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DaycareMom 07:02 AM 01-27-2014
I was wondering what you all did during circle time.
We usually do the day of the week, weather, a few songs, and go over the letter/number/theme of the week.

Do you have a routine for circle time? What do you go over? How long does it usually last?
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WImom 07:24 AM 01-27-2014
Good Morning Song
Days of the week, Months or color song (switch days)
Weather Song/child tells us weather and put up the card on our weather chart
Calendar
Count days of the week
Talk about Theme/Shape/Color/Letter (depending on what day it is)
Songs or activity to go with above
Story

Our Circle time lasts about 15 minutes
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jenboo 07:30 AM 01-27-2014
Each child (right now i have 4 and two are under 2) picks out a book and sits on the carpet. I read each story. Then we sing a few songs. Then I will usually talk about what we are going to do for our morning activity.
If the little ones get up, I let them but they usually stay on the carpet with us the whole time. Circle time lasts about 10-15 minutes.
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daycare 07:53 AM 01-27-2014
I have the same exact routine, same order same stuff every day. The kids love love love the consistency of the routine. If I skip something, the will all say. we didn't_________________________

My circle time is rather long.

pledge of allegiance, we choose the one with best behavior to hold the flag.

today is jan 27, 2014, song. THen we say wow 27, that's a big number

I write the 27 on the board and then say, who can find it for me on the calendar. let them find it. then we will jump, clap, tap, stomp 27 times. Not all of those maybe one or two.

moving on, I will open shut them and calm them down. I will sing it until all of the kids are sitting down with hand in their lap

I bring out a small marker board and sing a song called letters have sounds. Maybe I will draw the letter R because my book I am going to read next is Red Hats. We will see if anyone has a name that starts with R or words we know that start with R and write all those down.

read out loud, same book 5 days every morning. Each morning we capture new words and learn something different about the book.

during the reading we ask lots of open ended questions, predictions, and so on.

Book is done we bring out a small what is it bag. I hide 3 small objects that was related to our book we just read. so maybe a cow was in the book. after we sing the what is it do you know song, I ask each child, what do you think is inside my bag. ask the youngest child first, this will eliminate repeat answers. Once the questions are done, 1 child displaying good behavior gets to come pull the item out.

once the item is out, we sing it's a cow, it's a cow etc. then I ask the children what do you know about cows? all of the kids can answer these always asked open ended questions. LIke a cow says moo, cows live on a farm, cows give milk, etc etc. keep it going as long as they are interested and participating.

again we will bring out the small maker board and this time do the letter song, but maybe draw an H. Sing letters have names, sounds etc. again write down any names or words that start with the letter R

next we Dance. Hokey pokey, shake your sillies out, anything from the H.U.M CD.

calm them down again and we rhyme. like dog/ frog, these two rhyme, they sound the same at the end.

We do zoo phonics and who let the letters out 3 times all the way through with an emphasis on the letters R and H

we calm again with some very soft music, yoga stretches, yawning, and breathing.


felt board activity/ song, we do it 2 times all the way through, if we don't have a felt board we will do a participation story.

then we break up into groups by age and go to centers........
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daycare 08:01 AM 01-27-2014
oh I forgot to mention that this is every day. Except on Tuesday and Thursdays it's shorter and directed more towards the toddlers.

Also, my toddlers are NOT expect to participate 100% during circle time, the idea is to just introduce and show them what circle time is and let them try to do as much as they can. They usually always start out sitting with all the kids and then up at the back of the class rolling on the floor or whatever silly stuff they do. BUT they are still there for circle time. I have two 18 month old that LOVE circle time and can do the whole thing.
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littleblossoms 10:25 AM 01-27-2014
How old are the children that you have in care? I would love to join you at circle time.
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melilley 10:44 AM 01-27-2014
The Day of The Week song
Then we put the day and date on the calendar and I'll tell them the day, month and date
Talk about the weather
Talk about the letter of the week and find and/or say things that have that letter
Talk about the color of the week
Talk about the theme of the week
Sing ABC's
Count
Then we read, sing, do finger play

My circle time lasts about 15 minutes. I have all 2.5 and under except for one who is 3. I have them sit down at first, but I don't make them sit after I initially have them sit if they don't want to , but they either do anyways or will stop what they are doing to sing, count, etc. A few times I even thought the youngest kids weren't listening, only to look over and see them hold up fingers to count or dance to songs, things like that.
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daycare 11:16 AM 01-27-2014
Originally Posted by littleblossoms:
How old are the children that you have in care? I would love to join you at circle time.
not sure if this was directed at me???? my kids are 18 month to 5 years old
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blandino 11:27 AM 01-27-2014
We do music, then everyone sits in the cozy corner and looks at books while I change diapers.


Then we all go to circle time:

We say our days of the week & look out the window at the weather and change the cards in our pocket chart.

Then we sing out circle song.

Then we talk about whatever topic is the theme of the month.

Then I read stories, usually 3.

Then the kids either look through a sensory bin related to our monthly theme or they look at the box of story time books related to the monthly theme.
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Patches 11:53 AM 01-27-2014
Ours goes something like this:

Breathing exercises

Hello song

ABCs

Go over our color and shape for the month

Counting song or something else that involves counting

Read stories 1-3. Sometimes they pick them and sometimes I do.

Sometimes we will add in other things related to our theme or change things up, but this is what it generally looks like
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Maria2013 12:14 PM 01-27-2014
Originally Posted by DaycareMom:
I was wondering what you all did during circle time.
We usually do the day of the week, weather, a few songs, and go over the letter/number/theme of the week.

Do you have a routine for circle time? What do you go over? How long does it usually last?
we read books and do quiz on whatever we have learned
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