Whether it’s the first day with your kindy class, your child’s under 7s soccer team, children’s church class or whole-school chapel, the key to success is capturing young children's attention. When gaining attention is done well, children are calm, focussed and attentive. When gaining attention is done badly, you might as well be herding cats! Here are 8 Effective Keys to capturing the attention of young children.
1. Remember you are the adult in the room.
Children love playful adults, but they also want to know that the responsible adult in the room is in charge and will keep them safe. Remember these children, and their parents, are trusting that you will be able to maintain order. You can do it!
2. Redirect rather than interrupt.
Rather than thinking you have to stop children doing something to capture their attention, think instead that you will be redirecting them to do an alternative activity- such as sitting on the carpet.
3. Be novel.
Capture young children’s attention with songs, finger-clicking, or hand movements. If initial cues go unnoticed, move closer to the group. Avoid raising your voice for attention as it can create anxiety for both children and adults, and it really isn’t necessary. Utilising unique attention-grabbers keeps the group happy and interested.
4. Harness the Power of Silent Cues.
Challenge yourself to use silent cues. Inform children that you have a ‘secret code’ with silent actions representing different expected behaviours. Explain the meaning behind these cues, for example a teacher might sit on a chair at the front of the room indicating that children should sit on the carpet. A soccer coach might hold the team folder on the sideline to signify that children need to gather. A church volunteer might point to, or display on a screen, an image that signifies children are to sit in front of the stage. Have fun practising this a few times. Challenge children to see how fast they can respond to the cue.
5. Move onto what’s next.
Children are never doing nothing! LOL. The moment you have their attention, be ready for the next activity.
6. The 5 Ways of Listening:
I like to use 'The 5 Ways of Listening’ cue. Each finger represents an action I expect then to be ‘doing’: legs crossed, hands in laps, eyes on me, ears on me and lips closed. I simply hold up my hand and point to each finger. And children know that they can remind any off-task peers by using the silent ‘finger-on-the-lip pose’ as a gentle reminder to refocus. This encourages a positive, self-regulating environment. Young children love this and so do their teachers!
7. Be kind.
Even the most complaint child will need to chat and wriggle after a short time. Every couple of minutes let them talk to each other to share their thoughts, respond physically to your questions, or engage in an action song.
8. Build your Attention-Grabber Repertoire!
Ask your colleagues for ideas, look online, and check out my 6 favourite Attention-Grabber Strategies for Young Children. Fresh ideas will keep young children excited and attentive.
Put these keys into practice and transform cat-wrangling chaos into a productive, happy, safe and calm environment for young children. Embrace these strategies and transform the challenges of capturing the attention of a group of young children into a rewarding and enjoyable experience for all.
Joanie Flowers
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