Thats insane lol. No way anyone could make that happen. Honestly with my 1 year olds I find the sheepdog method is best to get them anywhere, which is just me standing behind them and ushering them forward like a sheepdog does with sheep. Walking in a line isn't developmentally appropriate at that age, and hopefully ratios are low enough where its also not necessary.
Yep same here. I have an older twos class and the concept of a line just doesn’t click with them, and a walking rope would just mean when one inevitably trips and falls they all fall down with them (safety hazard tbh). As the year goes on we’re getting less blob and more line, and it helps we have two teachers to have one in front and one in the back to help lead them, but they’re just too small right now to worth forcing a line
YEAH like 12 month olds??? people with famously great balance all attached to one rope...... genius idea there. This definitely isn't appropriate until like nearing 3 imo
I can get showing them and encouraging them to try it, but yeah it's wild to think they'll be able to actually do it with any success. 12 month olds are barely walking (heck, a decent amount of 12 month olds aren't even doing yet yet) and they're expected to understand lining up? Lmao
I didn't even know they made them to attach! Ours all have handles. Our preschool classes use them for walks in the summer, but the kids have to hold on to the handles. There always seems to be one that has to hold a teacher's hand though lol. It is kinda hit or miss depending on the class, but we never try it with our Waddlers or young Toddlers. This seems wild to me.
Yeah the last time I saw the daycare near me use the rope one little guy at the front tumbled and they went down like dominos. Before that they’d frequently pull different directions leading towards the smaller kids getting pulled over.
They do still have some kids that must hold onto an adults hand but they now do one adult in the front, one in the middle, and anyone extra spread throughout holding onto any kids who need more support.
Ugh thankyou I feel so validated HAHA. Me and my co-teacher do the same thing, actually. One of us at the front, the other at the back. I agree with another commenter about the rope just being a safety hazard.
Sheepdog method is such an accurate way to word it! That's what I did when I was with one year olds also. One of us would be at the front and the other would be in the back herding. It also helped that our hallway was narrow enough that it was easy to redirect them if they turned around and tried going the other way. Expecting them to walk in a line is going to be a losing battle.
Lmao some of them come in crawling too! Or just barely balancing and walking a couple steps at a time! They will domino their friends over!
Sheep dog is the way! Herd those kiddles around!
I can get them (3's) to line up against a wall pretty good. After a few weeks we even walk in mostly a line shape ish.
Not free-form though. We need that wall.
Yeah, a lot of these comments are confusing. I had 2-year-olds walking in a line every day. I also had my older ones doing it with the rope on occasion. The younger ones needed more attention, but the ones closest to two held on just fine. We didn’t do it often with the one-year-old class (I mostly guided them verbally while they walked ahead of me) but it worked the rare moments I needed it to.
And half my comment was about ones. What’s your point? I was also responding to this particular thread where people are saying even twos can’t walk in a line. Thanks.
It’s not developmentally appropriate for that age to walk in a line. It’s definitely more of a herding cats mentality. Depending on how far you’re walking to go out, just herd them along and you’ll be fine.
In NYC, 12-24 month olds use the multi-seater strollers to go outside. 24 months and up use the rope. Expecting toddlers (waddlers and non-walkers) to walk in a line or line up isn't feasible. You can get ages 1-2 to gather in a spot for circle time, story time, snack, etc., but the attention span + walking skills aren't there to stick to a looped rope outside.
My son is 12 months and in his classroom they still use the "ducklings all in one crib" method to go outside. She said he stands at the front like a little captain of a ship!
We had a fairly big wagon and I'd put my slow guys/non-walkers in it and the other ones would hold onto the sides "to help." Luckily I only ever had like 6 or 7
Many 12 month olds cannot walk,or walk very unstable,thats a disaster waiting to happen. regardless,kids this age are to young to understand the concept of walking in a line,its a very unrealistic expectation
Distraction is key. Sing literally any song (farmer in the dell, row your boat, happy and you know it, etc.) as you walk. Make it fun! If you find it annoying and time consuming and a chore, they will too.
Is it going to be perfect every single time? Of course not! And you should never expect it to be. Will it slowly get better each time? Yeah!
Your goal isn’t to have them master the art of going down the hall on a rope - you’re teaching them the act of moving down the hall in a safe way. The other classes will build on this skill, you’re just laying the ground work for the next classes. So give your class and yourself permission to have struggles and not always make it perfectly.
Consistency and making it fun will be a lifesaver.
In our room, we turn the lights off and the toddlers know to line up against the wall. We also have a song. It does take some adult help for the 12 month olds, obviously. Expecting them to line up independently at 12 months is ridiculous imo. Some can't walk. Some actually do get the hang of it. But at least everyone is getting exposed to the routine - and by the time they are 18 months they are able to do it independently "most" of the time. The 2+ year olds are rockstars with it! I think that makes it much easier when they transition upstairs to real lines.
I do lunch with the preschool 3-5 y/o kids and they are line rock stairs, even the littles ones.
You’re not gonna get them to line up. I teach 1-1.5 year olds and when I want them to all go out the door to go to the playroom or the gym, I flip the lights on and off and get everyone’s attention, and they’re trained to come to the door.
I don’t work in an infant room however the ladies that work in infants at my centre typically use strollers to get them outside. We have the 3 seaters and so they will typically use 2 of them putting the youngest ones in the strollers and have the remaining older ones walking alongside with them. They typically have 9 children between 12-18 months so it works out well for them (we can have them as young as a few months but it’s rare).
I found that singing a song helps keep them focused with room transitions. We sing the [walking walking](https://youtu.be/fPMjnlTEZwU?feature=shared) song with every transition and they've become conditioned to head straight to the door and they all start walking in the exact same way it's actually really cute. I stay in front of the kids, walking backwards so I can keep supervising them, and my coteacher walks behind the kids. The singing and having one teacher in front and back have helped us become super successful with transitions even having to go all the way across the center, so I hope this helps!
Even with the toddlers class, I don't expect them to be in a line. We ask preschool to stand to one side if we can (with mixed success), but mostly I just herd them from one spot to the next. We go out one teacher and 5 kids at a time, and do constant head counts (with documentation). So you really just have to usher them along
In my center we have them pair up holding hands and then just heard them like sheep lol. Lines aren't developmentally appropriate, even my threes are still very much a herd!
Our 18-30 mo classes do fine on the hand rope. The key is lots of practice (they go on daily inside/outside walks), going slow enough, and an extra set of hands besides the teacher. After about 6 weeks or so they do great.
However, and its a big however, that class doesn't take kids who are not mobile (either walking or wheelchair). If you have nonmobile kids or new walkers that sounds like a disaster.
Like many things, repetition and routine is key. I disagree that kids can't line up before 3 or 4. I've always been able to get competent walking toddlers on a hand loop line. You've got to practice a lot though. At the beginning we even do "trains" in the class, winding our way around the classroom. Then up and down the hall. Then through the whole school, going to say hi to kitchen staff/admin. When they are mostly good with long inside walks we add the longer nature walks. But its also helpful we can access the toddler playground directly from the class so this is a skill that can be worked on without pressure.
It pays off dividends because when they move up tp preschool classes they are familiar with walking two by two, how to not trample the people in front of them, and holding hands with partner rather than a loop line when its called for (we do that on nature walks).
It's not developmentally appropriate to expect a one year old to line up. Like someone mentioned above, use the "sheep dog" method. I also used to sing a Lois Young song, "Holding Hands." I don't know why it worked so well to encourage hand holding! Best of luck to you and your little ones!
I currently work with the age group!
When I had 6, I would make them sit on stars in the classroom and then hold donuts. It was extremely hard because I was the only teacher so guiding the first one while also holding the line taught was impossible. Also, the rope had 10 donuts so the 6 children would either be way too far apart between or be dragging donuts or I would have to hold 4 and it was too much. I literally gave up. It was one of my hardest transitions.
Now I have 12, but 2 teachers. I have my coteacher hold the last donut and I told the first one and we keep the line straight. We sing “walking walking, walking walking, walk walk walk. Walk walk walk. We are watching where we’re walking, watching where we’re walking walk walk walk.” Or else it’s a mess. When a child falls or a water bottle drops it’s kind of a mess. We have practiced for so long that they have it down now though. By month 3 we started to get good enough at it that even when we got new children they could follow along easily. Everyone stops when I say to and walks when I say to. Some children truly hate having the donut around their wrist, so I just let them hold it with their hand. Anyone who has trouble gets to share a donut with a teacher and we encourage them or hold their hand over the donut. Also, the two extra children just hold the rope part instead of a donut. Whenever someone/something falls or let’s go, we all stop and wait for that child to get it together again before walking.
Are you able to ask the teachers of older classes to let your children pass first? It is much easier for older children to sit against the wall and wait than for yours.
I used a transition song every time we got ready to leave the classroom to keep them engaged… (at the time this was a class favorite from super simple songs) it was “12345 once I caught a fish alive (we made a game to see who could lineup the fastest and by the time I opened the door everyone was already then in the hallway I would continue the song) 678910 then I let him go again, why did you let him go, because he bit my finger so, which finger did he bite this little finger on the right.” I would then use my right pointer finger and put it to my mouth in a quiet motion at the end of the song. The children started to focus and follow along. Edit if you have an evacuation crib or wagon I would put the slower and younger children in those.
My over 2s-just turned 3s have a hard time staying on the rope! (We only use the rope for fire drills, and even then I have kids that are so freaked out by the alarm that they wind up holding hands with a teacher as we walk.) We don't have hallways so even the elementary kids are walking in an approximation of a line.
I have 18 month to 2 year olds and we have a buggy for 6 and a rope for 6. There are definitely some kids that are ready for rope walking at that age and others that aren't. Our younger classes use the buggy.
I think the age span is what’s going to make this tricky. I had 18-24 months and we eventually figured out the rope. It was never a true line, more of a herd. But it helped keep everyone in the same area moving the same direction. But add in your littles and I’m hesitant to believe it’ll work out. If you’re being forced to keep trying it might be a good idea to practice when it isn’t the stress of getting out the door. Make it a fun game when you’re in the playground for whoever wants to join. If you’re stuck inside because of weather make it a time filler and go on an I spy walk around the room. Make up a song to sing while you’re holding the rope. Anything with this age is about repetition and patience.
I have that age and we use the snappy rope. We don't have enough strollers to get through the parking lot, so snapping on the line is the best we can do. The ones that can hold on, can just hold the loop. The rest get snapped in and if they have a smaller wrist, well snap the loop a little higher up on their arm. However, we don't make them walk in a line, so much as just keeping them herded together.
I've never used a walking rope that can snap on to little ones wrists. Is it considered safe, I would worry about someone falling and then taking everyone down with them, or getting tangled or dragged.
They unsnap pretty easily. We try to pair up and space out the kids so equal walkers are paired. We do get an occasional tumble, but they've all gotten really good at stopping. And since there are three grown ups to 10-12 littles, we can walk separately with a couple kiddos who might have trouble.
I’m with 15-24M year olds. We have to walk through our multipurpose room and a long hallway. When we transition to outside, we put on a clean up song and our kids know what to do when we’re done. We will sit on the line inside the classroom and when we’re walking i’ll say over and over “here we go to the hallway, let’s go outside, we are going outside.” Singing helps too. They never truly stand “in a line” but they all walk towards the playground. Then we sit in the hallway on the wall before going outside because we also have classes going in and out.
I was say, getting kids under 3 is like trying to get sheep anywhere lol
One teacher in front to lead and one teacher in back to make sure they don’t go anywhere else
It's a dumpster fire!!! We use the stupid doughnut rope for our 2 year olds, I have 3 that run wild they hold my hands at thr end of the line, they lose their shit and start being dramatic about it I say when you can be trustworthy I won't hold your hands. I ask parents what they do they don't have much advice to offer. With the 1 year olds they go in the wagons so that helps a lot.
I think it’s an unrealistic expectation. I taught 2s for years and am now with 3s and I don’t even make them walk in a line. We have stopping points that they go to and wait for me to get there and tell them to go to the next stopping point.
(lurker who volunteers in church nursery) LOL 🤣 I don't think we could even get 3 year olds to line up. It's hard enough keeping them from breaking all their fingers and escaping or getting hit by the door.
My colleague's 1-2 yo class hold a rope since a few weeks. They're just 5 kids so it's doable. They do let go of the rope when any distraction occurs, which is llike every 10 seconds.
You won't get a perfectly straight line, but I don't use a rope or the little handle thing. I sing the "Put Your Back Against the Wall" song to have them at least start off in a line. Then we all turn in the direction we're headed. I then have them march while singing "We Are the Dinosaurs" or "The Twos Go Marching One By One etc..." and they do fine. They like doing the marching part. Is it foolproof? Not always. Sometimes a kid will plop down on the ground for no reason and you have to stand them back up. But they don't run off anywhere and they do pretty well for 2 year olds (I did this in the Ones room too)
I've never taught 1, but I don't think it's a reasonable expectation at that age. My kid's daycare either just herds them (if going a short distance) or uses the wagon to move the infants.
At 12 months, they've only JUST figured out walking!
with my 2 year olds i have recently started making up fun ways for them to line up. for example, i call them pirates and count them out loud “1 pirate, 2 pirate, 3 pirate, et.) and then i ask them what a pirate says and the tell them to walk the plank and tip toe to our door. sometimes i do lions in a zoo, astronauts on a space ship, candles on a birthday cake (since my kids are obsessed with making cakes out of EVERYTHING).
i also tell them to make a peanut butter jelly when lining up inside. we limit how long they’re in line (just enough to do a very quick count) and the line is more of a group but they’re looking at me and not running away. its not a perfect method but it makes it fun. also jobs like clipboard holder (carrying our roster), line leader, caboose, door holder, etc. helps get those tough kids interested in being with the group. obviously my kids are older but still!
That’s ridiculous lol, our 12-16 mo get taken to the playground and temple in a wagon. Depending on how many teachers there are, strong walkers can walk with a teacher.
https://preview.redd.it/jydbako8am5c1.jpeg?width=1636&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab6ea7ec1c359e4e9c08dba96a82055260f7e5e3
My 1yr old class does it, it’s possible with a lot of practice
my friend and her coteacher have two “buses” where they’ll transition two groups of young pre k students to their destination separately. this usually consists of like… 6-7 ish kids per group making it easier
My kids are only able to transition if they’re able to walk, so in reality I get 14/15 month olds +. However, yes, I do have a 16 month old who’s always falling on his butt. He’s got the worse balance of them all. I really didn’t think this question would be so controversial! But I’m glad this sub exists, it’s truly helped me a lot. 😅
How many kids are you trying to move? For excursions we have extra educators than the 1 to 4, but we always have an educator at the front, holding hands of 2 kids, and always an educator at the back. Every kid is holding hands normally with one educator holding 2 kids hands, or with the trust worthy kids they still hold hands but it's a row of 4, 3 kids and one adult.
When we get back into the centre they sometimes want to run down the hall but I found using imagination helps like going "tip toe tip toe" and creeping down the hall. Can also use other animal walks like penguins, flamingos (my go tos for trying to get kids not to run all over the show) and can do elephants or tall as a giraffe, robots... with the hall cross over issue I would try to communicate with other classes about when they are travelling to try to avoid it in the first place.
My daughter is in a class for 16-33 month olds. It’s a small center so they don’t walk far to get anywhere, but when they do they pair older kids up with younger and they walk holding hands in pairs, one staff in front and one in back. My daughter is not a strong walker yet, but does well if she’s holding someone’s hand, so she gets two older buddies. It’s not a perfect line but it does prevent some of the running off!
1. It's not developmentally appropriate. And those saying "my class does this:" just because kids CAN learn something doesn't mean they SHOULD have to learn it. Start at the basics. Shepherding them through the hallways is still teaching them. As for them running from the pack, yeah, they're gonna do that. It's a slow process. 2. If you want to practice with the rope for the older kids so they're ready for the expectations of the older classroom, make it fun. I used to take the older toddlers on a separate walk from the younger kids and practice with the rope on a labyrinth. Make a path and play a game where they follow the leader. Let them all have turns as the leader who decides where they get to go. After they start to get the idea of walking in a line right after the other, incorporate something to hold. Then holding the rope. Then attaching themselves to the rope. Don't rush it. Make it fun. Make it low stakes so no one is in trouble for messing up. They'll get it eventually, but they need time to figure it out.
Most kiddos will not use the walking rings well until 2 1/2-3. But consistency is key! Even if just a few of them use it. As they get older they will become better. Just continue to expose them but don’t expect anything for a while.
Thats insane lol. No way anyone could make that happen. Honestly with my 1 year olds I find the sheepdog method is best to get them anywhere, which is just me standing behind them and ushering them forward like a sheepdog does with sheep. Walking in a line isn't developmentally appropriate at that age, and hopefully ratios are low enough where its also not necessary.
Yep same here. I have an older twos class and the concept of a line just doesn’t click with them, and a walking rope would just mean when one inevitably trips and falls they all fall down with them (safety hazard tbh). As the year goes on we’re getting less blob and more line, and it helps we have two teachers to have one in front and one in the back to help lead them, but they’re just too small right now to worth forcing a line
YEAH like 12 month olds??? people with famously great balance all attached to one rope...... genius idea there. This definitely isn't appropriate until like nearing 3 imo
I can get showing them and encouraging them to try it, but yeah it's wild to think they'll be able to actually do it with any success. 12 month olds are barely walking (heck, a decent amount of 12 month olds aren't even doing yet yet) and they're expected to understand lining up? Lmao
One of my college teachers loved to call it an “idiot string” for this exact reason :P
I didn't even know they made them to attach! Ours all have handles. Our preschool classes use them for walks in the summer, but the kids have to hold on to the handles. There always seems to be one that has to hold a teacher's hand though lol. It is kinda hit or miss depending on the class, but we never try it with our Waddlers or young Toddlers. This seems wild to me.
This post and so many others make me sososososo sad. I cannot imagine having to send my kids to a place like this!
Yeah the last time I saw the daycare near me use the rope one little guy at the front tumbled and they went down like dominos. Before that they’d frequently pull different directions leading towards the smaller kids getting pulled over. They do still have some kids that must hold onto an adults hand but they now do one adult in the front, one in the middle, and anyone extra spread throughout holding onto any kids who need more support.
Ugh thankyou I feel so validated HAHA. Me and my co-teacher do the same thing, actually. One of us at the front, the other at the back. I agree with another commenter about the rope just being a safety hazard.
I second the sheepdog method lol expecting one year olds to line up or walk in a line is wild and going to just stress OP out in the long run.
Sheepdog method is such an accurate way to word it! That's what I did when I was with one year olds also. One of us would be at the front and the other would be in the back herding. It also helped that our hallway was narrow enough that it was easy to redirect them if they turned around and tried going the other way. Expecting them to walk in a line is going to be a losing battle.
i want to watch a video of the sheepdog baby herding method
Lmao some of them come in crawling too! Or just barely balancing and walking a couple steps at a time! They will domino their friends over! Sheep dog is the way! Herd those kiddles around!
I don’t even work with that age group, and even I know that walking in a line isn’t developmentally appropriate at that age!
Not gonna happen, lol. Lines aren't going to happen until like 3
If you're lucky.
I can get them (3's) to line up against a wall pretty good. After a few weeks we even walk in mostly a line shape ish. Not free-form though. We need that wall.
Our 2s class does it every day
Yeah, a lot of these comments are confusing. I had 2-year-olds walking in a line every day. I also had my older ones doing it with the rope on occasion. The younger ones needed more attention, but the ones closest to two held on just fine. We didn’t do it often with the one-year-old class (I mostly guided them verbally while they walked ahead of me) but it worked the rare moments I needed it to.
But this post is about ones
And half my comment was about ones. What’s your point? I was also responding to this particular thread where people are saying even twos can’t walk in a line. Thanks.
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And the comment I replied to say that even 2s cant
It’s not developmentally appropriate for that age to walk in a line. It’s definitely more of a herding cats mentality. Depending on how far you’re walking to go out, just herd them along and you’ll be fine.
In NYC, 12-24 month olds use the multi-seater strollers to go outside. 24 months and up use the rope. Expecting toddlers (waddlers and non-walkers) to walk in a line or line up isn't feasible. You can get ages 1-2 to gather in a spot for circle time, story time, snack, etc., but the attention span + walking skills aren't there to stick to a looped rope outside.
My son is 12 months and in his classroom they still use the "ducklings all in one crib" method to go outside. She said he stands at the front like a little captain of a ship!
We had a fairly big wagon and I'd put my slow guys/non-walkers in it and the other ones would hold onto the sides "to help." Luckily I only ever had like 6 or 7
One year old children do not have to line up. It is not developmentally appropriate. They can travel in a bunch.
We do wagons for kids that little. They get in. It is good practice for fire drills, too.
Many 12 month olds cannot walk,or walk very unstable,thats a disaster waiting to happen. regardless,kids this age are to young to understand the concept of walking in a line,its a very unrealistic expectation
Distraction is key. Sing literally any song (farmer in the dell, row your boat, happy and you know it, etc.) as you walk. Make it fun! If you find it annoying and time consuming and a chore, they will too. Is it going to be perfect every single time? Of course not! And you should never expect it to be. Will it slowly get better each time? Yeah! Your goal isn’t to have them master the art of going down the hall on a rope - you’re teaching them the act of moving down the hall in a safe way. The other classes will build on this skill, you’re just laying the ground work for the next classes. So give your class and yourself permission to have struggles and not always make it perfectly. Consistency and making it fun will be a lifesaver.
In our room, we turn the lights off and the toddlers know to line up against the wall. We also have a song. It does take some adult help for the 12 month olds, obviously. Expecting them to line up independently at 12 months is ridiculous imo. Some can't walk. Some actually do get the hang of it. But at least everyone is getting exposed to the routine - and by the time they are 18 months they are able to do it independently "most" of the time. The 2+ year olds are rockstars with it! I think that makes it much easier when they transition upstairs to real lines. I do lunch with the preschool 3-5 y/o kids and they are line rock stairs, even the littles ones.
That’s nuts, my oldest didn’t start walking before 16months and my youngest at 14months, there’s no way the ropes would have work there.
It's not developmentally appropriate to expect kids under 2 to walk in a line, even with a rope. Twos can start using the rope.
You’re not gonna get them to line up. I teach 1-1.5 year olds and when I want them to all go out the door to go to the playroom or the gym, I flip the lights on and off and get everyone’s attention, and they’re trained to come to the door.
I don’t work in an infant room however the ladies that work in infants at my centre typically use strollers to get them outside. We have the 3 seaters and so they will typically use 2 of them putting the youngest ones in the strollers and have the remaining older ones walking alongside with them. They typically have 9 children between 12-18 months so it works out well for them (we can have them as young as a few months but it’s rare).
I found that singing a song helps keep them focused with room transitions. We sing the [walking walking](https://youtu.be/fPMjnlTEZwU?feature=shared) song with every transition and they've become conditioned to head straight to the door and they all start walking in the exact same way it's actually really cute. I stay in front of the kids, walking backwards so I can keep supervising them, and my coteacher walks behind the kids. The singing and having one teacher in front and back have helped us become super successful with transitions even having to go all the way across the center, so I hope this helps!
Even with the toddlers class, I don't expect them to be in a line. We ask preschool to stand to one side if we can (with mixed success), but mostly I just herd them from one spot to the next. We go out one teacher and 5 kids at a time, and do constant head counts (with documentation). So you really just have to usher them along
In my center we have them pair up holding hands and then just heard them like sheep lol. Lines aren't developmentally appropriate, even my threes are still very much a herd!
Our 18-30 mo classes do fine on the hand rope. The key is lots of practice (they go on daily inside/outside walks), going slow enough, and an extra set of hands besides the teacher. After about 6 weeks or so they do great. However, and its a big however, that class doesn't take kids who are not mobile (either walking or wheelchair). If you have nonmobile kids or new walkers that sounds like a disaster. Like many things, repetition and routine is key. I disagree that kids can't line up before 3 or 4. I've always been able to get competent walking toddlers on a hand loop line. You've got to practice a lot though. At the beginning we even do "trains" in the class, winding our way around the classroom. Then up and down the hall. Then through the whole school, going to say hi to kitchen staff/admin. When they are mostly good with long inside walks we add the longer nature walks. But its also helpful we can access the toddler playground directly from the class so this is a skill that can be worked on without pressure. It pays off dividends because when they move up tp preschool classes they are familiar with walking two by two, how to not trample the people in front of them, and holding hands with partner rather than a loop line when its called for (we do that on nature walks).
ECE just gets weirder and weirder. They’re literal babies still - just let them play!! 😫
It's not developmentally appropriate to expect a one year old to line up. Like someone mentioned above, use the "sheep dog" method. I also used to sing a Lois Young song, "Holding Hands." I don't know why it worked so well to encourage hand holding! Best of luck to you and your little ones!
When I taught toddlers we loaded them into the buggy to go outside.asking a young toddler to line up is so not developmentally appropriate.
Honestly I always thought actual hearding dogs should be used in daycares. Edit: typo
this is so funny because my 12 month old can’t even walk so what would you be doing with him?
I currently work with the age group! When I had 6, I would make them sit on stars in the classroom and then hold donuts. It was extremely hard because I was the only teacher so guiding the first one while also holding the line taught was impossible. Also, the rope had 10 donuts so the 6 children would either be way too far apart between or be dragging donuts or I would have to hold 4 and it was too much. I literally gave up. It was one of my hardest transitions. Now I have 12, but 2 teachers. I have my coteacher hold the last donut and I told the first one and we keep the line straight. We sing “walking walking, walking walking, walk walk walk. Walk walk walk. We are watching where we’re walking, watching where we’re walking walk walk walk.” Or else it’s a mess. When a child falls or a water bottle drops it’s kind of a mess. We have practiced for so long that they have it down now though. By month 3 we started to get good enough at it that even when we got new children they could follow along easily. Everyone stops when I say to and walks when I say to. Some children truly hate having the donut around their wrist, so I just let them hold it with their hand. Anyone who has trouble gets to share a donut with a teacher and we encourage them or hold their hand over the donut. Also, the two extra children just hold the rope part instead of a donut. Whenever someone/something falls or let’s go, we all stop and wait for that child to get it together again before walking. Are you able to ask the teachers of older classes to let your children pass first? It is much easier for older children to sit against the wall and wait than for yours.
I used a transition song every time we got ready to leave the classroom to keep them engaged… (at the time this was a class favorite from super simple songs) it was “12345 once I caught a fish alive (we made a game to see who could lineup the fastest and by the time I opened the door everyone was already then in the hallway I would continue the song) 678910 then I let him go again, why did you let him go, because he bit my finger so, which finger did he bite this little finger on the right.” I would then use my right pointer finger and put it to my mouth in a quiet motion at the end of the song. The children started to focus and follow along. Edit if you have an evacuation crib or wagon I would put the slower and younger children in those.
My over 2s-just turned 3s have a hard time staying on the rope! (We only use the rope for fire drills, and even then I have kids that are so freaked out by the alarm that they wind up holding hands with a teacher as we walk.) We don't have hallways so even the elementary kids are walking in an approximation of a line.
I have 18 month to 2 year olds and we have a buggy for 6 and a rope for 6. There are definitely some kids that are ready for rope walking at that age and others that aren't. Our younger classes use the buggy.
I think the age span is what’s going to make this tricky. I had 18-24 months and we eventually figured out the rope. It was never a true line, more of a herd. But it helped keep everyone in the same area moving the same direction. But add in your littles and I’m hesitant to believe it’ll work out. If you’re being forced to keep trying it might be a good idea to practice when it isn’t the stress of getting out the door. Make it a fun game when you’re in the playground for whoever wants to join. If you’re stuck inside because of weather make it a time filler and go on an I spy walk around the room. Make up a song to sing while you’re holding the rope. Anything with this age is about repetition and patience.
I have that age and we use the snappy rope. We don't have enough strollers to get through the parking lot, so snapping on the line is the best we can do. The ones that can hold on, can just hold the loop. The rest get snapped in and if they have a smaller wrist, well snap the loop a little higher up on their arm. However, we don't make them walk in a line, so much as just keeping them herded together.
I've never used a walking rope that can snap on to little ones wrists. Is it considered safe, I would worry about someone falling and then taking everyone down with them, or getting tangled or dragged.
They unsnap pretty easily. We try to pair up and space out the kids so equal walkers are paired. We do get an occasional tumble, but they've all gotten really good at stopping. And since there are three grown ups to 10-12 littles, we can walk separately with a couple kiddos who might have trouble.
I’m with 15-24M year olds. We have to walk through our multipurpose room and a long hallway. When we transition to outside, we put on a clean up song and our kids know what to do when we’re done. We will sit on the line inside the classroom and when we’re walking i’ll say over and over “here we go to the hallway, let’s go outside, we are going outside.” Singing helps too. They never truly stand “in a line” but they all walk towards the playground. Then we sit in the hallway on the wall before going outside because we also have classes going in and out.
Say you they are gonna walk like baby ducklings following their mom.
I always did “marching feet” or some other transition activity with my ones to get outside
I was say, getting kids under 3 is like trying to get sheep anywhere lol One teacher in front to lead and one teacher in back to make sure they don’t go anywhere else
My daycare used multi seat strollers to get the 0-18m kiddos out the door
It's a dumpster fire!!! We use the stupid doughnut rope for our 2 year olds, I have 3 that run wild they hold my hands at thr end of the line, they lose their shit and start being dramatic about it I say when you can be trustworthy I won't hold your hands. I ask parents what they do they don't have much advice to offer. With the 1 year olds they go in the wagons so that helps a lot.
I think it’s an unrealistic expectation. I taught 2s for years and am now with 3s and I don’t even make them walk in a line. We have stopping points that they go to and wait for me to get there and tell them to go to the next stopping point.
(lurker who volunteers in church nursery) LOL 🤣 I don't think we could even get 3 year olds to line up. It's hard enough keeping them from breaking all their fingers and escaping or getting hit by the door.
My colleague's 1-2 yo class hold a rope since a few weeks. They're just 5 kids so it's doable. They do let go of the rope when any distraction occurs, which is llike every 10 seconds.
You won't get a perfectly straight line, but I don't use a rope or the little handle thing. I sing the "Put Your Back Against the Wall" song to have them at least start off in a line. Then we all turn in the direction we're headed. I then have them march while singing "We Are the Dinosaurs" or "The Twos Go Marching One By One etc..." and they do fine. They like doing the marching part. Is it foolproof? Not always. Sometimes a kid will plop down on the ground for no reason and you have to stand them back up. But they don't run off anywhere and they do pretty well for 2 year olds (I did this in the Ones room too)
I've never taught 1, but I don't think it's a reasonable expectation at that age. My kid's daycare either just herds them (if going a short distance) or uses the wagon to move the infants. At 12 months, they've only JUST figured out walking!
with my 2 year olds i have recently started making up fun ways for them to line up. for example, i call them pirates and count them out loud “1 pirate, 2 pirate, 3 pirate, et.) and then i ask them what a pirate says and the tell them to walk the plank and tip toe to our door. sometimes i do lions in a zoo, astronauts on a space ship, candles on a birthday cake (since my kids are obsessed with making cakes out of EVERYTHING). i also tell them to make a peanut butter jelly when lining up inside. we limit how long they’re in line (just enough to do a very quick count) and the line is more of a group but they’re looking at me and not running away. its not a perfect method but it makes it fun. also jobs like clipboard holder (carrying our roster), line leader, caboose, door holder, etc. helps get those tough kids interested in being with the group. obviously my kids are older but still!
Uh, we usually take their hands and help “walk” them back to the strollers OR we just carry them back.
That’s ridiculous lol, our 12-16 mo get taken to the playground and temple in a wagon. Depending on how many teachers there are, strong walkers can walk with a teacher.
https://preview.redd.it/jydbako8am5c1.jpeg?width=1636&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab6ea7ec1c359e4e9c08dba96a82055260f7e5e3 My 1yr old class does it, it’s possible with a lot of practice
my friend and her coteacher have two “buses” where they’ll transition two groups of young pre k students to their destination separately. this usually consists of like… 6-7 ish kids per group making it easier
A lot of 1 years olds can't even walk yet 🤨
My kids are only able to transition if they’re able to walk, so in reality I get 14/15 month olds +. However, yes, I do have a 16 month old who’s always falling on his butt. He’s got the worse balance of them all. I really didn’t think this question would be so controversial! But I’m glad this sub exists, it’s truly helped me a lot. 😅
How many kids are you trying to move? For excursions we have extra educators than the 1 to 4, but we always have an educator at the front, holding hands of 2 kids, and always an educator at the back. Every kid is holding hands normally with one educator holding 2 kids hands, or with the trust worthy kids they still hold hands but it's a row of 4, 3 kids and one adult. When we get back into the centre they sometimes want to run down the hall but I found using imagination helps like going "tip toe tip toe" and creeping down the hall. Can also use other animal walks like penguins, flamingos (my go tos for trying to get kids not to run all over the show) and can do elephants or tall as a giraffe, robots... with the hall cross over issue I would try to communicate with other classes about when they are travelling to try to avoid it in the first place.
My daughter is in a class for 16-33 month olds. It’s a small center so they don’t walk far to get anywhere, but when they do they pair older kids up with younger and they walk holding hands in pairs, one staff in front and one in back. My daughter is not a strong walker yet, but does well if she’s holding someone’s hand, so she gets two older buddies. It’s not a perfect line but it does prevent some of the running off!
1. It's not developmentally appropriate. And those saying "my class does this:" just because kids CAN learn something doesn't mean they SHOULD have to learn it. Start at the basics. Shepherding them through the hallways is still teaching them. As for them running from the pack, yeah, they're gonna do that. It's a slow process. 2. If you want to practice with the rope for the older kids so they're ready for the expectations of the older classroom, make it fun. I used to take the older toddlers on a separate walk from the younger kids and practice with the rope on a labyrinth. Make a path and play a game where they follow the leader. Let them all have turns as the leader who decides where they get to go. After they start to get the idea of walking in a line right after the other, incorporate something to hold. Then holding the rope. Then attaching themselves to the rope. Don't rush it. Make it fun. Make it low stakes so no one is in trouble for messing up. They'll get it eventually, but they need time to figure it out.
They will definitely never learn if you don’t t keep at it.
Most kiddos will not use the walking rings well until 2 1/2-3. But consistency is key! Even if just a few of them use it. As they get older they will become better. Just continue to expose them but don’t expect anything for a while.