Never underestimate the power of sleeping lions. I am referring to the game where children have to lie silently without moving, pretending to be asleep.
This is an activity which I believe every good reception teacher should have in their arsenal. If the children are having one of those days where everything is taking twice as long as usual, the noise level is louder than ever and you need a brief moment to gather your thoughts and assess what to do next - sleeping lions may be it.
The children are usually familiar with the rules and so a quick sharp 'sleeping lions' order from the teacher can be magical. Suddenly the children will stop what they are doing and flop to the floor - their competitive fuse lit. Some children will wobble after only twenty seconds but others can stay still for several minutes.
I have used this technique several times to great effect. Going home time can be a logistical nightmare so this is a favourite time to employ the game. I then call each child in turn when their parent comes to the door. Another time this can be used is when the chidren are ready to go to lunch. I call out 'sleeping lions' and then in turn whisper a name to go and line up.
Try this out in your classroom and see if it works for you - I think it is a great way to regain calm in a noisy room. I wouldn't recommend this technique during an observed lesson but for those Friday afternoons after a busy week when the children are tired and you are ready for that celebratory glass of wine - this can be a god send!
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