Catch a Bubble

• Tell the children that whenever they hear you say, "Catch a bubble!" they need to stop whatever they're doing and catch an imaginary bubble in their mouths. Make sure they understand that if they talk, the bubble in their mouths will pop and they'll lose the game. Do a couple of practice drills. Tell the kids to get as noisy as they can, then yell, "Catch a bubble!" Watch them quiet down and puff out their cheeks with that big "bubble." It won't take long for them to automatically quiet down when they hear the trigger phrase, and then you've successfully regained their attention.
  
  

Race to the Rug!

• Pick a song for your class that will serve as their "Race to the Rug!" tune. Explain to the children that whenever they hear the song, they need to run to the rug as fast as they can, sit down and fold their arms. You can add penalties, such as the last two kids to reach the rug each have to put away five toys. Let the kids practice the game a few times. You'll need a CD player that is loud enough for the whole class to hear. Once the kids are trained, you can use the "Race to the Rug!" song anytime the kids start getting too noisy or rowdy.
  
  

Frozen Popsicles

• Teach your kids that whenever they hear you say “frozen popsicles,” they need to stop talking, stand up straight and put their hands to their sides so they look like frozen popsicles. When your classroom starts getting too noisy, say loudly, "Mm ... I sure am hungry. I want some frozen popsicles!" The children should stop whatever they're doing and stand still. When everybody is "frozen," use a stopwatch or timer to see how long they can stay in that position. The class should try to beat their best time.
  
  

Tips

• Teach your children "quiet down" games early on -- at the start of the school year, if you're a teacher, or when you're first getting to know your class in a daycare, preschool or Sunday school setting. Don't wait until your kids are out of control to teach these games. Downplay the fact that these games are really tricks to get the children to be quiet. If you tell them, "We're going to play this game because you guys are too noisy," it signals to the kids they have the upper hand.