Circle Time for a 2 1/2 yr old?

[SunflowerMama]

What do you expect from an almost 3yr old? I have one dcb that was in a preschool last year and I'm pretty certain he sat for a bit of circle time. For me he wants no part of it and is pretty disruptive during CT.

When do you expect the kids to sit for CT or do you just let them participate if they want to? I would be ok with him doing his own thing but he chooses loud activities or brings me containers to open for him throughout circle time. I know he knows better and can sit but chooses not to.

Advice?

[TGT09]

Nope, they must sit down and participate. I had two 2 1/2 year olds last year and they liked to jump around in their seats but once the story started, they knew to sit down and listen. Granted, I did CT two times a day and they were my only kids. I feel your pain even with two 3 year olds sometimes it's like all I do is say "shhhh" and "sit down".

It's important for them to learn early on that there are times to be quiet IMO.

I would say that he is allowed to sit and be in the circle. No other toys are to be brought in the circle. My kids know to drop all toys and blankets when I say CT.

[tenderhearts]

I think an almost 3 yr old should be able to sit in circle time and learn to sit still, of course they aren't perfect and will probably have a hard time. That age if they don't want to sit in circle time with everyone then the other option is to sit out and do nothing. I've only had that happen a couple times with a boy and he learned fast that sitting doing nothing wasn't as fun as at least playing the games and singing we do in circle time. Now I have a just turned 2 yr old that started with me a couple weeks ago and I don't require to sit in circle time yet. I try to encourage him to, he now will come and listen but not quite sit down with everyone.

[Lilbutterflie]

My son is that exact age, and the youngest that I take care of. We have issues with circle time as well. He usually does okay, especially if he's interested in the topic, but sometimes he disrupts and has to go sit on his bed and do nothing until we are done. I think it is a reasonable expectation for an almost 3 year old to be able to sit in circle time for 5-15 minutes.

[DCMom]

I have two 2.5's that sit quite nicely; they have been here since they were 6 weeks old. I have a third one that couldn't sit still if her life depended on it, . She just started after Labor Day, so I think it's a matter of expectations. The dc she was at previously didn't expect her to sit; here I do. She IS getting better, she will sit for almost the whole time now especially if I end with a book.

[SilverSabre25]

While I do think that an almost 3 should be developmentally capable of sitting for 5-10 minutes (well, listening, singing songs, etc) or even 15 minutes, I do think that personality will play a lot into it. My DD is almost 3 and doesn't even sit still when she's busy and focused in her own work, let alone when I'm trying to do CT. My DCG who's 4 months younger than my daughter is much more mellow and sits just fine--and I know her old DC didn't require it. So keep in mind that some kids just need more of that physical movement and physical input. It might help to give them very definite (to them) time frames of how long they have to sit--"We're going to sit quietly and read this book, and then get up and dance!" That gives the child a definite end to the sitting and they know that after the sitting still, they have a chance to move their body anyway they want.

[laundryduchess@yahoo.com]

I feel that the age and stage of a child is the deciding factor in if they "sit for "circle time". Some 3's dont want to nor should they have to. Some young 2's sit fine for me. If the kids dont want to participate in our learning time we let them play with the babies. But they dont go back and forth,.. one or the other. I wont fight with a child to make him sit.

[WImom]

I will let kids either sit in the reading area or particpate in circle time. They are not allowed to play with toys since it disrupts the rest of the children.

[AmandasFCC]

At 2 1/2 they are perfectly capable of sitting down and doing actions and singing along. I have a 3yo who likes to be disruptive during circle time and when he gets in one of his moods first I remind him to act like a big boy, and that I really like to hear him sing along. If he continues, he has the choice to sit nicely during circle or he can sit out by himself until we are finished. USUALLY at that point, if he doesn't want to participate he'll at least sit nicely and quietly.

[DCMomOf3]

for those of you who don't allow play if they choose not to sit for CT, how do you enforce the quiet if you don't have an assitant? i have in the past had a dck try to play and was disruptive but I either had to pause ct to deal with it or ignore it. I don't have an area with just quiet things.

[AmandasFCC]

If I have a disruptive child who ends up going to sit in a quiet spot, the chair is where I can see the child. If they choose sit and whine and cry and fuss, fine, that's their choice (I've only had that happen once), otherwise they sit and wait because I can see them if they misbehave.