Keep preschoolers' attention while learning a new song. Gather the children together in one area after they have put away toys and other distractions. Turn off radios or other noise competition. Close the classroom door if necessary to eliminate distraction.
Introduce the song to the preschoolers. Sing the song slowly and clearly. Repeat the song in the way it should sound. Speak the words to help the children understand how to say them correctly.
Repeat the song whenever possible. Help children learn by repetition. Sing when picking up toys, lining up to go outdoors, before snack time and at the end of class time. Play a recorded version of the song during free play time or before class begins. Sing the song as you hand out papers and materials.
Send printed copies of the song home with the children. Have parents help their children learn the song, if desired. Encourage parents to have their child sing the new song to them in order to learn the song or the song's concept, like the ABC song or a counting song.
Read a book to the children that features the song, such as "Wheels on the Bus" or "Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed." Show preschoolers the bright pictures that are in the book to help them form a mental image of the song verses.
Make use of props to help children learn the song. Manipulate puppets as a learning tool, as children will see them as real characters. Have the puppets pretend to sing the song, and encourage the children to help them sing it. Give the children a stuffed animal to hold and pretend they are helping their animal sing. Use actions or have the children point to the alphabet or a chart with numbers or colors if the song is teaching these concepts.
Teach the rhythm of the song to the preschoolers. Use musical instruments like drums, maracas, sand blocks or tapping sticks. Repeat the rhythm several times until the children are able to make the music for the song without your help.