Executive function
Toddlers observe and help a caregiver play a game of Sleeping.
Be Prepared: Arrange for another adult to sing as part of the activity. If you do not wish to lie down as part of demonstrating the game, lower and tilt your head with eyes closed to pretend you are sleeping while sitting.
[Invite 4–6 toddlers to help you play a new game.]
We are going to learn a new game today! Our game is called Sleeping. (name of helper) is going to help me show how the game works.
We pretend we are sleeping in this game. (name of helper) is going to sing while I pretend to sleep. I need to listen carefully to the words in the song that (name of helper) sings. The words in the song will tell me when to wake up!
I am going to lie down now and pretend I am sleeping.
[Close your eyes and move into a sleeping position.
After a few moments, the adult helper sings the following song to a tune of his/her choice:
Sleeping, sleeping, all the children are sleeping.
And when they woke up they were [pause] monkeys!
Wake up and enthusiastically pretend you are a monkey.]
I listened carefully to the words in the song. The words told me when to wake up. The words told me I was a pretend monkey!
I am going to play our game one more time. Please help me make sure I hear the words in the song.
Do you think the song will tell me to be a monkey again or some other animal?
[Encourage toddlers to talk about what the song may say.]
Let’s find out. I am going to pretend I am sleeping.
[Once again, close your eyes and move into a sleeping position.
After a few moments, the adult helper sings the following song to a tune of his/her choice:
Sleeping, sleeping, all the children are sleeping.
And when they woke up they were [pause] little birds!
Do not respond to the “little birds” cue. Continue to pretend to sleep.
If toddlers say “It’s time to wake up” or something similar, pretend to wake and ask what happened. Pretend to be a bird after toddlers tell you what the song said. Flap your wings and say “cheep, cheep.”
If toddlers do not say anything while you continue to sleep, the adult helper should sing the words again. Then wake up and enthusiastically pretend you are a little bird by flapping your wings and saying “cheep, cheep.”]
I forgot to listen carefully to the words. What happened when I did not pay attention to the words?
[Engage toddlers in a discussion of how you kept sleeping. Emphasize the importance of paying attention by listening.]
Listening is one of the ways we can pay attention to what is happening. Our game called Sleeping can help us listen carefully to the words of a song. What do the words in the song tell us to do? (when to wake up, what animal to be)
Executive function
Toddlers participate in a game of Sleeping.
Be Prepared: This activity is for toddlers who participated in Option 1 or are familiar with the Sleeping game. Arrange for another adult to sing as part of the activity. It is preferable, but not essential, for toddlers to lie on the floor when pretending to sleep. If you do not wish to lie down as part of demonstrating the game, lower and tilt your head with eyes closed to pretend you are sleeping while sitting.
Invite 4–6 toddlers to play the game of Sleeping. Invite toddlers to help you describe how the game works. Repeat and expand on their descriptions. Emphasize the following key parts of the game:
Offer a brief demonstration, with the other adult singing the following words to a tune of his/her choice:
Sleeping, sleeping, all the children are sleeping.
And when they woke up they were [pause] little pigs.
Pretend to wake up at the appropriate time and make the “oink, oink” sounds of a little pig. Invite toddlers to join you in pretending to make little pig sounds.
Ask toddlers how you knew (1) when to wake up, and (2) what animal to be. Again, emphasize the importance of paying attention by listening to the words of the song.
Invite toddlers to play the game. Select a familiar animal that is of interest to participants in the gathering. Offer verbal guidance as appropriate.
Offer another round of the game if toddlers’ interest and time permit. Select a different familiar animal. You may wish to select an animal that involves both physical movement and sounds, such as a frog that jumps and says “ribbit, ribbit.”
Conclude the session by asking toddlers why listening carefully is an important part of the game.
This activity is one of several self-regulation games offered in the ELM Curriculum for older toddlers (24–36 months). Others include the games of Freeze (Block 9) and Orange Circle (Block 19). The games promote executive function skills, including paying attention and flexibly shifting focus. More advanced versions of the games are offered in the ELM Curriculum’s activities for children 3–5 years of age.
Watch for toddlers’ attention to the words of the song. Toddlers hear and sing songs frequently in highquality early childhood settings, but for many toddlers it may be a new experience to notice specific words that are sung. Are toddlers pretending to wake up in response to a key word or by noticing what their peers are doing? The suggested pause in the song’s words is intended to build anticipation about the animal and to give a signal that an animal’s name is about to be announced. Avoid telling toddlers when to pretend to wake or what animal to be; it is best if this information comes from the words of the song.
Although the game calls for toddlers to “wake up” at about the same time, there is no expectation that toddlers will pretend to be the animal in the same way. Enthusiastically accept different ways of pretending to be the animal named in the song.
Extra support
Enrichment
Materials Needed: none
Invite several toddlers who are experienced in playing the Sleeping game to take turns being the person who sings the song. Help the leader select animals that other toddlers will know. Enjoy being a participant in the game.
Materials Needed: none
Preschool-age and older children will enjoy leading other children in the Sleeping game. Talk quietly with the game leader(s) about what animal to include. The game has limited appeal if children are not familiar with the animal. Infants and younger toddlers (12–24 months) will enjoy watching the game.
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