Classroom Management - Teaching Bathroom Routines That Kids Will Want To Follow

[@FayziyevFirdavs]

Thumbs up! I like your innovative approach to educating schoolchildren about bathroom routines as it helps them develop habits and behaviours that is appropriate for bathroom culture. My huge thumbs up to you. You rock! You are an incredible and devoted teacher. I appreciate it.

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Thanks for the amazing comment. I’m glad you found it interesting.

[@cpalmeter]

My first year in first grade. I LOVE this idea!! I started the year off with a "bathroom buddy". My theme is Costa Rican jungle (we do a world's fair each year). I hung a light wooden decorative swing from hobby lobby on my wall, wrapped it with lighted fake ivy. There he sits right next to the bathroom! It is super convenient and working out GREAT so far. THHANK YOU!!!

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Oh my gosh. That sounds adorable. What a great way to incorporate bathroom buddy into your classroom. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I’m sure it just sparked a million ideas for other teachers.

[@amandamuzyka3704]

I've been teaching for 25 years and I still love hearing other ideas! I currently use 2 hand sanitizers (one for boys and one for girls) to indicate who is in the bathroom. It's a great visual cue for me and I can make sure they "pump in" before rejoining us. I LOVE the bear, though. I also love the idea of 2 songs for a group bathroom break. Keep the ideas coming!

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Thanks for sharing. We get our best ideas from our teacher friends. We can learn so much from each other. Thanks again. 🙂

[@melaniejones7128]

Thanks so much for your videos. I've been going through your list and watching them to help me learn how to teach the "new" kindergarten. I've been a teacher since 93 and have split my time between kinder and PK. It's been 10 years since I've taught kinder and so much has changed. I attended some workshops with our district over the summer, but have so much to learn and am doing so as I go. Your videos are helping me find success this year. I haven't found anyone else creating such explicit instructions as you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

I taught kindergarten back in 94 and teachings kindergarten now is totally different. I’m so glad you are getting ideas and help from these videos. I try to make videos like I was helping a teacher friend across the hall. Very step by step. Of course teachers will shape an idea into something that fits them and their class but hopefully this gives them a big head start. If you have any questions let me know.

[@chiribitica]

thankssss!!!! a great idea!!!! a fantastic idea,,, una idea maravillosa!!!!! muchas gracias por aparecer en mi feed de youtube! thanks

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

lol!! I’m glad it was helpful. 😀

[@madelinesanders1975]

Love your videos! When you play your music for kids to use the bathroom, do they all go at once and just line up outside the bathroom.? All I can envision is mass chaos, even if I model the procedure. Thanks for all your amazing material!

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Our bathrooms had several stalls so the kids could get in and out pretty fast. And after the novelty of using the restroom wore off some would skip the restroom and just get a drink of water and come back to the carpet to start writing time. Sometimes the boys would get rowdy. In that case I would ask a male teacher (usually admin) to go in the next few times to help with expectations. Then I would say “I know you all can behave in the restroom.” Mr principal said he could help out anytime you forget how to use your best restroom behavior.” That usually helped a ton. One year though nothing worked. And I did send selected groups in at a time. They did get better after a while because they complained that they had to wait. I just let them know that we tried it the easy way first but that didn’t work and now we had to do it the longer more boring way. Then in a few weeks I would say “You are all a few weeks older and I’m pretty sure you are able to try restroom procedures again. If it doesn’t work out, it’s fine we can go back to the long boring way. The good news is you get to decide and I will know what you have decided by your actions. Hope that little narrative helps.

[@DawnGinese-TheSingingNurse]

I love this idea! You are too funny, and double funny at 1.5 speed (I use it to catch up on vids I’ve missed lol) At first I though, oh no, they are not going to take that cute “clean” adorable stuffy to the bathroom (multiple time ) but no, you were very practical and “clean” about your routine. lol 🤣 Living up to your mantra, “makin the basics fun” 🎵💜 Dawn

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Yes. Hopefully if the kids use you hand washing tips and song the stuffy will remain one of the cleanest tools in the classroom. 🙂. PS your songs and hand washing lesson is perfect for teachers keep bathroom procedures simple and fun. 💕

[@DawnGinese-TheSingingNurse]

😍😁🤓👏🎵💜👍

[@lynncrombie6826]

I thought the same thing! 🤣So glad the buddy stays in the class! 😂

[@alannaconyers9557]

My bathroom is in the classroom. What are some strategies. Also do they ask to go to the bathroom or they just grab the buddy without interrupting. How do you prevent everyone going at once

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

At first it is an issue with everyone wanting to try out this system. So just plan on it. Then it’s going to become no big deal. And no, they don’t ask. Remember, there are sometimes that they aren’t aloud to use the restroom unless it is an emergency. Those times are always after a time when they are asked and reminded to use the restroom. I had a kinder classroom that had a restroom. I loved it. I would still use bathroom buddy.

[@Ed-adminSoftware]

Thank you!

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

You’re welcome.

[@alannaconyers9557]

Also what happens if kids are playing in the bathroom. What is the consequence

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Consequences start with practicing the procedure again. Then if that doesn’t work then modified bathroom privileges for the one’s having issues. Sometimes it’s a time restriction unless asked for more time. Or scheduled bathroom times. I would definitely be in contact with parents/guardians if it gets this far. I’m betting there are other issues if they can’t manage using the restroom in a respectful way.

[@mohamedattia3376]

great work

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Thanks.

[@myrnaortiz7752]

FANTASTIC!👌

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Yahooooo. I’m glad you found it useful.

[@classicstory8438]

I love your content!!😄❤️💕

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Thanks 😊. I appreciate your comment. 💕

[@lynnsmi5226]

What is your website?

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

It’s MakingTheBasicsFun.com. 👍

[@melaniejones7128]

Love your idea of using a stuffed animal, as it's easy to find and I can quickly look to see which child is out or who forgot to return the pass. I currently use a boy and girl bathroom pass, but they are large laminated circles and we're constantly wasting time looking for them. I'm about to head to my basement and retrieve 2 stuffed animals. Thanks for the tip. We now have to keep our classroom doors locked at all times for security reasons (a proactive measure to keep kids safe). I am the only one allowed to open the door when someone knocks. This has created a challenge, but it's not impossible. I'd still rather take a few seconds to open the door, than to waste time taking the class as a group, so I'm continuing to make it work.

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Wow. My teacher heart is aching for you. The extra of keeping doors locked and closed is huge. Big hugs. I know you’ll love this method of controlling who’s out to use the restroom. Like I said in the video the first day everyone is going to want to try it out. So that’s going to be a big extra for you with opening the door. It is something they need to do. It’s part of what makes kindergarten fun. They want to do and try everything. 💕

[@lifeofzoeyyc6223]

I love the bathroom party strategy but I don't think I can use it because my students constantly have to go to the bathroom and 99% of the time they don't even have to use it they just want to get out of class to get some air so if we had bathroom buddy he would be moving from one desk to another all the time and even if I tell the kids no we aren't going to the bathroom right now which I barely do because when I was in school I had to deal with that and it sucks but if I am in the middle of something and everyone is asking to go to the bathroom but doesn't actually have to use it then I'd say no going to the bathroom right now if I did say that I'd see a ton of kids getting up out of their desk and trying to sneak bathroom buddy onto their chair and then go to the bathroom without me noticing and also it's actually a big distraction cuz everyone is going to want to use bathroom buddy and even if they don't have to go to the bathroom they're going to want to touch back everybody we're going to want to play with him and so they're just going to put their hand up and say they have to go to the bathroom when they don't

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Sounds like finding a way to do whole group restroom breaks will be best for your situation.

[@RachelSDay1982]

You didn't have to go to the restroom with your Kindergartners? You could stay in the classroom and get some of your work done while they all were in the restrooms (boys and girls)???

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

The restroom was across the hall. I could stay in the door way of my classroom and monitor the restroom too. By your comment the restroom is far away from your classroom. Bathroom Buddy is a good option for you.

[@JeJeSamuel-tl2vo]

usmg practical exemples individualily

[@TeachersMakingTheBasicsFun]

Yes.