The Noise Can Get So Loud...

[SunflowerMama]

Sometimes during the day the kids are just so loud I just can't think. I feel like I'm saying "inside voices" all day long. It's not always yelling or crying but when they all start talking at the same time they just get louder and louder. And then when I think they couldn't be at their loudest someone starts drumming on something and it's seriously overwhelming .

I love that they are having a good time and have a lot to tell me but how do you keep the noise down? I'm going crazy here .

[Lilbutterflie]

Dealing with the noise level is part of the business, but when I feel as if I just can't take it anymore, we play the "Quiet Game". I use this a lot during lunch. You just explain "Let's see who can be quiet the longest!! Ready, set, go!" and then hold your finger over your mouth and say "Shhhh". They actually love to see if they can win. And it's funny to see those who are already out try to sabatage the others! Sometimes it only lasts a minute or two, but it's nice just to hear a minute or two of silence!!

[MyAngels]

Dealing with the noise level is part of the business, but when I feel as if I just can't take it anymore, we play the "Quiet Game". I use this a lot during lunch. You just explain "Let's see who can be quiet the longest!! Ready, set, go!" and then hold your finger over your mouth and say "Shhhh". They actually love to see if they can win. And it's funny to see those who are already out try to sabatage the others! Sometimes it only lasts a minute or two, but it's nice just to hear a minute or two of silence!!

We play the "whisper" game, to see who can whisper the longest. Sometimes getting them involved in something can help - building the biggest lego house, coloring, playdoh, etc.

[Crystal]

When it gets out of control I simply state that we are going to participate in quiet table activities. They can read, draw, play with manipulatives - like legos, playdough, etc. Then they all find something quiet to do. Of course, this won't work with all groups of children, but works very well with my group.

[missnikki]

I tried reverse psychology on my school agers once, it was hilarious. I flicked the lights on and off and once I had their attention, I acted like the 'conductor' and with a pencil in each hand, I had them doing a silly sound symphony- one side of the room against the other. Up meant loud, down meant soft, and horizontal meant stop. I wiggled the pencils, did start/stop/start, all kinds of things. I kept it up for about 5 minutes. They loved it at first. THEN as it dragged on, they got bored with it and started rolling their eyes. Next thing you know, I put the pencils down and said 'give yourselves a hand!!!" and I think maybe 1 or 2 kids said 'yay." The rest were done.
Guess who's room was quiet for the REST OF THE DAY?
**Disclaimer** Do not try this without taking an Advil or 2 first