Call the child's name and draw attention to something you are currently working on. For example, if you are discussing words that begin with different letters, call the child's name and ask: "Can you think of something that begins with the letter "M?" Redirecting the child may help her regain her composure and focus her energy in a positive way.
Implement a cue system to call children's attention on you. For example, clap out a pattern or state a simple rhyme that children have to repeat back to you. Upon hearing this cue system, you can regain children's attention. If one child is acting out, this method avoids singling the child out, yet calls her attention to you.
Talk to the child privately. Remove the child from the group and discuss the inappropriate behavior. To avoid disturbing the group, you can have an assistant talk to the child instead.
Implement a warning system. Offer a warning when you notice a child behaving in a wild, or inappropriate manner. If the child does not improve his behavior by the third warning, have him sit in a timeout for an allotted period of time and discuss the reason for the timeout.
Remove a child from the group immediately if her behavior is violent or affecting others in a negative way. Discuss the behavior problem with the child, the parents and any other appropriate officials.