21st September 2022
One Simple Thing That Made my First Week Back in Class Easy!
Routine! That is it in one word.
The first week back is nerves, chaos and our staff often need re-motivating … a recipe for stress, right?
Our first day back in our Early Years unit was so smooth it felt like something was not quite right. Then I realised it is my tight morning routine that relaxes and makes the children feel instantly safe.
What do we do for our morning routine?
8.45am
As the doors open: We welcome each child by name. ‘Good morning, Susie’
Each child is expected to reply or at least make eye contact, this means connection has been made between the adult and child. Greetings are a basic form of communication and trigger trust for future conversations. It is a personal approach to communication and especially important in the morning routine.
What about Parents? In our setting parents are aware that conversations need an appointment or a call to the office. If it cannot wait, they can also wait till every child is in the door too.
In the room:
All adults are in the room waiting to greet their group and have an activity for them whilst we wait for everyone to be in the room. The activities range from stories, book sharing, singing songs and name writing.
9am
Everyone is in the room:
The children get out their individual dough pots ready for Dough Disco, music on, pick a great Dough Disco song like ‘Let’s Get Ready to Rumble’! You can also use Spread the Happiness TV’s official Dough Disco videos – Click here to see the video.
Dough Disco promotes fine muscle, concentration, warms up the hand muscles and makes the start of the day organised and educationally productive – remember at home lots of children come from chaos or stressful situations (even the yummiest parents get stressed on the school run), so Dough Disco disco promotes sense of calm as well as fine muscle exercise.
It also means you start your day with FUN and energy.
9.10
Days of the Week Song
Soon as Dough Disco is finished, we jump up and sing the’ Days of the Week’ song. Any great days of the week song will do. I use my version from Spread the Happiness TV – Click here to see the video.
The movement and energy are consistent between the different activities.
The children get to move again after sitting for Dough Disco. It is also maths, sequencing and if you use days of the week flash cards it is early reading and understanding that words have meaning.
9.15
Physical Ten Time
This is ten minutes of rigorous physical activity with adults.
The current NHS physical movement requirement for under fives is 3 hours per day with one hour being rigorous and adult led. These ten minutes counts towards that hour.
What can you do? Run around the playground on a running course. Play a parachute game, adults blow bubbles and children jump for them or go for ten-minute speed walk to a timer.
Why do this? Physical ten time aids concentration, burns excess energy (lots of children have sugary breakfast that cause glucose spikes), helps promote physical fitness and if you sing songs and rhymes it’s enhanced early phonics but what I know is when you go back to sit on carpet the children will concentrate better and you will have better behaviour for your input.
Why not try one or all three of the tips for a smooth class morning routine? Just simply add them to your morning session.
I hope they help make your class calm and productive (and fun!)
When you implement let me know by tagging me on your socials (Click the icons in the top right or at the bottom of this page for our social media links), so I can give you a massive high five for doing what is right for your children.
