Children like to play games and will enjoy competing with one another to see who can be the quietest. Use a quiet way of announcing the game, such as a visual cue, that the children have been taught. Of course, you will want to reward the winner or winners of the game with a prize or with clear, positive feedback.
Recognize and reward children who are doing a good job of being quiet. This can be more effective than negative reinforcement. Praise a child who is quietly paying attention and thank him for his courtesy. Make it clear that good reports and special privileges come with being quiet when a teacher or parent is talking. When rewards for being quiet are given, draw it to the attention of the other children. Whenever possible, reward a child who needs help being quiet.
A child's ability to be quiet may depend on environmental factors that can be controlled. Is she standing or sitting? Which other children is she close to? What distractions are present? How close is she to an adult? If you understand the child's personality and group dynamics and can control the factors that influence her ability to be quiet, you will have more success. In a preschool setting, create a seating chart that will maximize quiet.
Playing music can help children rest. A study published in "Early Childhood Development and Care" indicates that children fall asleep faster with music than without it. Classical musical such as Bach, Beethoven and Debussy is recommended for nap time.
Refuse to compete with noise and avoid adding to the noise. Stop what you are doing until the children quiet down. This is especially effective if you are doing something that the children enjoy. Use whispers or hand signals to indicate that you are not going to proceed until there is quiet. Ask children to use the same visual signal to encourage their peers to be quiet so that they can proceed with the fun. Wait until every child is quiet before proceeding.
Provide children with individual learning activities that do not require talking and will hold their attention. For example, a puzzle, such as a simple jigsaw puzzle, will not only help develop a child's logical thinking and pattern recognition but will also help him stay clam during quiet time. Electronic games that aid learning can also be used.