Want to Make Mornings and Bedtimes Easier? Try Circle Time
Our children wake up and begin the day and, let’s be honest, sometimes we have no idea what’s about to hit us. Each child is different and each day can be different. Just like us, our children can wake refreshed and chipper or tired and crabby.
Because we never know what to expect from our children, we must provide a consistent start to the day through circle time. No matter how our children are, we begin the day with movement, song, and connection. This intentional opening to the day provides a foundation for a great day ahead. And adding circle time at night is a great way to ease into bedtime calmly.
Dr. Montessori’s Line
In a Montessori classroom, the line is a place of movement. Dr. Maria Montessori valued the opportunity for children to refine gross motor movement by balancing on an elliptical shape drawn on the classroom floor. During this time, she demonstrated for the children how to walk with one foot in front of the other, like tightrope walkers. This experience serves many purposes: balance, refining movement, building strength, and self-control.
Today, Montessorians have varying views on how the line should be used. Some teachers believe the ellipse should only be used for movement and no other types of activity should be done as a group. Some teachers believe that a more traditional circle time with songs, lessons, and silence can be done there, too. But the purpose of movement and attuning a child to his careful steps remains consistent between the two groups.
Circle Time
As a teacher, I used circle time to practice movement with music to start. I love to sing and dance, so my line time was spent creating and moving to music. I also used line time to give group lessons on things the class needed to be reminded of.
Now I find myself homeschooling my 3-year-old daughter and every morning we gather as a family for circle time. We sit together and greet the day with song and movement.
Why Circle Time Is Important At Home
Circle time is like a morning meeting for your family. During circle time you can connect with your child through song and movement. It's a time to prepare your child for the day and start the day off with some peaceful intentions.
The Structure of Our Morning Circle Time
Days of the week
Calendar/weather
Movement song
Review ground rules
Movement
Sitting song/finger play
Silence
Calendar
We begin by singing the days of the week song and then we add the date to our calendar. My husband and I talk about the day. If the schedule is different from a typical day in any way, we tell our daughter at this moment. The times of day when my husband and I work are different each day, so we tell my daughter when to expect which one of us will be with her.
Weather
We also talk about the weather: We look to the sky and talk about what we observe, and we mark this on our calendar, as well. And we talk about the temperature for the day to prepare my daughter for what type of clothing she will need when we go on our walk.
Song
We then move on to a song. We sing something that is relevant to the time of the year or a song my daughter really likes at that time. I play guitar and my daughter often plays instruments along. We take this time to incorporate movement to the beat of the music and practice repeating rhythms with clapping. The connection to the music through movement allows her the opportunity to deeper understand the rhythm.
So many parents are intimidated to add songs to the day because either they don’t remember the lyrics or they hate kids songs. Sing songs that you enjoy and that your child likes, too. We sing a lot of Beatles songs in our house. If you are looking for songs and fingerplays, subscribe to my newsletter and you’ll get six songs to try.
Review Ground Rules
After singing, we talk about our family ground rules, if necessary. We often roleplay concepts that my daughter needs reminders about. When I observe that my daughter has been running through the house, we practice how to walk slowly and carefully. If my daughter has been yelling, we practice our quiet voices and talk about what we expect in our home.
Movement
After sitting still for a period, we must honor the attention span and movement needs of my daughter. We sing a movement song, like Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and we row and twist and sway.
Slowing Down
After you move your child needs a chance to slow down before moving on to the next activity. When we ask our child to stop abruptly and sit still and quiet they often have a hard time being successful. We do fingerplay songs and slower songs to wind down my daughter’s energy before we make silence.
Silence
We slow it down and end with a time of silence. Dr. Montessori challenged adults to trust the inner drive of the child to make peaceful silence. In a Montessori environment, silence is not a means of control; it is a time of great restraint during which the child must challenge themselves to find stillness in their body and voice. Dr. Montessori believed in educating the child in refining their senses. Silence is the absence of sound. To truly understand sound and variations of volume, one must know silence. This time of stillness and self-control is short so the child can be successful. In my home, we sit with legs crossed and hands on our knees and we take a deep breath before we make silence.
After we make silence, I thank my daughter for making silence with me and we start our work cycle.
Simple Tips for a Successful Circle Time
When planning your circle time, try these tips:
Keep it short. Based on your child’s attention span, don’t ask them to sit for longer than they are able.
Move. Allow your child the opportunity to move, and have fun together.
Talk about the day. Prepare your child for the day ahead or reflect on the day just lived.
The Structure of Our Nighttime Circle Time
At the end of the day, we spend time together to reflect before we begin our bedtime routine. We each discuss the low part of our day and then we each share our high part of the day. My daughter often doesn’t understand the concept, but my husband and I share with her each night. This habit begins the practice of reflection and gratitude.
After we talk about our highs and lows, we sing a calming song to slow the energy down and prepare for sleep. We conclude with stillness and the ringing of a Tibetan singing bowl.
Nighttime Sequence:
Highs/lows of the day
Slow song
Silence with a Tibetan singing bowl
Circle Time Can Introduce Peace and Predictability to Your Day
Adding circle time to your sequence will allow you and your child to prepare and reflect on each day. This time with your child allows you to connect and observe how your child is that day. It also allows you to observe how you are showing up for yourself and your child, and what you need to begin the day.
Creating Predictability With Sequence
Our children need predictable sequence of activity to feel safe. If you are looking to create a new daily sequence check out my last blog post, Help Your Child Focus and Stay Grounded by Creating a Daily Sequence for a place to start.