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Circle Time Resources We’ve Been Enjoying Lately
By Kendra | March 3, 2010
Currently, our Circle Time is minimal. By minimal I mean almost not worthy of it’s own separate title because it’s almost not even worth mentioning. Does that make you feel better? Seasons come and go, and this season has me needing to focus on other areas in order to play catch up from three weeks in the hospital as well as balance a three-year-old and a one-year-old.
We have a short time in the Word and prayer right after we finish breakfast, and I am very fond of the books we’re using to coincide with our Psalm reading.
The first is My Brother’s Keeper: Letters to a Younger Brother on the Virtues and Vices, Duties and Dangers of Youth. Lots of discussion with this one, and we are enjoying it because each letter is brief, focused, and interesting. I’d say it is really suited for my children in the 8-year-old to high school range. If CBD is out of stock, try Grace and Truth.
The other book we’re using right now is 365 Manners Kids Should Know. The drawback to this book is that it’s written to the adult reader about what we should be teaching our kids, but I am pretty easily able to just pick it up and read it to my kids each day. We discuss the topic (yesterday was about boys holding doors open for girls and girls holding doors open for anyone in need) and then I often have them role play a scenario of bad and good manners.
We pray, we laugh, we practice our patience with the little ones, and then we get on with the day.
Topics: Circle Time, Educating at Home | 12 Comments »
March 3rd, 2010 at 6:10 am
Do you clean up first and then pray, read the Psalms and read a devotional/book? We do this every morning, but because my little ones are still learning how to sit still when they don’t understand all the words, I usually begin before they are done eating. Love all your suggestions!
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:03 am
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Real official, huh?
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:21 am
Debra,
Just a thought…
I read somewhere (don’t remember where though…41 years old and my brain has gone to pot) anyhow that one way she gets her little ones to sit still is have them sit down in a row on a yoga mat…I don’t do yoga myself, so I have not tried it, plus my kids are 16 and 12 so by now they ought to sit still when we ask…lol, anyhow have seen the mats at the dollar spot at Target stores before…it might work a little just to help them sit still…plus I believe they are listening and ”getting” it even if they fidget some.
March 3rd, 2010 at 10:20 am
Good idea, Kelly. We also have used hula hoops!
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:12 am
Thanks for reminding me about the seasons. I sometimes feel like I have all these great things to do or neat things to study and I feel like i have to do it all right now. Our circle time is minimal too but it is also still in training mode, so if I can keep that in mind, it encourages me. And reading your posts.
Alicia B
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:45 pm
Ugh! You have NO idea how much you have just encouraged me!! Since the last few weeks our Circle Time is pray and sing a few songs and that’s it. They just seem to get so antsy lately. My husband’s schedule is so different each day that we try to listen to our Bible reading in the evening with him…he’s a pastor (therefore a lot more Bible ed. than I!) so having him there to answer questions is a HUGE load off my shoulders. They ask some doozies!!
Thanks for your encouragement, Kendra!!
March 3rd, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Boy, do I understand about seasons, right now circle time seems to be about all we get done:)
I like the idea of a yoga mat, hula hoops would be cool too but I can see troubles with keeping them where they are needed. I’ve also considered buying some carpet squares, the kind that are used as samples at carpet stores, and having each child sit on one for a real “circle” time.
Right now noise and movement are my biggest problems so we will be working on that.
Thanks for sharing.
Jessica
March 4th, 2010 at 11:18 am
SOMETIMES flooring places will get rid of carpet squares when the new stock comes in. Check on that before you buy them! We use carpet squares. But our circle time goes from the kitchen to the living room to the computer, so we only use them on the “sit down” parts. (We do a bit of “up and down” things that I hoped would help with the wigglies. doesn’t seem to work very well.)
March 6th, 2010 at 7:41 am
These are some of my favorite posts from you. I love to hear what great books your finding to read during this time. Thanks for more suggestions.
March 6th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Thanks, Trisha. I’m sometimes leery of posting too many, thinking you all might be tired of me “pushing” something. But that’s not my intent. I always appreciate it when new resources are brought to my attention, too.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:44 am
I also like it when you share resources and have never felt like you are pushing anything.
March 14th, 2010 at 7:17 am
Another thought about carpet squares or hula hoops….you could also use a piece of rope tied together to make a circle. That way you train your children to sit inside the circle. Then you can take the “circle” in your bag for other times you need them to sit quietly. Just pull out the circle rope. Just a thought. I’m needing to work more on this with my youngest ones.