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Ideas for Pre-K & Preschool Teachers

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Ideas for Lining Up Your Class

By Karen Cox | Affiliate Disclosure | Filed Under: Teaching Tips

Here are some ideas and printable cards for transitioning your class to line up.

Lining Up Your Class

I typically line kids up by calling girls first then boys, or vice versa, just to avoid a stampede. A few times, I’ve had a volunteer parent or newbie substitute … or one time a middle school teacher… call my class to “line up!” All I could do at that point was get out of the way. Not that I’m making fun, but when it happens, that’s my entertainment for the day. So, for all of you teachers out there who just found out you will be teaching Pre-K for the first time this coming year… HINT: never call “line up!” to a group of preschoolers. Unless you like watching train wrecks and wrestling matches.

For some reason, my group last year had issues with lining up. I’d call the girls and then some would hang back and fight over who is the last person in line. Or sometimes everyone just wants to stand behind the cute girl rocking the Georgia Bulldogs tutu skirt and pink cowgirl boots. I know many of you have a caboose and that’s one solution, but I don’t do a lot of different jobs because no one ever remembers who’s job is what. So, I had to get creative.

I decided to come up with a list of different ways to line up. We lined up by eye color, hair color, the vowels in their names, type of shoes or clothes they were wearing, and others. I would surprise them with the way we were lining up, so they would focus on that rather than where they stand in line.

Here is a set of printable cards that have a variety of ways to line up. There are 30 different cards. Print these, cut apart, and keep in a container by your classroom door. When you line up, just randomly draw one.

Download: Line Up Cards

Note: This little basket pictured is the perfect size for these cards. It came from Hobby Lobby for $1.50 when baskets were half price.

Depending on your student population, you may need to toss a card or two, but there will still be plenty to use. If your prekinders wear uniforms, you won’t need the clothing one. If any card is a cause of jealousy for kids in your group, toss it (the family vehicle card might be a problem for some groups of kids, but not for others).

Find lots more teaching tips here!

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46 Comments Tagged With: Classroom Management Printables

About Karen Cox

Karen is the founder of PreKinders.com. She also works as a full-time Pre-K teacher in Georgia. Read more...

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kathi says

    July 9, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Love, love, love this!!! Thank you bunches!!!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:06 pm

      Thanks, Kathi, glad you like them. πŸ™‚

      Reply
  2. Trisha Cooper says

    July 9, 2013 at 3:24 pm

    Thank you! I love this…it makes it a game:) I have used crayons or printed out crayons and have them line up by color, but I like all the different ideas neatly on cards. I will definitely use these. I too don’t like a bunch of different jobs. (line leader, caboose, etc.) Not only do they forget, but sometimes the children get upset if they don’t get the “cool” jobs. I just stick with a class helper or two (depending on the year) and keep it simple and positive.

    Reply
    • Jan Windham says

      July 11, 2013 at 2:30 pm

      I’m definitely going to try to keep it simple & positive this next year. Last year, before long some were hanging way back in line, determined to be the caboose! No more cabooses!!!

      Reply
      • Karen Cox says

        July 14, 2013 at 5:09 pm

        I had the same problem last year, when lining up the same old usual way. Changing it up seemed to get their focus away from trying to be the caboose, or beside a particular friend.

        Reply
        • Basie says

          July 17, 2014 at 10:41 am

          Great Site so well organized! I also appreciate how you are sharing without a charge.
          Is there a way to email these cards to the secreatary at school so I can print them on cardstock . my school

          Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:07 pm

      Neat idea with the crayon colors. Thanks for sharing Trisha!

      Reply
  3. Joan Howell says

    July 9, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    I use similar ways to line up my kinders, just by pulling ideas off the top of my head. Love having them on cards to randomly select. Can even let my leader pull the card.

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks Joan!

      Reply
  4. Diane Massey says

    July 9, 2013 at 3:47 pm

    Thank you for all your wonderful ideas that you share with us!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:10 pm

      Thanks Diane!

      Reply
  5. Jen says

    July 9, 2013 at 4:05 pm

    FANTASTIC!!!!! My kids have such a hard time lining up and I usually try to mix it up but fall on the same old thing. I’m going to stick these by my rug! πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:11 pm

      Thanks, Jen. I hope these work well for your class!

      Reply
  6. Deb says

    July 9, 2013 at 4:42 pm

    Thanks a bunch! I do several of these, but it would be nice to have ideas in a cute little basket by the door…for on the days my brain has turned to “mush”. πŸ™‚

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:12 pm

      Thanks, Deb! I understand those days!

      Reply
  7. Heidi Butkus says

    July 9, 2013 at 9:25 pm

    Another great idea! I think I would put them on a chicken ring and hang them next to the door, perhaps!
    πŸ™‚
    Heidi Butkus

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:13 pm

      Thanks, Heidi! I like the chicken ring idea, too!

      Reply
  8. Katie says

    July 9, 2013 at 10:58 pm

    This is an amazing resource! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  9. Pamela Mullen says

    July 9, 2013 at 11:28 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing these great cards. You are so awesome!!

    Reply
  10. Naima says

    July 9, 2013 at 11:30 pm

    It s a such a good idea like always. Thank you so much

    Reply
  11. Shinta Dewi Wijiarti says

    July 10, 2013 at 2:21 am

    Wow! finally…there’s solition!…thanks Karen πŸ˜€
    I wonder if you have any solution for class display and for students obey ground rules..
    Glad if you can help πŸ˜€
    Thank you so much for your information…

    Reply
  12. Lynda Hofman says

    July 10, 2013 at 10:57 am

    I love new ideas! It will be fun to try your awesome idea! Thanks

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 10, 2013 at 11:02 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  13. Tina says

    July 10, 2013 at 12:27 pm

    Thank you for the lineup cards I can download. As a preschool teacher for the past 17 years, I have used this method for lining up and it really gets the children listening and thinking. I have a helper chart that I change weekly. I have kept it simple: Line Leader, Snack Helper, and Weather Boy/Girl. I think I will try allowing my line leader to draw the card. Thanks again!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:14 pm

      Thanks Tina!

      Reply
  14. Ginny says

    July 10, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    Thanks, when I can’t think of a fun line up I can grab these!

    Reply
  15. Ginny says

    July 10, 2013 at 6:24 pm

    Another idea is to use shape cards, color cards, numbers etc. whatever skills we want to reinforce!!

    Reply
  16. CJ Lee says

    July 11, 2013 at 2:15 am

    Your stampeding wrestlers description made me smile — I teach music, and I have to say that this happens not only in K, but all the way to Grade 7. So, all of my children know that to line up, they have to wait for the word “IF….. you …” and then I state topics much like you have listed on your cards.
    For the older ones, I also use places they were born / places in the world they traveled during holiday / total number of letters in all names – first, middle and last / languages spoken at home / how long they have been at my school / how many schools they have attended / etc. {My school is 85% ESL, and very international in flavour!}
    And finally, I sometimes sing the Mission Impossible theme if dismissing by lines – and whoever I point at on the last note gets to walk like a secret agent to the door – if they talk / run / etc, they have to come back as they have ‘self-destructed’…
    Thanks for sharing your cards – they’re great πŸ™‚
    CJ

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:15 pm

      Sounds like fun, CJ! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  17. shirley says

    July 11, 2013 at 10:51 pm

    Great idea, I love it! Thank you so much.

    Reply
  18. Tammi says

    July 12, 2013 at 1:09 pm

    THIS IS SO HELPFUL…. I’M MAKING 23 COPIES FOR MY TEACHERS RIGHT NOW!!

    THANK YOU!

    Reply
  19. Linda says

    July 13, 2013 at 11:57 am

    Thanks for providing additional ideas for lining up. I use letters and numbers . I have children pick a letter or number upon arrival . I pick one before lining up. If I have number three, the leader is four and so on. Linda

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      July 14, 2013 at 5:16 pm

      Sounds like an interesting solution, Linda! Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
  20. Sheri says

    July 18, 2013 at 7:15 am

    These cards are great. Last year my class had line up problems so I, too, got creative. I had them line up if their name started or ended with a particular letter, or had a certain letter or letter sound in their name, by color of shirt, eye color, you name it. It’s a great way to get them to attend as well as reinforce things like letter recognition, etc.

    Reply
  21. Adela says

    July 23, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    Awesome! I will be teaching pre k and I didn’t even think about this! So thanks so much I just love your sight!!!

    Reply
  22. Erin says

    August 19, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    These are really cute! I’ll certainly use them with my new primary class this year! Thank you for sharing.

    ~Erin

    Reply
  23. Annette says

    October 17, 2013 at 2:22 pm

    I can’t remember who is first, so I use the child responsible for snacks that day to be the leader.

    Reply
  24. Miss Pippi says

    May 11, 2014 at 10:53 pm

    Thank you! These are fantastic!

    Reply
  25. Anna says

    May 26, 2014 at 9:06 am

    These are perfect! I don’t know how I missed this post in the past, but I love it! πŸ™‚ They will be great for Kindergarten too. Thanks for sharing.

    Gluesticks ‘N Giggles

    Reply
  26. Laura Westmoreland says

    June 26, 2014 at 1:34 am

    I never had to much of an issue with lining up, my daily helpers were at the front of the line ad then the caboose. Then I had my last group, I tried it all until finally it was assigned spots boy girl. This would have been a sanity saver. I will be using it this next school year…I have 11 boys and 3 girls. Thank you for saving my sanity before the year begins…eleven prek boys!

    Reply
    • Karen Cox says

      June 27, 2014 at 1:41 am

      You’re welcome, Laura! I understand, I’ve had classes very similar to that before. You’ll make it. πŸ™‚ Hope you have a great year.

      Reply
  27. LDaniels says

    August 18, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    Love these ! Especially the ones that relate to clothing as we do a clothing unit and these will be another way to reinforce what we learn. Thank you for being so generous with your ideas!

    Reply
  28. tonysam says

    January 27, 2016 at 10:19 am

    Be really careful about singling kids out because of sex, especially if you are in a public school. There should not be separate lines as in a boys’ line and a girls’ line as there was 50 or so years ago, before the passage of Title IX. Until I moved back to southern Oregon about six years ago, I NEVER saw kids separated that way in other states. I have seen it here with some public elementary schools here, and it is probably illegal. Besides, kids are one class. The opposite sex should never be seen as “the other.”

    Reply
    • Gchild says

      August 8, 2016 at 11:35 pm

      I have a problem with assigning by hair color or any physical characteristic that could inadvertently make the kids feel isolated or separated. The only red/ brown/ black hair in a see of blond. Many preschoolers don’t perceive those differences yet and it could raise a lot of questions/confusion.

      Reply
  29. Ghada says

    May 31, 2019 at 4:14 am

    This is an amazing game,children like it .Thank you for your great ideas Karen.

    Reply
  30. Veronica O'Meally says

    May 23, 2020 at 12:21 am

    This is amazing!

    Reply

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Glad you're here! You'll find hands-on learning activities, themes, and printables for Pre-K, Preschool, and Kindergarten kids. I'm Karen Cox, a Pre-K teacher in Georgia. I have taught 4-5 year olds for 20+ years! Read More…

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