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What Works for Us: Circle Time

There are a lot of things that I want to teach my kids. There are stories I want to tell them and songs I want to sing with them. There are hugs and kisses I don't want to miss and life skills I feel it's important to practice.

In the business of daily life, sometimes it's hard to find time for the time I want to spend with my kids. I hope that I can take advantage of the spontaneous moments that arise but just in case, I try to carve out special time with each boy every day. The way I do this is with Circle Time.

It is easy to take 10 minutes for an individualized Circle Time because both of my boys still have a daily Room Time. So while Soren plays alone in his room, Carl has his Circle Time. Then when Carl plays alone in his room, Soren has his Circle Time.

With Carl, I am currently teaching him to sit and listen to a story, which I hope will transfer over to more reverence during family scripture study in the evenings. So this is what Carl's Circle Time looks like: We snuggle together on the couch, with him in my lap. Then we sing a song and he says a prayer. Then I tell him a very short story. Afterwards we sing another song, share a hug and he is off to play.

With Soren, we are enjoying longer stories and learning verses as well as practicing the music for his upcoming primary program. This is what Soren's Circle Time looks like: We pull out our quilt while singing a song, lay it on the floor and sit down. Then we recite a verse together. We choose a new verse every month and he will usually memorize it by the end of the first week. After the verse, we will work on a primary song. Then I tell him a story (sometimes from the scriptures or from our family but more often an animal fable or fairy tale) while he listens. Afterwards, he tells me a story while I listen. Then we sing again (his choice this time) while holding hands. We can end with as many hugs as we want.

I like Circle Time because it is time already set aside that can be used for any purpose compatible with loving interaction; they won't stay if it is boring or authoritative. It helps us reconnect with each other each day. It also gives my boys plenty of exposure to stories, songs, scriptures, and rhymes. It is a way for me to expose my children to the richness of our language.

I really feel that love and language are all that young children need to learn and thrive. In that way, these 10 minutes a day are my version of preschool and seem sufficient to me for the next couple of years.
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Megan said…
Carolyn, these are such great ideas. I think this is such a fun way to teach your children, you do such a good job!
September 15, 2011 at 8:38 AM
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