After sitting in silent Meeting for Worship for 20 minutes, even the best of kids need an opportunity to get the wiggles out before starting with the First Day School lesson. Here are a few ideas that use some energy and allow for a transition into your program.

Stretch up your arms high into the sky and try to grab the sun. Reach arms over head alternating each hand that grabs at the sun. Now put your hands behind your back. Have one spider come out. Make one hand crawl out from behind your back to in front of your lap. Have another spider come out. Make your spiders dance together. Put your hands together and cross your fingers. Relax your wrists and rotate your hands in a circle. Make your spiders go to sleep. Let go of your hands and let them flop down on the floor in front of you. Let your spiders flop around. Let your hands flip up and down on the floor. Spiders run away. Make both hands crawl behind your back to hide again. Let's go to sleep. Lie stomach down on the floor. Wake up seals. Push your arms up so the top half of your body is off the floor. Wag your tail. Kick your feet up and down. Go to sleep. Lie back down.

Have the children stand in a circle with the teacher in the middle. Explain to the children that you will start making a sound with your body. As you touch each child on the head they have to begin making that sound. After everyone is making the same sound you will begin a different sound. They should not change their sound until you touch them a second time. Keep doing this until you have made a "thunderstorm" and then work your way back down to a "quiet rain".

(1) Begin by rubbing your hands back and forth together. (2) Snap your fingers. (3) Tap your hands on your thighs. (4)Stomp your feet. Repeat the order backwards.

Designate one child as the lucky kangaroo. The lucky kangaroo tries to tag the other children while they are hopping away from him/her. As soon as the lucky kangaroo tags one child then that child becomes a lucky kangaroo too. This continues until all the children are lucky kangaroos.

Head and Shoulders

An old favorite, sing the song slowly then pick up speed until it becomes too much of a scramble to keep up. It might be a good idea to review the body parts before you start the song.

Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.

Ring Around the Rosie

The ending must be credited to Kindermusik International.
Have children form a circle holding hands. Walk in a circle while holding hands: Ring around a rosie
A pocket full of posies
Ashes, Ashes we all fall down.
Knocking at the window, Knocking at the door Tap hands on lap
Everyone jumps up when we count to four:
One, two, three, FOUR

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