Never let your schooling interrupt your education.

Creating a Circle Time in Your Homeschool

//  by 

Written by Jamie Martin, editor of Simple Homeschool

Do you ever feel like mornings with your young children fly past in a cacophony of chaos? Wake up, get kids dressed, make beds, prepare breakfast, clean up, sit down for school time.

It isn’t always the most peaceful part of the day, and though homeschoolers are not racing out the door to catch the school bus, at times our mornings can still feel….rushed.

That’s why I love having a circle time with my kids–it gives us the chance to start our day with purpose.

Here’s how to create a circle time that works for your family.

What Is a Circle Time?

A circle time is a morning ritual that takes between five to fifteen minutes and works well for children under the age of eight.

Family members (or classmates if done in a traditional school) gather together, sitting or standing in a circle, to sing songs and do activities together. That definition may sound a bit institutional, which is why I resisted having a circle time initially. But trust me, you can create an intentional gathering time that feels natural for your home.

Benefits of Circle Time

As mentioned earlier, a circle time allows your family to start the day in a mindful way. It’s fun and light-hearted. My kids get a kick out of seeing Mommy do the same silly songs and movements they do, so it gives us a chance to begin the day with laughter.

It also provides young children the chance to add movement to their mornings, which is so vital for little people, especially before sitting down to do any type of formal academics. Little bodies need to move!

Parts of a Circle Time

Three parts make up a traditional circle time:

Opening Verse

Many families begin their circle time by lighting a candle. Then proceed to your opening verse. This may be a short poem or Scripture you recite together. Often we will pick one opening verse and use it for the entire week–young children love repetition and it gives everyone a chance to practice and memorize.

Sometimes we will recite one thing we are thankful for that day during our opening verse.

Songs/Fingerplays

The bulk of a circle time is in the middle, typically singing one or two songs together. If the songs have actions (think Itsy, Bitsy Spider) it’s easy for everyone to join in.

Closing Verse

The closing verse allows you to conclude your circle time and then proceed to the next activity in your day. It could be another poem, short song, or Bible verse. We like to end ours with what we call our “good day cheer.”

If you’ve lit a candle you can blow it out after the closing verse.

A Circle Time in Real Time

Of course the best way to learn about a circle time is to watch one, so enjoy!

(And just so you know, I totally bribed my kids with lollipops to ensure good circle time behavior. Not all of our circle times flow quite so seamlessly!)

Add Your Personality

As with anything in life and homeschooling, a circle time only works if you tailor it to your family. Give it your own unique flair and enjoy starting your day with this purposeful ritual.

Have you ever tried a circle time in your home? What do you include?

About Jamie C. Martin

Jamie is an introverted mom of three, who loves books, tea, and people (not always in that order), and avoids answering the phone when possible. She co-founded SimpleHomeschool.net in 2010 and began IntrovertedMoms.com in 2020.

Jamie is the author of four books, including Give Your Child the World (reached #9 on Amazon's Top 100 Best Sellers list), and her latest release, Introverted Mom (an ECPA bestseller). Her work has been featured by LeVar Burton of Reading Rainbow, the Washington Post, Parents, Today Parenting, and Psychology Today.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Kara

    I love seeing a circle time in action! I was always really intimidated by an at-home circle time until a Waldorf teacher I know told me, “don’t try to make it how we do it at the school.” That gave me the freedom to “do my own thing” with circle time, and now we all enjoy it so much more!

  5. Harmony

    This is so helpful for me! I’m brand new at homeschooling my 1st grader and we have been kinda in a deskwork slump lately. I REALLY want to mix it up and have as much creativity and fun in our day as possible so this is such a great idea on how to start off the day with smiles. I also plan on homeschooling my two younger children (ages 2 and 4) so I’m going to start doing this all together. Thanks!
    Harmony’s latest post: What is Your Lifes Anthem

  6. Sabrina

    Thanks for sharing this…I have been trying to figure out how to relieve that rushed feeling in the morning and I love this idea.

    This might seem like a silly question but I have a 5 year old and a 20 month old…do you think circle time would work for us? Sometimes they don’t wake up at the same time, with the younger one sleeping later do you think it could still useful?

    • Jamie

      Hi Sabrina – I would just try it and see how it goes. I’m sure you could devise a version that works for you guys, in spite of the age difference.

      Or maybe you could do it at a different time of day! Just take the concept and make it work for you.

  8. LeeAnn

    My daughter keeps asking to watch this over and over. Guess she likes it! 🙂 Thanks for sharing. She’s only 2, but I’m hoping we can start something like this for our morning routine.

  10. Emily Woodall

    Oh, I just loved this! Thank you so much for sharing…please do more vlogs!!! That was very inspiring:)

  11. Jaime

    Hello from another Jaime! LOVE this- we’re just beginning our homeschooling journey and I’m very much looking forward to Circle. Any chance you could share thoughts on where to find your favorite opening verses and “good day cheers”? Thank you!! We have TONS of poetry in the house- but would love to hear from others.

  12. Lisa J.

    I love this! Circle time with one kid wouldn’t be quite the same, though. I’m trying to figure out how to start some nice little routines with my four-year-old, who resists anything as long as he can see that Mommy has a goal in sight!