Circle Time - Basics

Circle time has been one of my MOST favourite parts of the day. This is when you get to connect personally with each child and share many stories, songs and experiences together. Here are important parts about circle time:

1. BUM minutes. This is a term I learned during my degree to describe the number of minutes a child is developmentally ready to stay seated and pay attention. For example, for a child who is 4 years old can developmentally sit for only four minutes in total. "OH MY!" is absolutely right. Look at what we expect from our children even though they are not developmentally ready. However, bum minutes can be increased through practice and teaching.


2. Because of bum minutes, you need to keep in mind to keep your "lesson" short and to the point. Use songs and finger plays to begin your circle. You can visit my posts about songs and finger plays for transitions here. Here are some more. 


Song - Make A Circle (Tune: Where is Thumbkin)


Make a circle, make a circle
Big and round, big and round
Everybody hold hands,
Everybody hold hands.
And sit right down.
Sit right down.


Song - It's Time for Circle Time (Tune: Farmer in the Dell)


It's time for circle time,
It's time for circle time.
Everybody hold hands,
It's time for circle time.


3. Your circle time needs to begin with something that keeps the children's attention going for the next little while. I always start with a song that is personal to every child and the best of songs to accomplish this task are the ones where you sing the child's name. Here is a song that is personal and another that does not use children's names (there will be many days you may not have enough time to sing a long song!)


Good Morning/Afternoon Welcome Song
Good morning, good morning,
Good morning to you.
Good morning, good morning,
And how do you do.
Your faces like sunshine,
You bring us good cheer.
So happy to see you,
So glad that you're here!


Good Morning/Afternoon Train Welcome Song


*This song I always did with a train whistle that I have or a hand puppet of a train conductor. Props work excellent with young children. Sing in the tune of "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain". The 'Choo Choo' part is when everyone pretends to pull the string of the engine's horn*

The good morning train is coming, how are you? Choo Choo!
The good morning train is coming, how are you? Choo Choo!
The good morning train is coming, the good morning train is coming, 
The good morning train is coming, how are you? Choo Choo!
And we say hello to Page, how are you? Choo Choo!
And we say hello to Nothy, how are you? Choo Choo!
And we say hello to Bobby, and we say hello to Gary
And we say hello to Shelly, how are you? Choo Choo!


*Carry on with different names. If everyone's name is done and you still have the tune left to finish, you can always sing "...say hello to everyone"*


4. Begin with songs that allow the children to have fun and get their bodies moving to release their sillies! "Old MacDonald", "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Johnny Hammers".


5. Read a fun story. Flap-books are great. Use different storytelling strategies. Puppets, clothesline, magnetic boards, felt boards, large books, books with props, or tell a story without the use of any book!


6. End circle with a few more songs. Or share stories/show and tell with each other. Finish the circle with a goodbye song.


Song - Goodbye Friends


Goodbye friends, Goodbye friends
Goodbye friends, we'll see you all next time.

Sounds of Language - Onomatopoeia

Onomatopoeia occurs when a word imitates or sounds like the thing it names. For example when rain splashes or water drips. These can be found in songs, poems, stories, and everyday speech. Here are some examples found from the book 'Creating Readers' by Pam Schiller.

Song - Six White Ducks

Six white ducks that I once knew,

Fat ducks, skinny ducks, they were too.

But the one little duck with the feather on his back,

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Down to the river they would go,

Wibblw-wobble, wibble-wobble all in a row.

But the one little duck with the feather on his back,

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

Quack, quack, quack!

He ruled all the others with a quack, quack, quack!

Song - Old MacDonald Had a Farm

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O.

And on his farm he has a cow. E-I-E-I-O.

With a moo, moo here

And a moo, moo there.

Here moo, there moo,

Everywhere a moo, moo.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Additional verses:

Pig - oink, oink

Cat - meow, meow

Dog - bow-wow

Horse - neigh, neigh

Duck - quack, quack

Sheep - baa, baa

Poem - The Rain

Splish, splash

Splish, splash

Drip, drop

Drip, drop

Will the rain ever stop?

Poem - The Wind

Swoosh, swirl, swoosh, swirl

Watch the leaves tumble and twirl.

Poem - A Thunderstorm

Boom, bang, boom, bang

Rumpety, lumpety, bumpl

Zoom, zam, zoom, zam

Clippity, clappity, clumpl

Rustles and bustles

And swishes and zings!

What wonderful sounds

A thunderstorm brings!

Stories

Barnyard Banter - by Denise Fleming

Bertie and the Bear - by Pamela Allen

Listen to the Rain - by Bill Martin, Jr.

One Duck Stuck - by Phyllis Root

Ordinary Albert - by Pamela Allen

The Snowy Day - by Ezra Jack Keats

Where the Wild Things Are - by Maurice Sendak

Transitions: Finger Plays/Action Rhymes

It is important that children focus their attention and settle down before they are expected to listen. Songs, finger plays and action rhymes just do the right job! Here are a few of them to help you with your students' transitions.


Song - This is the Way (Tune: Mulberry Bush)


This is the way we get ready to listen,
Ready to listen, ready to listen.
This is the way we get ready to listen,
To listen to our story.


Song - Come and Listen (Tune: Are You Sleeping)


Come and listen,
Come and listen,
To my song, to my song.
Happy children singing,
Happy children singing,
Sing along, sing along.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - I Wiggle My Fingers


(Do actions with what you are singing)


I wiggle my fingers,
I wiggle my toes.
I wiggle my shoulders,
I wiggle my nose.
Now no more wiggles are left in me.
So I can sit still as I can be.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - Everybody Do This 


(Tap different parts of body as you sing)


Everybody do this, (tap your head)
Do this, do this.
Everybody do this,
Just like me.

Everybody do this, (tap your nose)

Do this, do this.

Everybody do this,

Just like me.

Everybody do this, (tap your shoulders)

Do this, do this.

Everybody do this,

Just like me.

Everybody shh, shh, (whisper)
Shh, shh.
Everybody shh, shh,
Just like me.


Finger play/Action Rhyme - Open Them, Shut Them


(Use your hands to do the actions)


Open them, (open hands)
Shut them, (close hands in a fist)
Open them,
Shut them.


Give them a little clap. (clap hands)


Open them,
Shut them,
Open them,
Shut them.


And fold them in your lap. (fold hands in lap)

The following is a list of books that help with transitions and focus on listening.


Daydreamers by Eloise Greenfield
Fancy that! by Pamela Allen
Hattie and the Fox by Mem Fox
The Mystery Beast of Ostergeest by Steven Kellogg
The Other Way to Listen by Byrd Baylor
The Snail's Spell by Joanne Ryder
Listen to the Rain by Bill Martin, Jr.