Questions On A Couple Issues...

[Hunni Bee]

1. My rule for Circle Time is that anyone who doesn't want to participate can go read or draw. A few my dcks dont want to participate, but they won't leave either. They just hang around and talk loudly, scramble around on the carpet, etc. If I make them leave and get a book, they cry.

2. Lately, my kids have been doing a lot of high energy, frenetic play. Not guns or anything violent, just lots of running, shouting and fast movement. We get plenty of outdoor time...I want them to stop. People get hurt and we have to stop and clean up too often.

Advice, ladies? Thanks.

[familyschoolcare]

For number 2 I would sujjest increasing outdoor and/or organized active play. i know you say you get pleanty of outdoor play however more is most likely to help and not hurt.

[cheerfuldom]

or you could try putting the circle time kids on chairs, not just sitting on their own and scrambling all over the place. If they dont want to stay in the circle, they can go to one table (again sit on a chair) and look at books that are already at the table.

assign play areas when indoors and separate the rowdiest kids. i have two that really like that random running/jumping/screeching type play that is not a game, just craziness. If they cannot come up with an activity on their own, I send them to one area and thats what they get to play with.

[renodeb]

How old are the kids in your group? Keep circle time short. More outdoor time is a good idea. I like the idea of sitting them on chairs. Ihave also found that having to much open space indoors encourages running so keep that in mind.
Debbie

[Countrygal]

I am having the exact same problem as you in #2. And along with the running and screeching has come hitting and pushing and throwing. It's been terrible the last two weeks, and we've been outside almost entirely!

I think the change in schedule has had a lot to do with it, along with the fact that they are having more play time than they did in the winter when we were confined indoors.

I wish I had some answers for you, but I don't. I'm struggling terribly with it.

As for your # 1, though - I not only offer books and coloring books but also some select "quiet toys", such as puzzles and Leap Frogs. Most want to participate in the circle time, but occasionally I get one that doesn't, and he must SIT in an adjoining area where I can see him and play with a quiet toy.

[spud912]

#1: Whenever circle time gets crazy, I draw the kiddos back in. First, I found they act crazy if they are getting bored with the activities. I will change up circle time by reading a new book (from the library), telling a story, or doing something new and different. If the issue is sitting (which it frequently is), I will institute something for them to sit on. I would love to buy the circle time individual mats, but was cheap and instead let them pick out a piece of construction paper (any color), put it on the ground, and designate it their sitting spot. If they don't keep their butt on their paper (and I tell them this), they have to put their paper away and play with something else away from us. Usually they are so excited about their paper, they are pretty good about sitting on it.

#2: I found that some kids are wild, no matter how much active play they get. I have one boy who runs like crazy from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to sleep (if allowed to). You should find an activity that your wild ones like to do and give them that activity when they start going crazy. My little boy LOVES building things with blocks, so I will have him build me a "tower" when I can sense he is going crazy.