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10 Preschool Transitions– Songs and Chants to Help Your Day Run Smoothly

by Angela Thayer 55 Comments

Preschoolers LOVE music. They enjoy moving, making sounds, and singing! There’s something about music that draws them in and points their attention at whoever is making music.

A few summers ago, I took a class on early childhood transitions with a lot of preschool teachers. The course was designed to help teachers plan out an effective schedule and transitions to help decrease the number of behavior issues that happen throughout the preschool day. After taking the class, I was inspired to write more songs and transitions for preschool teachers and homeschoolers to use.

10 Preschool Transitions to help your day run smoothly!

First of all, what is a transition? A transition is something that helps moves children from one activity to another. An example would be from lesson time to story time or clean up time to snack time. Transitions can be rhythmic chants, songs, or short stories. It is super important to have these transitions as a classroom teacher. Whenever you have dead time, that’s when the behavior problems start happening! (Am I right fellow teachers?!) Something I really love about transitions is that it introduces kids to music, rhythm, and rhyming. You do not need to be a great singer to use these at home! Just try your best and your child will love it! 🙂

Today I’m going to be sharing with you 10 transition songs and chants to help your preschool day run smoothly.

1.  Wiggle Your Fingers, Stomp Your Feet!— This chant is great for helping a child get their wiggles out and ready to focus on school!

Brain break chant

2. Do You Know What Time it Is?–a great song for practicing time! Maybe if youre transitioning from playtime to school time, then you would sing this song to signal that school is starting.

Do you know what time it is song

3. Movement Song –a happy song to sing anytime during the day!

Movement song

4. Clean Up Songs–Here are 2 songs that are fun to sing when its time to clean up!

Clean up songs

5. Color Song— a fun way to practice colors!

The color song

6. This is the Way I Move!–a wonderful way to get your child moving and exercising while singing!

7. Finger on Your Lips–a song to use if you want children to be quiet and listen.

finger on your lips song

8. Little Wiggle–a perfect chant to help get the wiggles out of your little ones!

9. Washing Hands Song–a simple song to sing while washing hands!

hand washing song

10. Criss Cross Applesauce–a chant to help them sit down quietly.

criss cross chant

Try them out and see if these transition activities make a difference in your classroom!

 

To hear the songs and chants, check out my video below!

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Filed Under: Music, Preschool Tagged With: preschool, songs, transitions

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  1. Sarah says

    March 12, 2023 at 2:13 pm

    There’s nothing better than singing to help with transitions. Thank you for all these helpful resources!!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      March 23, 2023 at 2:19 pm

      I totally agree!

      Reply
  2. Anneka Smith says

    August 12, 2022 at 3:38 pm

    Did you write the Little Wiggle chant? I put it with some music (“I have a little turtle”) and want to make sure I give credit to you if you wrote it. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      August 31, 2022 at 2:19 pm

      Yes I did. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Adaora says

        November 30, 2022 at 3:18 pm

        Can I listen to the songs in YouTube or sent to my email?

        Reply
        • Angela Thayer says

          December 1, 2022 at 1:25 pm

          You can find the songs on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5_qCH9z4_g&t=2s

          Reply
  3. Sandy says

    January 30, 2022 at 4:18 pm

    Thank you so much for the transition posters for Pre-K. I can’t wait for my
    students to learn them. This is a great help for teachers and greatly appreciated.

    Reply
  4. sabitaraee says

    October 12, 2020 at 5:11 am

    I love these transition song and ideas, i definitely use it in my class. Thank you !

    Reply
  5. Smriti says

    March 13, 2020 at 12:58 pm

    Hey Angela, thanks I have just started working in a pre school. Songs like these really help us a lot to run class smoothly. I have pinned several ideas shared by you.
    Thanks a lot. I am regular reader of your blog from now. Cheers!

    Reply
  6. DeBorah Fanney says

    March 11, 2020 at 3:17 am

    Thank you for the PRINTABLES.

    Reply
  7. Kendra says

    March 10, 2020 at 6:57 am

    SO cute, and SO fun!!! Thanks for inspiring us and creating joy in the journey!

    Reply
  8. Zach VanderGraaff says

    November 1, 2019 at 7:07 pm

    Totally agree! As a music teacher, I know exactly how well students respond to musical elements as transitions. Thanks for spreading the good word! I tell my younger class teachers this all the time, but they have a hard time buying in. Maybe this will convince them.

    Reply
  9. Adela Rivas says

    February 10, 2019 at 3:53 pm

    I will have to try this with my 3-4 years old at work.. If you can give me hints for circle time I will appreciate it💗

    Reply
  10. Matt says

    March 11, 2018 at 7:54 am

    These are great, I think every preschool teacher has times where they ‘lose’ the class for whatever reason, these will be handy!

    Reply
  11. CRYSTAL Croft says

    October 3, 2017 at 6:25 pm

    I already use these is there one I can use to transition from breakfast to line up for outdoor time

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      October 4, 2017 at 1:17 am

      Stay tuned! I’m just weeks away from launching my new book with 150 transition songs/rhymes. It includes lots of line up songs and outdoor songs.

      Reply
  12. Jin says

    August 9, 2017 at 2:34 pm

    Thank you.
    I’ve pined several useful ideas for my preschoolers from you 🙂

    Reply
  13. Amna Naveed says

    June 27, 2017 at 10:57 am

    I really liked the idea. It will help me introducing making transitioning smoother in the classroom to my teachers during training times. Good job!

    Reply
  14. Florence says

    April 17, 2017 at 6:11 am

    Thank you so much,l love these songs…..can’t wait to try them tomorrow

    Reply
  15. Erin says

    March 27, 2017 at 8:48 pm

    I love your songs. I stole some of them & I know it’s a good one if i can remember it!! I’m looking for a show & tell song, any suggestions??

    Reply
  16. Ms. Crystal says

    October 2, 2016 at 10:39 pm

    I need help ASAP!
    I’m a preschool teacher of young tot’s. They are just turning one to about 14 months and when we transition inside from outside play they come inside hysterical. Some of them walk and some crawl. They have a routine for about a few days then they break it by the way need attention, from going to sleep early, to needing a snack before lunch. One still gets a bottle and the rest freak out… ANY SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE!?!?!?!

    Reply
  17. Mansi joshi says

    March 13, 2016 at 11:48 am

    I just love them and Iam sure that these all will help me in my school
    thanks a lot

    Reply
  18. Debbie says

    November 3, 2015 at 11:34 pm

    Love this

    Reply
  19. Cynthia Childs says

    April 24, 2015 at 5:05 pm

    I would like to have thatsend to my email thank you

    Reply
  20. Sylvia says

    February 8, 2015 at 4:01 am

    You just made a homeschooling mom very happy today. Me! Thanks for sharing this.
    Sylvia recently posted…Salton YM9 1-Quart Yogurt Maker ReviewMy Profile

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      February 13, 2015 at 1:24 am

      So happy to hear that, Sylvia! Thank you!!

      Reply
  21. Meryl says

    January 19, 2015 at 7:37 pm

    Lovely! Thank you – these are great and I will certainly be using them loads!

    Reply
  22. Nancy Saldana says

    October 11, 2014 at 3:06 pm

    Great ideas!, I only have one year experience working with kids and loving to lean more and more for them.

    Reply
  23. Stacie says

    August 27, 2014 at 11:03 am

    Thanks so much for these ideas! I am a first year preschool teacher and have been struggling during my transitions. My students will love these and hopefully those transitions will go a little smoother!

    Reply
  24. Deb @ Living Montessori Now says

    August 21, 2014 at 2:24 pm

    Such an awesome resource, Angela! I featured your post and image in my Free Back-to-School Songs and Rhymes for Circle Time post today. 🙂
    Deb @ Living Montessori Now recently posted…Free Back-to-School Songs and Rhymes for Circle TimeMy Profile

    Reply
  25. Attiya Rehman says

    June 18, 2014 at 8:41 am

    very nice

    Reply
  26. Cindy Gresham says

    June 11, 2014 at 7:44 pm

    I teach a class of 12 PK three yr olds with no helper. Singing combined with movement is something we all love. My favorite one of this post is the one about moods to the tune of If you’re happy ….Thanks for sharing, Cindy

    Reply
  27. Marcie says

    March 27, 2014 at 2:33 pm

    Great ideas here! I love introducing children to new songs especially when I need help getting cleaned up at transition time.

    Reply
  28. Amy says

    February 23, 2014 at 12:11 am

    I am student teaching and transitions were giving me trouble, I can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      February 24, 2014 at 1:51 am

      Great!! I hope they work well for you!

      Reply
  29. Howling Horn says

    February 9, 2014 at 12:35 am

    This is Christina from the Howling Horn. Thanks for the great songs. I used them during my letter “C” week for cleaning songs. I used the washing your hands song and tidy up. They are great way to make cleaning up fun! I talked about them on my blog and shared your page with my followers. http://howlinghorn.blogspot.com/2014/02/a-week-of-letter-c_4.html

    Reply
  30. Jason Styles says

    December 3, 2013 at 9:52 pm

    I Love It!!!!! Thank You.

    Reply
  31. Dawn says

    October 20, 2013 at 12:30 am

    Your ideas are wonderful. thanks for sharing them! I am a preschool teacher of 27 years and it is great to find new ideas.

    Reply
  32. Carrie says

    September 13, 2013 at 2:17 pm

    Songs help with so many things. We often sing them on our way to school (a new school) to help keep the crying at bay. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
    Carrie recently posted…Flamingo Friday–Paper Plate FlamingosMy Profile

    Reply
  33. Jolanthe says

    September 12, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    Breaking out into song for ANY age is great and helpful. 🙂 Love this.
    Jolanthe recently posted…Constitution Day Printables – Free PrintablesMy Profile

    Reply
  34. Kali @ For the Love of Spanish says

    September 7, 2013 at 6:51 pm

    Oh these are awesome!!!! Thank you for posting!
    Kali @ For the Love of Spanish recently posted…Bilingual Tot School–24 monthsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      September 8, 2013 at 8:49 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  35. Lauren says

    September 7, 2013 at 12:37 pm

    Oh my goodness, these are great! I am starting a new job at a preschool and these will be so helpful to transition kids! Love it!

    Thank you for sharing at our Pinning for Play link party!

    Reply
    • Esther says

      August 25, 2019 at 11:12 pm

      Thank you, they are amazing

      Reply
  36. Amy says

    September 6, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    These are all amazing!!! I just printed and put my in a binder — thank you 🙂 I’m sharing on my FB page 🙂 Have a beautiful weekend!!
    Amy recently posted…Making your own vanilla extract is easy and deliciousMy Profile

    Reply
  37. Gina says

    September 4, 2013 at 7:55 pm

    Brilliant, I will be trying all of these. My kids are adopted and ANY transition, however little is difficult and I am always looking for easy ways of moving along. I can’t wait til my cheeky six year old boy finds his own rhyme for ‘finger on your shoe’. Just a matter of time.

    Reply
    • Angela Thayer says

      September 9, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Thanks, Gina! I am so happy to hear this will help you out. 🙂

      Reply
    • Joan says

      February 13, 2017 at 10:14 pm

      Thank you so much for these. I love them! Here is another that I hope you will add to the list. http://grandmatimes.com/2017/01/20/just-walking-along-singing-a-song-kids-activity/

      Reply

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