How do you get your preschoolers attention? What are your favorite songs to help their bodies regulate?
As you may know from previous posts like this one and this one, movement songs are my favorite types of songs. Why? Because they are fun, they can be jammed-packed with valuable developmental concepts, and they can help kids regulate their bodies.
Many movement songs can also help kids with transitions, and in the classroom, transitions can look like moving between locations, activities, or going to or from a center. Instead of just using our words when asking children to stop one activity and move to the other, we can use music to prepare children to start a different task, to promote self-regulation and to calmly transition to something new.
A simple and effective movement song for preschoolers to use during transitions and to promote self-regulation
“Walk, Walk, Walk.” by Stephanie Leavell
The lyrics are simple and easy to follow:
“We’re gonna walk, walk, walk and STOP.
We’re gonna walk, walk, walk and STOP.
Turn around, reach up, reach down.
We’re gonna walk, walk, walk walk
Walk, walk, walk, walk,
walk, walk, walk then STOP.”
This simple, yet effective movement song provides structured movement that helps draw in children’s attention and gets them ready to learn. Kids can get “wiggly” sometimes or they may need some support in regulating their bodies or emotions. “Walk, walk, walk” provides opportunities for kids to move in an organized manner around the room and the deliberate stops in the song will get them listening intently.
Provide opportunities to promote creativity and increase participation by repeating the lyrics and substituting them with the children’s ideas. Other movement options include:
Run
Jump
Twist
Tiptoe
Wiggle
Dance
Spin
Hop
Would you like original, non-cheesy children’s songs (like “Walk, Walk, Walk”) right in your inbox?
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