When Do You Do Circle Time

[FCCLife]

Circle time is some thing I struggle with a lot because I have a very small group and they are so used to when they get dropped off just going and playing. I have a hard time getting them to want to come do circle time. It is easier to just let them play. I try to do it right after breakfast before park but with not much success. We talk about the topic of the day at breakfast.

[littletots]

Our is after breakfast transition into preschool learning.

[FCCLife]

Is it okay to do circle time while eating breakfast?

[jenboo]

Is it okay to do circle time while eating breakfast?

Of course!! Especially with little ones!
We would eat breakfast then everyone would go "read" while I cleaned up. Then I would put the two infants down for nap. Then each child brought me a book to read and we would sit down and read the books and sing songs. My group was 2 and under.

[midaycare]

I do circle time at 9:00 am. Everyone plays before then, since drop offs are staggered between 7-9 a.m.

I usually have one or two that still want to play, but I encourage them to come join us. If they keep wandering off, I let them go. They will come back and re-join.

My circle time is very repetitive. We go over day of the week, date, month, year, count the date, sing two songs, sing the alphabet, count to 20, and talk about the topic of the day.

If kids miss a day because they are playing, it's okay. We do it loud enough so everyone can hear us

[Play Care]

I just started a new group of younger kids. I have been used to my usual circle time routine, but realized today I'll have to change it back to what I used to do when my last group was this age

Typically I do it at snack - this way we've gotten play, and outside time, etc all out of our systems. Kids who need to be in boosters are buckled in, and I do the calendar, story, and any additional finger play, songs, etc. with my "captive" audience ::

[racemom]

Mine are all 2 and under, so we do a little bit at time. When everyone sits down for breakfast we talk about the weather, color of the week and letter. Then after breakfast play for an hour and then do activity. Go outside and when we come in for lunch sing while everyone washes up and gets settled for lunch. After lunch story and naptime. It is very informal and if someone doesn't join it's ok.

[Annalee]

Circle time can be any time at any part of the day and not necessarily, in a group circle. We do alot of learning throughout the day in moments rather than set time-frames...for example, my group can be free playing and I may say "Wow, look out the window, oh my goodness, what kind of weather is going on" then lead into the day, how many days have been rainy, cold, etc...one thing leads to another.....Whatever works for your program!

[NillaWafers]

We do it after outside time. We have breakfast at 8, then go outside till 10:20. Then we have an activity and circle time. The rest of the day is a mix of free play and guided play.

[Febby]

Ours is at 9. Breakfast is at 8ish. After breakfast, we get the tables and chairs clean while the children play and we do potties and diaper changes. Then circle time. Near the end of circle time, one of the teachers will start doing sunscreen so we can go outside at 9:30.

I do my afternoon circle time (we have two in the morning and one in the afternoon) outside on a "magic carpet" as long as the weather permits it.

[Ariana]

I stopped doing circle time when I started to realize that kids need to be kids. They get enough of that type of stuff at school! There are so many ways to teach concepts without sitting in a circle.

[Unregistered]

Same as "ariana", we don't bother here.

[Unregistered]

Free choice play till 9:25
Clean up
Then circle time-9:35
Depending on the age of the group it might be five-seven minutes -up to ten minutes. I keep it fun, interesting, and age appropriate. I don't do much with letter/number recognition. It's more literacy/pre-reading skills, language, rhymes, music, etc.
10:00-outside

Kids are always ready for circle time-
Mine has lots of singing, visuals, puppet stories, flannel board stories/activities. They love it!

[Heidi]

I see a few other people answered the same...at the end of breakfast.

Maybe 5 minutes, tops, and it's more of a friendly discussion than a formal circle time. I may have something planned, or I may just ask the children questions about their weekend or something they did with their parents.

At the end of lunch, we read a story or two.


We sing songs when we walk, or after afternoon snack.

Mine oldest 2 aren't quite 3, so it's nice to have a captive audience at the table for these things.

[mamamanda]

Our circle time is right after breakfast & lasts about half an hour, but I don't expect them to actually sit in a circle the whole time. We have themes that last 3 weeks & we learn songs, read books, memorize poems with motions, play games, etc to go along with the theme. We stand & jump, spin, clap etc while we count. Most of my 3-5 year olds can count to 50 now b/c they love counting this way. We also dance, have special races, march, tiptoe, etc during this time. My kids love it!