Around mid-morning, after a couple of hours of focused lessons, a group of preschoolers started getting restless. They were talking loudly, moving around their seats, and some were even getting up and wandering around the room. The classroom felt a bit chaotic, and it was clear the kids were distracted and having trouble sitting still.

What was happening?

• The children had built up energy and needed a break.

• Their attention spans were naturally shorter at this age.

• The activity might not have been engaging enough for some.

How it was handled (example):

• The teacher paused the lesson and introduced a short, fun movement break—like a quick dance or stretching session.

• After the break, students returned to their seats calmer and more focused.

• The teacher also used a visual timer to help students know how long they needed to focus before the next break.

I quickly gathered everyone in a circle, took a few deep breaths with them, and used a calm voice to remind them of our classroom rules. We sang our “quiet voices” song and slowly transitioned to a calmer activity. The shift in energy was noticeable once they had a moment to reset.

To manage the situation, I calmly gathered the students, used a familiar attention signal, and reminded them of the classroom routine. After a short calming activity and clear instructions, the children were able to settle down and refocus on the task. This experience showed how important clear routines and engaging transitions are for maintaining a positive classroom environment.