Songs for Transition Times

This is a collection of songs and rhymes that you can use at the end of mat time to send children off to wash their hands for meal times.  It is good to widen the repertoire, and I am trying to extend my own repertoire so that I don't rely on the same song or method all the time.

If you are looking for songs for mat time, you can find action songs for young children in the link for action songs suitable for mat time;
There is a range of counting songs here;
You can find Te reo Maori waiata in this link.
And you can find a collection of mat time games here.


Williby Wallaby 
This is a rhyming song, that is a fun introduction to rhyming words.

Williby Wallaby Woo
An elephant sat on you
Williby Wallaby We
An elephant sat on me

Williby Wallaby Wacob
An elephant sat on Jacob
Williby Wallaby Wim
An elephant sat on Kim

(substitute a W for the first letter of the child's name)
When the child's name is called, they stand up and go and wash their hands.


Peanut Butter, Marmalade and Jam

Peanut butter, marmalade and jam
(Child's name) and (child's name) go and wash your hands.

I also do an alternative version...
Peanut butter, marmalade and jam
(Child's name) choose a friend and go and wash your hands.


Cars and Motorbikes

Cars and motorbikes, trucks and vans
(Child's name) and (child's name) go and wash your hands.


Rub and Scrub  (Tune: The farmer in the dell)

(Child's name) wash your hands, (Child 2's name) wash your hands
Rub and scrub, rub and scrub,
Wash both of your hands.


If Your Name Is... (Tune: If You're Happy and you know it)

If your name is ......., go wash your hands
If your name is .......... go wash your hands
If your name is .......... and your name is ................
If your name is ............ go wash your hands.

Other alternatives to the same tune....

If your name starts with A go wash your hands
If your name starts with A go wash your hands
If your name starts with A then go and wash your hands
If your name starts with A go wash your hands

You could change each line to a different letter of the alphabet, but it would be rather quick and you could end up sending lots of children all at once to the bathroom.  By repeating the same line, you are giving the slower children a chance to get up and go before going on to the next letter/colour.

If you're wearing blue, go wash your hands
If your're wearing blue, go wash your hands
If you're wearing blue, then go and wash your hands
If you're wearing blue go wash your hands.


Jack In The Box
All children to crouch down on floor...

Jack in the box, jack in the box
Quiet and still
Who will come out to wash their hands
......... will!

You could go round and touch children lightly on their backs as you say their name


This Is The Way We Wash Our Hands (Tune: Here we go round the mulberry bush)

You could do this song by starting off dancing around in a circle.

........ go and wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands
......... go and wash your hands, and make them clean and dry.

........ go and wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands
......... go and wash your hands, and make them clean and dry.

Call a different child's name for each line.

Other ways to send children off to wash their hands...

Little Seeds
Children crouch down like little seeds.  Come around and pretend to water each child, saying "Grow, grow, grow, go and wash your hands".

Hatching Eggs
This is great if children are interested in dinosaurs, birds, dragons, reptiles... anything that hatches out of an egg.  Children crouch down pretending they are inside an egg.  Go around to each child, gently tapping them on their back and saying "Crack, crack, come out of your shell and go wash your hands".

Sleeping Princesses/Princes (or giants, dragons, taniwhas, lions, tigers, or any animal they choose)
Cast a magic spell and put all the children to sleep.  Come around and gently wake each child up with your wand, sending them to go wash their hands as they wake up.


Te Reo Maori
To say "Go wash your hands" in Te reo Maori is: "Haere ki te horoi o ringaringa"