Circle Time For One Yr Olds

[shelby]

What do you do during circle time with your one yr olds? I now have three one yr olds and of course the attention span for them is very small... so I need some ideas... thanks

[countrymom]

I don't, I personally think its worthless. They are kids they love to play and many don't even have language skills. So I just talk all day to them. I will say that "oh you have a pink shirt on"...I try not to micromanage the littles, I love this group they are the best. Like the other day, dcg decided to be a snake out of the blue on the floor. The other kids didn't care but thats what she wanted to do.

[momofsix]

My one year olds are free to come and go during circle. The rest of the room is safe so they're fine playing. They will often sit for some fun songs. It's so cool to watch as they begin learning some of the motions 😀

[daycare]

I don't work with kids this age, but I don't know how you would do it???

I would just involve them all in play and sing and read to them where ever they are. If they are willing to sit on you or around you, sing and read to them. If they are mobile and want to play with a toy, then allow that too.

maybe sing songs like row row your boat that you can row your arms with the kids.

Or you can sing a song while you hold their arms dancing, then pick them up and lay them on their backs so that they can learn to roll to the side and get up on their own.

Have you ever heard of a program called preschool first? they actually have activities and lessons designed for children in this age group....


I started reading to my son when I was pregnant. To this day at the age of 5, it is the only thing that calms him. He loves to hear me read.

I would not expect for any of the kids at that age to sit for any length of time or to have their attention for any length of time either.

[cheerfuldom]

I let them roam. as long as they are not being disruptive they can join or leave the group whenever they want

[hhdc]

I have all one year olds. They might sit for a story or a short song. They all love playing with silks. We do peek a boo with them and they will sit for a bit for that. They love "if you are happy and you know" too. If I want them to sit for stories I will read to them at the table.

[EAP]

I keep it super short, we sing a song, do the date and weather. If they still interested I may expand on our current theme. They are not required to attend or sit down, but they all seem to enjoy it and we usually get 3-5 mins out of it.

[AnneCordelia]

I have two one year olds now. They sit for our opening song, and welcome, and then they are free to go. As they get better at sitting, I ask them to sit longer. By the time they are about 18-20mo they are able to sit for our whole circle, and enjoy it too.

[Auntie'sHouse]

Although they are not looking at you...they hear and absorb everything! I do circle time while they roam around me and do their own thing...
I know that it will all pay off when one day they blurt out what
I have been teaching them or so long...Letting them learn through playing...ie. stacking, sorting...works for me.

[itlw8]

I do not insist that they join but they always do. We start with a song then a book. A short book. I will read a longer book later to the older kids if they want. We do some movement and then another song. That is about it.

I know they absorb it because often a mom will come in amazed they were singing some song or did the hand movements when they heard something.