Sing a hello song to help students learn each others' names. For instance, sing the following lyrics to the tune "Skip to my Lou": Hello _(name)__, how are you? Hello __(name)__, how are you? hello __(name)__, how are you? How are you today?" Allow each child to state his name and have everyone sing the hello song to him to make him feel welcome.
Demonstrate an activity before asking your students to get involved. Sometimes reluctance to participate is due to not understanding how to do something or what the teacher expects.
Use humor. If you use jokes, assume a silly voice or just keep things lighthearted in general, your preschool students will feel less anxious and more willing to participate.
Talk to any exceptionally reluctant children one-on-one. There may be a reason why a child isn't getting involved in activities. She might not feel well, or she may have a problem that she needs to discuss.
Use activities that are developmentally appropriate. If an activity is too baby-like, the kids will be bored. If the activity is too complicated, they are likely to become frustrated. Choosing activities that are interesting, fun and appropriately challenging will make getting your students involved much easier.
Implement small groups during some activities. Some preschool students may feel more inclined to get involved if they are working with a small group of their peers.