One of the hardest part about teaching art is waiting in line to leave - either I line them up early or their teacher is late picking them up. Keeping young kids quiet in line is a tough task! I learned thee lamest game at my last school, but the kids LOVE it. I don't really understand why the kids love it and why they ask to play it for years -- but I guess I shouldn't complain because it keeps them making good choices in line.
To play "Quite Mouse" (I've changed it to Quiet Giraffe for fun)
- Pick a student who is modeling how you want them to stand in line - facing forward, voice off, body parts under control.
- That student steps out of line and looks for the next student that is making good line choices and says their name or taps them on the shoulder. The original quiet students steps back in their spot in line and the new student steps out.
- This repeats until the teacher arrives.
Students RACE up to me and ask to play this game - even my 5th graders find this game fun. I, personally, don't get it. I think this game is a small step above "the quiet game" - but the affirmation of being picked by a peer seems to have so much motivation that the line is straight, quiet, and ready to enter the hall.
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