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mama251ders
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 9:49am | IP Logged
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Do any of you do a regular circle time? I am starting to put together a circle time for spring and wondered what other families do. My tentative plan is to include devotion, math activities, art/composer study, seasonal activities, and a story at the end. This will also be for my 10yo dss, so it will have to be a good blend of older and younger things. I am anxious to see what others do! Thanks!
Blessings,
Betsie
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Lisbet
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Betsie,
We have been doing circle time this year pretty regularly (we've done it sporatically in the past.) I know Rebecca recently did a blog post about circle time in their home.
Ours is geared toward the 5 and under crowd here, after I get the over 5 crowd started on their table work each morning. We follow the same 'format' but I change the content up every month. Well, we keep many of the same prayers, but I change up the songs, poems and stories up according to season and such. Here is our current format:
Childs morning offering (we keep this all the time.)
Date, Day of the Week, Month of the Year, Year, Season, Liturgical Season and Color.
Saint - of the day or close to.
Lesson from Leading Little Ones to Mary
Song - She'll be Comin' Round the Mountain (from the American song Treasury.)
Bible story from Tomie dePaola's Bible Stories
Prayer - Currently the St. Michael Prayer
Poem - Stopping by Woods on a Snowey Evening by Robert Frost
Song - "Jesus Christ has Risen Today" to have memorized for Easter.
Sometimes it get's more excited with finger plays, games and such, but right now I have one that is giving me a real hard time with this so I'm keeping it more low key for awhile.
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Greta, 3
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CandaceC
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 11:08am | IP Logged
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We do have "circle time" in our home as well. For our circle time, the following are included:
*fun songs from kids cds
*songs appropriate to season - we are learning 2 Easter songs right now
*verses we are working on for scripture memory
*prayer
*Bible story and devotion for the day
*marking date on calendar
I thought I would throw out there this blog who has been discussing circle time in the past 2 weeks. I went ahead and linked you to all her circle time posts, because they are good. But, if you only have a few minutes, you could read the past 3-4 entries from the last week or so. GREAT ideas on there!
Preschoolers and Peace - circle time entries
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fsuadamson
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 4:13pm | IP Logged
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Betsie,
This topic is so timely! I have always done morning *prayer time* followed by *table time* but ever since reading Donna Simmon's books I am now more interested in learning about how to incorporate *circle time*. -- songs, poetry, love the idea of art appreciation, prayers, storytime --
I would love to see more of how others do this in their families!! I have a wide age range and need more creative ideas on how to incorporate all the ages -- if possible.
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CandaceC
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| Posted: March 10 2008 at 9:26pm | IP Logged
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I thought I would mention that the link I posted from Preschoolers and Peace does circle time with a large group of kids and a wide age group. Her oldest is maybe 11 or 12?
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Candace - wife to David since 2000...mommy to Hannah (Feb. 2002), Emily (April 2003) and Caleb (March 2005)
His Mercy Is New
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JuliaT
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| Posted: March 11 2008 at 10:50pm | IP Logged
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WE have been doing circle time this year and it has been a success. I mostly do it for the benefit of my pre-schooler but my older two are enjoying it as well.
This is what we do:
Bible reading
sing a hymn or praise chorus
preschool songs (2)
fingrplay
action song
we might then do some exercises, rhythm activities
recite poetry
Julia
mom of 3 (8,7,5)
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stephanie
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CandaceC wrote:
I thought I would mention that the link I posted from Preschoolers and Peace does circle time with a large group of kids and a wide age group. Her oldest is maybe 11 or 12?
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I think she may even have a teen or two. Eight kids (well, almost 8 ... the last is due in the next six weeks or so). 
I have started circle time with my girls in the last couple months, but we are still in the stage of learning to sit for it (especially the 2yo and 11mo). The four year old loves it and is all about the stories so I'm really looking forward to expanding on it and fleshing it out more once my littlest littles understand sitting still a bit more.
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Erin
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I remember being inspired by Rebecca at Gypsy caravan's twol posts. Oh and I shared here what we do.
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websterm
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I have kiddos ranging from 4yrs to 10mths - I do home daycare - they aren't all mine. We do circle time that includes:
calendar
topic of the week - this week it is worms
shape that we are working on
number of the week
letter of the week
normally a song
My question is, what is a good Catholic book to use for about a 2 yr old? I am wanting something with stories about saints, but short so they are geared for young ages. Any suggestions??
Marcia
Home To Learn
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Elizabeth
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websterm wrote:
My question is, what is a good Catholic book to use for about a 2 yr old? I am wanting something with stories about saints, but short so they are geared for young ages. Any suggestions??
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Marcia,
The book we use along the Along the Alphabet Path, an Alphabet of Catholic Saints, has a very brief rhyme for each saint. They're familiar saints, so you can tell your little one more about the saint if you like. I know some preschoolers who have the whole book memorized  .
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Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
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TracyFD
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Our circle time format looks similar to the others.
I just sing "Circle Time" to the tune of Edelweiss and ask the children to sit on scarves to define their space. A beeswax candle is lit and blown out at the end.
I also find that having Show & Tell on Monday mornings motivates the kids to come and participate.
I still have problems getting my 4yo boy to cooperate with circle time but we keep at it. I believe that "circle time manners" are important to learn and use in public!
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4Real Forums : Nurturing the Years of Wonder
Topic: Circle Time?
