Your "Bright" Transition Ideas

If you have tried a great transition ideas that has worked well for you and your children, please share it with others!

Click on info@transitionmagician.com  Type Bright Idea in the subject line.  Include in the email: the name and description of the idea, list props if needed and your name and city.  We will post it on this web-page.   More Bright Ideas

Quiet Sacks -- Settler for Nap Time Props: Sack made from a blue jean pant leg. It you're not handy at sewing, use a hot glue gun to glue the bottom together; fold the top edge down and glue. Poke two holes and make a ribbon handle. Use adhesive backed Velcro for a fastener to keep it shut. Fill the sack with quiet play things. "When my children are going to their cots, I give them a bag with age appropriate, quiet toys to help them settle into the nap routine. Some will fall asleep others I will remind them to put away their quiet sack after about 10 minutes." Shared by Mandy Albrecht, Family Day Care, Portage, WI Sanitize toys according to regulations.

The Magic Ball and Bag--Attention Grabber

Props: Paper lunch bag

"Tell the children that you have a magic ball. Pretend to pull it out of a paper bag you are holding and give it to a child. Ask the child to throw the ball into the paper bag. With your eyes follow the pretend ball as it arches (floats, zig zags, whatever path you imagine it to take) toward the bag. "Catch" the ball with the bag and as it lands, snap you finger against the bag (without them seeing this, of course). The children will be amazed and it gets their attention every time." Shared by Lorna M. Jackson-McKoy,Henderson, NC

	Mini Magic Carpet Bags -- Magic Carpet Activities Prop: A cloth bag (approximately 12" x 12") with a draw string. Use a cute kid's print material. Fill bag with items that children can use without teacher's help. e.g. little plastic animals or dinosaurs, puzzles (made from cereal or snack box fronts), little toys from kids meals from fast food restaurants. Add these Mini Magic Carpet Bags to that special shelf or crate that holds activities that are only used for these "special" times. The times when children are waiting and you are busy helping other children. See Transition Magician for other Magic Carpet ideas.
"Magic Resting Dust" -- Settlers Props: Fragrant Room Spray As children are setting down on their cots for rest/naps, I spray the room lightly with a room spray (make sure children are not allergic to the spray). I tell them this is to help them sleep and dream. When they wake up, I ask them if they had any good dreams. Shared by Linda Hughes, Randolph, WI. Room Spray Variation: In a pump spray bottle, put a few drops of an aromatic oil in water.
	Magic Pick-Up Lotion -- For Clean-up Transition Hand lotion and a little glitter in a small bottle works like "magic" in getting youngsters to pick up the toys. You might also try using a small bottle of hand sanitizer with glitter instead for some extra cleaning power.

 

Poker Chips -- Excuser

Props:  Poker chips and a container (plastic jar)

Number the poker chips to correspond to the number of children in your group.  Give each child a chip to hold during the story or group time.  After the story or group activity excuse children by saying, "Whoever has number 3 can get their coat on, etc."  It provides an orderly way of moving children from one activity to another.

Shared by Nancy Neveau, Kewaunee, WI

 

 

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