I found this great tool from Twinkl that I am using this year to try to manage behavior during free play time. I wanted to do something like this last year, but I just never had the time, so I knew I needed to start the year off using a tool. This is an area label that students clip their name clip onto when they enter the area and it also tells how many are allowed in each area.
First, I needed to decide a good maximum number of students permitted per area, to prevent conflict from over-crowding and lack of resources. Next, I printed the labels on cardstock and laminated them. I attached a metal ring and hung them from 3M hooks.
Students all have a colored clothespin with their name on it that they use every day. They are responsible for picking their area and counting to make sure that the number is not exceeded. This has the added advantage of name recognition, counting practice, and one to one correspondence. I noticed that my older kiddos are getting better at recognizing numerals to boot!
They need to move their clip every time they place in a new area. Another advantage? When the area isn't cleaned up, the clips are often still attached so we know who to call back for clean up!
It took a few days to get used to this system, but now it is just part of our every day routine:)
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