Introduction

As educators, we know that teaching young children appropriate hallway behavior is important for maintaining a calm and focused school environment. When students walk slowly and quietly in the halls, they demonstrate respect for their peers, teachers, and themselves. This blog post will discuss an engaging no-prep activity to help PreK students understand and practice proper hallway etiquette. We will also provide discussion questions to further enhance learning and explore related social-emotional skills.

No-Prep Activity: The Hallway Train

The Hallway Train is a fun and interactive way for PreK students to learn about walking in the halls. This activity requires no preparation or materials from the educator and can be done during transitions between classrooms or other school areas.

1. Have your students line up in a single file line, with enough space between each child to avoid crowding.
2. Ask the students to pretend they are train cars connected to one another, and you are the train conductor. Explain that trains move slowly and quietly, just like they should in the halls.
3. As you lead the students through the halls, encourage them to mimic the sound of a quiet train by whispering “chugga-chugga” as they walk. Remind them to keep their bodies in line with the group, but not too close to anyone.
4. Occasionally pause the train and ask students to check if they are still in line and maintaining the appropriate distance from their peers.
5. When you reach your destination, praise the students for their excellent hallway behavior and remind them of the importance of walking slowly and quietly in the halls.

Discussion Questions

After completing the Hallway Train activity, use these discussion questions to stimulate further conversations about proper hallway etiquette and related social-emotional skills:

1. Why is it important to walk slowly and quietly in the halls?
2. How did it feel to be a part of the Hallway Train? What did you like about it?
3. What are some other situations where we need to be quiet and respectful?
4. How can we remind ourselves to walk slowly and quietly in the halls?
5. Why is it important to keep our bodies in line with the group, but not too close to anyone?

Related Skills

Teaching proper hallway etiquette to PreK students not only helps maintain a calm and focused school environment but also promotes the development of essential social-emotional skills. Some related skills include:

• Self-regulation: Learning to control one’s own behavior, emotions, and thoughts in different situations.
• Empathy: Understanding and respecting the feelings of others, especially when they are working or learning.
• Cooperation: Working together with others to achieve a common goal or complete a task.
• Respect: Showing consideration and regard for others, their feelings, and their property.

Next Steps

If you found this activity and discussion helpful for teaching hallway etiquette and social-emotional skills to your PreK students, we encourage you to explore more resources. To access free sample materials for other essential skills, please visit Everyday Speech’s Sample Materials page and sign up for a complimentary sample pack.