownership of their items. Here are some valuable tips to assist children in recognizing their labels:

By implementing these tips, you can help your child develop a strong association between their labels and belongings. With time, they will become adept at recognizing their labeled items, promoting independence and organization at daycare and beyond.

Labeling Beyond Daycare

Labels aren't just limited to daycare; they can also be incredibly useful in various other aspects of your daycare-aged child's life. Here are some ways you can extend the benefits of labeling beyond the daycare setting:

Give Your Child the Best Daycare Experience with Labels from Label Daddy!

When it comes to labeling your child's items for daycare, finding the perfect solution is key to a well-organized and stress-free experience. That's where Label Daddy comes in. We provide high-quality, durable, customizable labels designed specifically for busy parents.

Our goal is to make your life easier by providing high-quality labels that ensure the safety and identification of your child's belongings and add a touch of personalization to their everyday items.

At Label Daddy, we understand the unique needs of parents and daycare operators. That's why we offer a wide range of labeling solutions that cater specifically to the daycare environment that can be applied to various surfaces. Our labels are designed to withstand the hustle and bustle of daycare life, ensuring your child's items remain securely labeled and easily identifiable throughout the day.

When you choose Label Daddy, you're choosing durability. Our labels are made and rigorously tested to withstand the demands of everyday use. Whether it's spills, frequent washing, or rough handling, our labels stay put and maintain their legibility. You can have peace of mind knowing that your child's labels will endure whatever daycare adventures come their way with labels that are durable, waterproof, microwave safe, dishwasher safe, and washer and dryer safe.

But functionality is just one aspect of our labels. We also believe in the power of personalization. Our easy-to-use customization process allows you to add your child's name or initials to your chosen labels.

This personal touch helps your child easily identify their belongings and adds a sense of ownership and pride. Plus, with a wide range of sizes and designs to choose from, you can get labels that genuinely reflect your child's personality.

So why wait? Take the next step towards a more organized and efficient daycare experience by exploring Label Daddy's range of personalized labels. Our labels are practical and durable and add a personal touch that your child will love. Join countless parents who have already discovered the convenience and peace of mind that Label Daddy brings to their daycare journey.

You can count on Label Daddy for reliable labeling, whether you're labeling water bottles, shirts, backpacks, or anything else.

Check out the rest of our website today to browse our extensive collection of labels and start customizing your daycare labels. With Label Daddy, you're investing in organization, personalization, and a hassle-free daycare experience. Order now or get in touch and witness the difference that personalized labels can make in transforming your daycare routine.

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Your Total Guide for Labeling Children's Items for Daycare

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Throughout this guide, we'll explore various aspects of labeling, from understanding what needs to be labeled to choosing the right labels for kids and assisting children in recognizing their items by using labels.

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Building Positive Child Teacher Relationships

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Building Positive Child Teacher Relationships

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In this brief, learn how adults' responsive social interaction is key to children's early learning. Find the most up-to-date information to answer three prompts: "What does research say?"; "What does it look like?"; and "Try this!" Explore Connecting at Home, an accompanying resource that offers easy-to-try tips for families around building relationships with children and supporting their early learning.

Download the PDF

Research Notes

Children learn best from rich, responsive social interactions with other people. These interactions allow children and adults to share attention and build bonds. In those interactions, adults can scaffold children's learning.

The Take Home

1. Young children learn best from trusted and responsive adults.

2. Learning happens in live, back-and-forth interactions.

3. Children learn best when you respond consistently to their needs.

What Does Research Say?

Responsive caregiving builds on social, back-and-forth interactions with a child. These interactions foster trust and emotional security. They also support a child's engagement, learning, and other positive outcomes that persist into adulthood.

Building a strong relationship with at least one responsive, consistent caregiver is essential for children's successful emotional and social skills, as well as their cognitive and problem-solving skills.

Strong early relationships also help children become resilient when they are faced with stress in life.

Young children learn best from real, live humans. Television and other screens are no substitute! Research highlights the importance of interactions with adults for children's language learning, imitation skills, and memory development.

Responding consistently to children in a back-and-forth manner also helps children learn. When adults respond to an infant's coos and babbles, babies respond back with more advanced language sounds. The power of back-and-forth interactions is not limited to infancy. All young children learn better from back-and-forth interactions.

What Does It Look Like?

Children develop relationships with adults through everyday activities. Each time caregivers play with children, talk with them, and pay attention to what they are interested in, the relationship between child and adult is strengthened.

From a very young age, children look to adults' eyes to see what they are interested in and what is important. When adults and children share attention, they are learning and building the relationship.

Children often imitate adult behavior. They do this to learn about the world and to behave like the adults they admire.

Children are excited to interact with people who are familiar and important to them. Notice how children watch as a caregiver moves around a room. Maintain the relationship across a room by telling the child what you are doing.

Back-and-forth interactions are most powerful when the adult's response is immediate and dependent on the child's behavior. This means consistent responses are important and should advance the conversation.

An adult does not have to respond immediately to a child every single time. Providing consistent responses over time is important.

Try This!

Respond when children try to get your attention. You can acknowledge that you hear them, even if you can't fulfill their request right away.

Help parents be present with their children. Eliminate distractions during home visits that might divide parents' attention.

Reflect on how you integrate the culture of the family into discussions of responsive caregiving with them.

Encourage parents to look for everyday moments that can be used for one-on-one interactions. These may be moments like diaper changes or riding in the car or on the bus.

If a parent seems hesitant to talk to their baby before their baby is using words, let them know that even responding to a baby's babbles is important. All of these interactions build the relationship between caregiver and child.

Reflect on how you already respond contingently to children and how you might improve your responsivity.

Learn More

Connecting at Home

Children learn best from rich and responsive social interactions. Spending time together at home provides many opportunities for learning and bonding moments. Here are some tips you can try.

React and Reflect

Children feel supported when you listen and respond. Respond when your child requests your attention. Acknowledge that you hear them, even if you can't fulfill their request right away.

Be a Copycat

Practice imitation with games like "Simon Says." You can even roll a ball back and forth. Back-and-forth interactions help create healthy relationships and strong bonds.

Look at It Together

Use a picture book to make up a new story. What's happening in the pictures? Ask your child to chime in. Use the book to begin a conversation. Talk about themes like feelings or making new friends.

Make a Snack Together

Preparing food together can be a fun, new experience. Talk about what you observe. What colors do you see? What are the smells, textures, and tastes of foods you're using?
" Go to Connecting Research to Practice

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You're the Best Teacher! Responsive Interactions with Young Children | ECLKC

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Children learn best from rich, responsive social interactions with other people. These interactions allow children and adults to share attention and build bonds.Explore the importance of adults' responsive social interactions with children. Find out how these interactions allow children and adults to share attention and build bonds.