Keeping Restless Preschoolers Engaged With Fall Songs, Books, and Games

[Image: Keep students engaged in the classroom]

Are you still struggling to get your little ones to stay engaged with you in the classroom? Or maybe you’re wondering how you’re ever going to teach them anything at this pace?

Well then, I’ve got the solution for you!

Today, I’ll be sharing with you the best preschool activities for a fall theme to keep your students interested in the classroom.

You see, it’s not always easy to get young children to pay attention. In fact, it’s sometimes downright hard, so a little help every once in a while doesn’t hurt, am I right?

And this is exactly what these activities are; things that will help you increase engagement in your preschool classroom.

I hope you’re ready to learn.

All right, let’s dive in!

How to Keep Students Engaged in Your Preschool Classroom

[Image quote: “Sitting still and listening is a developmental skill that improves over time, as young children mature and grow.” - Vanessa Levin]

Even if you’ve spent the first six weeks (or more) of school establishing routines and procedures, it doesn’t mean your classroom will be smooth sailing every day from there on out.

It also doesn’t mean your kids are magically going to sit still and listen to you.

There are always going to be bumps along the way and we must constantly be adjusting our course to account for these bumps.

Sitting still and listening is a developmental skill that improves over time, as young children mature and grow. And when something is developmental, we can’t force or rush it. All we can do is support the child as they begin to develop those skills.

No amount of telling young children to sit still or listen will work.

No amount of bribing them with tokens, treats, or prize boxes to stay engaged with you will work either.

And punishing them for not having that developmental skill will definitely not work.

Think about it like this: If you were learning to play the piano and you practiced with your teacher every single day for six weeks, and at the end of those weeks, you were able to play a few simple songs, would you also be able to play Mozart or Beethoven?

No, of course not, that would be ridiculous!

You’d probably have to continue practicing for years to become skilled enough to tackle them.

The very same is true for the preschoolers in your classroom. They will need to continue practicing while you guide them on their journey towards becoming successful.

And the way you can help your students do that is to teach smarter, not harder. And that will require you to readjust your mindset.

Instead of trying to “get” your students to sit still and pay attention, follow this simple recipe for success to keep them engaged with you:

  • Music and movement.
  • Carefully selected books.
  • Play-focused activities.

Let’s break this down, shall we? 

Focus on Music and Movement

In my free 7 Circle Time Mistakes and How to Fix Them guide, mistake n°6 is not using enough fingerplays.

Remember that young children aren’t built for sitting and listening, they’re designed to move. That’s how they learn best.

So when you add the right music and movement to your day, both you and your students will feel less stressed and frustrated.

How do you do this?

You simply add a few fun fingerplays any time you’re asking them to sit and listen as a group! 

Think about it like this, you’re asking them to do something (sit and listen to a story), which can be a big ask for a young child. 

So, you’re going to sweeten the deal by adding in a fingerplay or two – bonus points if it involves full-body movements and even better if it has props to go along with it.

For a fall theme, here are three tried-and-true favorites my classes always love:

  • Gray Squirrel
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Little Pumpkins

Your fingerplays can also change with your themes, you don’t need to have recorded music, and you don’t need to have a beautiful singing voice either!

Use Carefully Selected Books to Keep Your Students Engaged

[Image quote: “Offer [your students] opportunities for them to move and play throughout the day.” - Vanessa Levin]

The books you read aloud to your students matter. They have to be carefully curated because they serve multiple purposes.

They need to capture and hold children’s attention for the appropriate length of time. And they also serve as a vehicle for learning many different things like phonological awareness, concepts of print, and story elements.

Wondering what books would be perfect for a fall theme? I’ve got you. Check out my fall favorites book list, and thank me later!

Think About What Activities You’re Offering

Keeping with our fall theme, it’s important to plan your activities in the classroom with a focus on playful learning.

Your kids need to touch and feel things, they need to discover and explore, and one way you can do that is with playdough.

Offering playdough daily is a great way to capture and hold your students’ interest. And while you have their attention, use that to your advantage and sprinkle in a little learning at the same time.

To do that, you can use my fall playdough mats, which can help develop fine motor skills and literacy skills.

You can also go full fall with some pumpkin-themed activities.

The possibilities are endless, all you have to do is be a little creative!

I discuss how to keep your preschoolers engaged in more depth in the episode above, so make sure to give it a listen!

 

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Get your FREE Circle Time Guide

Discover 15 fingerplays and facts

Fingerplays from A to Z

Discover fall songs

Get the Pumpkin Bundle

Grab the Fall Bundle

Discover fall books

Check out fall leaf activities

More fall theme preschool activities