We all know the feeling of looking out over a talkative class and knowing you need them to get quiet … fast. Having a bunch of attention-getters at your disposal is the fast and fun way to get kids to go from chatty to focused. Establish the general routine—you say something, they respond—early in the year, and you can mix up the call-and-response combinations to keep it fresh all year long.
Below are 100 of our favorite attention-getters plus tips for using them. Also, be sure to fill out the form on this page to submit your email, and you’ll get a free printable list plus posters of all the attention-getters. That way you’ll have them hanging and ready to reference when the noise level goes up in your classroom.
Tips for Using Attention-Getters
- Teach attention-getters like you would any other procedure. Have students turn and talk, then have them practice responding to the attention-getter until they are able to respond immediately.
- Post your attention-getters in your classroom so students can reference them as they learn the right responses.
- Use the attention-getters that work. If students aren’t responding to “1, 2, 3 … everybody freeze” but they love “Waterfall … shhhh,” then use the one that works!
- Get creative. As you’re reading books and working through the year, challenge students to create their own attention-getters. You can use a character’s catchphrase or a fun fact they’ve learned. When students have ownership over attention-getters, they’re more likely to work consistently.
100 Attention-Getters for the Classroom
Basic Attention-Getters
Teach these at the start of the year and use them all year long.
Teacher: 1, 2, 3, eyes on me! / Students: 1, 2, eyes on you!
Teacher: Ready to listen? / Students: Ready to learn!
Teacher: Waterfall. / Students: Shhh.
Teacher: All set? (clap clap clap) / Students: You bet! (clap clap clap)
Teacher: Quiet on the set! / Students: Action!
Teacher: Surf’s up! / Students: Shhh.
Teacher: Ready to rock? / Students: Ready to roll!
Teacher: Hands on top. / Students: That means stop.
Teacher: Ready, set? / Students: You bet!
Teacher: When I say peace, you say quiet. Peace … / Students: Quiet.
Teacher: All eyes on me! / Students: I’m all ears!
Teacher: Oh me! / Students: Oh my!
Teacher: Marco! / Students: Polo!
Teacher: WWW dot … / Students: Zip it dot com!
Teacher: Eyes up … / Students: Back straight!
Teacher: L I S … / Students: T E N!
Teacher: Eyes up! / Students: Voices off!
Teacher: Flat tire … / Students: Shhh!
Teacher: 1, 2, 3 … / Students: Freeze!
Teacher: Fire … / Students: Birds! (or any school mascot with two syllables or more)
Teacher: Are you focused? / Students: Yes I am!
Teacher: What’s up? / Students: It’s all good!
Teacher: Crystal … / Students: Clear.
Teacher: Focus … / Students: Up!
Teacher: If you can hear me, put your hands on your … / Students: (put their hands where the teacher prompts)
Teacher: LOUD, LOUD, LOUD! / Students: Soft, soft, soft.
Pop Culture Attention-Getters
Teacher: Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? / Students: SpongeBob SquarePants!
Teacher: Scooby dooby doo … / Students: Where are you?
Teacher: To infinity … / Students: And beyond!
Teacher: I can make your hands clap. / Students: (clap seven times)
Teacher: Avengers … / Students: Assemble!
Teacher: Autobots … / Students: Roll out!
Teacher: May the force … / Students: Be with you!
Teacher: Heigh-ho, heigh-ho … / Students: It’s off to work we go!
Teacher: All right, stop … / Students: Collaborate and listen!
Teacher: Wingardium … / Students: Leviosa! (Harry Potter)
Teacher: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah! / Students: Zip-a-dee-ay!
Teacher: Can I get a … / Students: Whoop whoop!
Teacher: Do you want to build … / Students: A snowman!
Teacher: Hakuna … / Students: Matata!
Teacher: Shark bait … / Students: Ooh ha ha. (from Finding Nemo)
Teacher: Cowabunga … / Students: Dude!
Teacher: E.T. / Students: Phone home.
Seasonal Attention-Getters
Teacher: Leaves falling … / Students: Teacher calling.
Teacher: Hocus-pocus … / Students: Everybody focus!
Teacher: Head, shoulders, knees, and toes … / Students: Show me your scarecrow pose!
Teacher: Tootsie roll, lollipop … / Students: We’ve been talking, but we’ll stop.
Teacher: 3, 2, 1 … / Students: Mummy mode!
Teacher: It’s the harvest … / Students: We’ll try our hardest.
Teacher: Spooky scary … / Students: Skeletons.
Teacher: Silent night … / Students: We’re all calm, we’re all bright.
Teacher: Sleigh bells ring … / Students: Are you listening?
Food-Themed Attention-Getters
Teacher: Holy moly … / Students: Guacamole!
Teacher: Peanut butter and … / Students: Jelly time!
Teacher: Hot fudge … / Students: Sundae!
Teacher: Red Robin … / Students: Yummm!
Teacher: Ba-da-ba-ba-ba … / Students: I’m lovin’ it.
Teacher: Banana! / Students: Split!
Teacher: Piece of pie. / Students: Piece of cake!
Teacher: Chicken … / Students: Nuggets!
Teacher: Toe-may-toe, toe-mah-toe … / Students: Poe-tay-toe, poe-tah-toe.
Teacher: Okey dokey … / Students: Artichokey.
Nonverbal Attention-Getters
Teacher: Clap clap clap. / Students: Clap clap.
Teacher: Raises hand. / Students: Raise hand. Wait until all students have hands raised and are looking at you.
Teacher: Shows hand signal (for example, the “I love you” sign). / Students: Look at teacher and show them the hand signal or a corresponding hand signal (for example, point to teacher, “you”).
Teacher: Uses a rain stick. / Students: Wave fingers like rain.
Teacher: Plays a tune on a musical instrument like a xylophone. / Students: Are silent.
Teacher: Whistles a tune. / Students: Whistle back or are silent.
Teacher: Makes a superhero pose. / Students: Mimic the pose.
Teacher: Does a silly walk. / Students: Mimic the silly walk.
Teacher: Claps three times. / Students: Raise hands and do sign language applause.
Teacher: Rubs hands together and raises arms. / Students: Make firework hand motion.
Inspirational Attention-Getters
Teacher: What are we here for? / Students: To learn!
Teacher: Work hard! / Students: Do right!
Teacher: We are learning … / Students: All the time!
Teacher: Somewhere … / Students: Over the rainbow!
Teacher: Every choice you make counts. / Students: Make the choices you can count on!
Teacher: Good, better … / Students: Best!
Teacher: If you can’t make a mistake … / Students: You can’t make anything.
Teacher: If we don’t row … / Students: Then we don’t go.
Attention-Getters for Younger Students
Teacher: Chicka chicka … / Students: Boom boom!
Teacher: Shave and a haircut … / Students: Six bits!
Teacher: Eeny meeny … / Students: Miny moe!
Teacher: Macaroni and cheese … / Students: Everybody freeze!
Teacher: Hands on the top … / Students: Everybody stop!
Teacher: Zip it, lock it … / Students: Put it in your pocket!
Teacher: Learning party … / Students: We’re smarties!
Teacher: 1, 2, 3, where should we be? / Students: 1, 2, on the carpet with you.
Teacher: Yo-ho, yo-ho … / Students: A pirate’s life for me!
Teacher: Quick! / Students: Like a bunny!
Attention-Getters for Older Students
Teacher: Hear ye, hear ye! / Students: All hail the queen/king!
Teacher: And a hush fell across the room. / Students: Shhhh.
Teacher: Mona … / Students: Lisa!
Teacher: Who you gonna call? / Students: Ghostbusters!
Teacher: Who dat? / Students: We dat. (or a regional call and response)
Teacher: When the hand goes up … / Students: The mouth goes shut.
Teacher: “Parlez-vous français?” / Students: “Oui, oui, oui!” (or use another language)
Teacher: No bees, no honey … / Students: No work, no money.
Get Your Free Printable List and Posters
Just fill out the form on this page to get your free printable list of attention-getters to keep on hand for when you decide to switch things up. Plus you’ll get access to printable posters for all of the attention-getters on this list.
