Showing posts sorted by relevance for query circle time. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query circle time. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query circle time. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query circle time. Sort by date Show all posts

14 Circle Time Activities and Ideas for Preschoolers

Preschool Circle Time is for Group Lessons, Games, and Interaction

Running out of ideas for Preschool Circle Time? Every preschool program needs circle time for group interaction. This is a time to build structure into the program, so the children know what to expect each day. It is great to offer circle time at least twice a day- once in the morning, and once just before time to go home. These ideas will help build a sense of togetherness, (community) a time for sharing, and a fun learning environment for the kids. Enjoy!


This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Elementary Circle Time Games, Activities, Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers
Elementary Circle Time Games, Activities, and Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers.

 14 Ideas and Activities for Circle Time

1.  Dance Freeze - Play some music or sing a song. Everyone dances willy nilly. Suddenly, stop the song, but don't sing to the end of a verse, that is too predictable. Everyone must freeze in their position. Is one leg up? Are they doing the worm? If they move, they must sit frozen in that spot, criss-cross applesauce and wait to see who can freeze the longest. No blinking or twitching allowed.



2.  Bug in a Rug - This is an oldie, but a goodie. Everyone sits in the circle. Before you begin to play, explain EXACTLY how the game works. Grab a blanket or a big beach towel. Now, pick one child to leave the room or wear a fun blindfold. Teacher picks a student. Shh! Just point at the child, grab their hand and take them away from the group. Now, point at another child and then to the "rug". Hide the child under the "rug." Bring the other preschooler back. Can they guess who is missing? 

3. Pass the Movement - I played this for years with preschoolers and school-age children in summer camps, but I didn't give it a name. I found the name at Preksharing Blog. She says it is adapted from a book published in 2011, but we used to do this years ago in summer camp and afterschool programs. Just goes to show, great minds think alike! It is simple to play. Teacher starts with a movement. Perhaps, you wave your hand in the air. Now, the person sitting to your right must wave their hand and add a movement like wiggling their nose. The next person to the right, does those movements and adds one of their own. It is a "WAVE" of different movements.

4. Shake the Sillies Out - Need a game to get kids' moving?  Find some Dragon Tunes from the cartoon, Dragon Tales, and every morning, "Shake the Sillies Out"! Just play the song, and follow the instructions. Kids love this one!

5. Circle Time Collaborative Painting - I like the idea of painting circles in collaboration like the one from Art Project Girl in the link. You know, where Teach lays out a big sheet of paper and painting supplies and everyone paints concentric circles? What if we do it as a part of Circle Time? Pass the painting, and make a PROGRESSIVE PAINTING. 

This idea teaches patience. Everyone must wait their turn. It builds excitement too. Lay out a large painting tarp, sit the children in a circle on the tarp, give each child a cup of paint and a brush. No painting unless it is your turn. To make it less frustrating, pass two large poster boards around starting at opposite ends. Children are allowed to paint only 1 circle or shape of their choice per turn. While they are painting, teacher shares an art lesson on shapes!


Collaborative Concentric Circle Painting
Collaborative Concentric Circle Painting from Art Project Girl.

6. Click, Clack, Moo Story Starter - You know the story about the unhappy cows in the barn? They have a typewriter. They are making demands. An electric blanket would be nice. What else might the farm animals want from the farmer? 

Click Clack Moo Story Starter Circle Time Game.
Click Clack Moo Story Starter Circle Time Game.

Play a Circle Time Game where each child is given an animal. Before the game, print out cards with farm animal pictures on one side and their name on the other. Each child draws a card from a hat. Give this example to the kids: What does the (insert animal here) pig want? "Dear Farmer Brown, the barn is smelly. Please send air fresheners." Have each child come up with their own idea for what the animal on the card might want from the farmer.

7. Animal Movement Game - Take the game above one step further. Get the kids moving like the animals. Ask, "What does a pig say?" Now, "How does a pig move?" The children take turns walking around the circle like the animal on their cards. 


8. Quiet Mouse, Still Mouse - When Circle Time is done, keep children in a circle to release them to the next preschool activity. The teacher explains, the child who sits as quiet as a mouse (the quietest) get to line up first. Continue until everyone (or almost everyone, I don't like to single out those who can't sit still or quiet) is in line.

9. Calendar Time -  Sing "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday Friday, Saturday. Suunday, Munday... TUUESday" Emphasize the current day of the week. Sing the song and then check the calendar. Who can find today on the calendar? Here's another days of the week song sung to the Addam's Family theme. 

10. Alphabet Shopping - Using the first letter of each child's name, pretend to go shopping for an item that begins with that letter. For example, “Jake will buy a jump rope.” Go around the circle until everyone has had a turn. This helps with letter recognition. For more ideas like this visit Early Childhood News.

11. Talking Stick - Bring in a cane, or recycle a cardboard wrapping paper tube. The kids can help decorate the "Talking Stick" with Washi or Duct Tape, Glitter, or Feathers. During Circle Time, grab the stick. Now, explain to the group that this is a talking stick. Only the person who holds it may speak. This is a great tool to use for Show and Tell or other situations where children take turns sharing. More lessons in patience and turn taking.


12. Birthday Day of the Week Bags - PreK Pages Blog has a fun idea for Day of the Week Bags. Make a brown paper bag for each day of the week. Give it a colorful label, and fill it with the names of classmates who have birthdays on this day or other special things that happen on this day of THIS week.

   13. Pictures with Facial Expressions - Hold up magazine pictures of facial expressions. Ask, "What is this person feeling." Have the children take turns making the face. After you play this game, have the kids draw themselves like this emotion art lesson.

14. Play Duck, Duck, Goose? - This old standby might be boring to you, but it is likely new to the toddlers and preschoolers in your class. Change it up each day. After they get the hang of the game, add a creative play element by acting it out. Have the kids act and walk like the animal as they toddle around. Walk and Talk like the animal. For older or school-age children, change the theme to pig, pig, cow or ghost, ghost, vampire.



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14 Circle Time Activities and Ideas for Preschoolers



Rugs for Circle Time

Do you have a Special Rug for Circle Time or Group Gatherings?

What are the best rugs for circle time? The best rugs for group time on the floor aren't always the best bargains. If you are looking for ideas for rugs for Circle Time, we've got you covered. Check out these fun circle time rugs available on Amazon. Enjoy!





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Circle Time Activities Handbook

Get Camp Activities and Hand Games for Group Circles of all ages Handbook

Remember those hand games and fun group games activities you played in summer camp? Maybe you played games in an after-school program? You remember how much fun they were, maybe you remember the tune or the the general idea, but you just can't remember all the words or just exactly how it goes. Our Circle Time Handbook is made for you. Learn (or relearn) how to play your favorite large group games in a circle.

Post contains affiliate links.


Circle Time Games Handbook Elementary Teen Preschool



We've compiled the 39 most popular group games played in a circle with toddlers to teens in a reproducible format. Print them out, place them on your clipboard or share them with your summer camp counselors. These large group circle activity games are perfect for icebreakers and team building. Play them with adults, senior citizens, and youth groups too!

With the complete easy to follow Group Game INSTRUCTIONS, you can play these GROUP TIME Activities right now! All you need is a group of people from toddlers to teens.

Prefer a nice paperback with 8 1/2 x 11 reproducible pages? Order your hard copy on AMAZON, you can also get the Kindle version here. Just click the image to make the purchase on Amazon.


Buy Circle Time Handbook Paperback


Can't wait? Get the Digital PDF Version of our Circle Time Activities Handbook  to start playing right now! Just click the image and visit our TeachersPayTeachers store.


Buy Circle TIme Handbook PDF




Lora Langston (that's me) is the creator of Kids Creative Chaos blog. For over fifteen years, I taught enrichment classes in after-school programs, classes at parks for preschoolers, and summer camp.

When it comes to lyrics and how to play games, I have a terrible memory. Every time we played a game, I had to look up the instructions!

Time Management Group Activities: If you are sitting in a circle, waiting for parents to pick up the kids or transitioning to the next activity, sometimes you need an impromptu activity to fill up time. Inevitably, the kids will ask to play a game they've played before, but they don't know how it goes. Been there. Done that.

Now, you have all of those old favorites group activity games at your fingertips! Just print a copy from one of the reproducible pages and attach it to your clipboard. Problem solved. And, it cost less than $10. Enjoy!


Circle Time Handbook Popular Games no Equipment
Circle Time activities handbook pdf download.

Sure, most of these circle time activity games are out there floating around in the public domain. I've been playing many of them since the 1980's! The rest I learned from the kids in my programs from the late 90's to 2012. It sure is convenient to have them all in one place with easy access whenever you need a quick group activity.

If you've played these group games too, and played a different variation, we would love to hear it! Let us know, and we'll add it to our game's post and then send you a thank you Tweet.


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group hand games camp games for teens elementary afterschool preschool
Group Hand Games and Camp Games Book to be played in Circles.




Have a Natural Nature Based Circle Time Activity Game: Sensory Saturday Play Based Learning

Perfect for a play based learning Natural Circle Time Activity for kids: Nature's Treasures

Circle Time is a time for children to learn to pay attention, to make connections with each other, and to have fun. This nature based circle time activity is fun for kids of all ages for summer camp, but is ideal for preschool circle time.

Didi from Duck Duck Octopus (She's no longer blogging) shared this awesome nature sensory game for circle time.

We learn about the world through our senses. The tart burst of flavor from a fresh-picked blackberry is a tell-tale sign of summer; watching leaves swirl around the sky shows us it's windy; and pitter-patter sounds of rain tells us to put on our wellies for jumping in freshly made puddles. Our bodies absorb a constant stream of information that we assimilate into experience, but we seldom intentionally acknowledge the senses that deliver the information; the information is "just there".

Natural Nature Circle Time with Kids group activities
Get your group together, form a circle, 
and play Nature's Treasure in circle time.
The Nature's Treasures mystery game is an activity that facilitates a hands-on exploration of the senses and nature. Kids get to experience how their perception of the world is altered when their senses are limited. The use of natural objects connects kids to their environment, and allows them to experience things they encounter every day in a new way.
 
Instructions

  1. Gather an assortment of familiar natural objects (e.g. a dandelion, rock, shell, lobster claw, stick, cattail fluff, maple leaf, an animal bone, feather, dirt, etc.). Collect enough items, so each child participating has an item. Make sure your collection is gathered and stored out of sight of your kids. You don't want to spoil the mystery!
  2. Place one mystery object in an opaque bag; brown lunch bags are great. Seal the bag with ribbon or a piece of tape.
  3. Place the bags in a "treasure chest" (a decorated cardboard box), and bring the treasure chest out for the kids.
  4. Introduce the activity by talking about the incredible diversity that may be found in nature. Have your kids offer examples of colors, textures and shapes they may find in nature (e.g. tiny snails; red, orange, and yellow autumn leaves; prickly porcupines; furry raccoons; bumpy shells, etc.).
  5. Using the examples provided by the kids, make connections to how people use their senses to experience the world.
  6. Explain that each mystery bag contains one object found in nature. They must try to guess what is in their bag without using their sense of sight, sound, or taste.
  7. Encourage each child to choose a mystery bag, and tell them to keep the bag closed tight. No peeking! :-)
  8. Each child gets a turn to fully explore their object with their sense of touch and smell. If they go to smell the bag, they have to keep their eyes shut, or use a blindfold to help keep the mystery object hidden.
  9. The child exploring the item may tell the group about the object based on their sensory observations.
    • For example, if the object is a dandelion, a child may describe it as follows: There is a fluffy, soft part on one end. It is round. The round, soft part is stuck to something that is long and skinny. It smells like grass.
  10. Ask the child doing the direct sensory exploration to identify their mystery object.
  11. Then open the inquiry to the group. Does anyone think the object is something else?
  12. Reveal the mystery object. Hopefully, when the object is revealed most of the kids will know what it is right away. If they didn't guess correctly, this is a great opportunity to ask the kids how their sense of sight, sound or taste would have helped them solve the mystery.
This activity works well with a large group of kids in a circle time setting, and is also fun to do at home as a family. Sometimes, I'll deliberately put a gag item in the bag I explore, just to add a big laugh at the end (think rubber chicken). 
 
What is the most interesting object you found to include in your Nature's Treasures mystery game?


Didi is a fun mom who likes to make mud pies, stomp in puddles, and fingerpaint. She is also the founder of duckduckoctopus.com, a blog about play-based learning, outdoor adventures, and mindful-parenting.


Be sure to follow Didi on Pinterest. Learn some fun facts about the mind behind Duck, Duck, Octopus at Play Dr. Hutch.


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Circle Time and Group Activities for age 3 to 6 yrs.*






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50 Simple Group Time Games for Preschoolers

50+ Easy Circle Time Games for Three, Four, and Five Years



Group Time for preschoolers often happens several times a day, you need fresh activities to interact with the children and keep them engaged. These 50 simple group time games for preschoolers are perfect for three, four, and five year-olds and they can be adapted for use with kindergarten or early elementary. Enjoy!




                                            This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.


50 Simple Group Time Games for Preschoolers at Circle Time
50 Simple Group Time Games for Preschooler at Circle Time.


Childcare Quarterly states that, "research and anecdotal evidence indicate the need for social interaction and emotional regulation in children. Just as in the other developmental domains, social and emotional development are built on meaningful, supportive, and authentic experiences with adults and with other children. Circle times, then, have as their main goal social interaction among the children and between the children and the group leader."




Magic Word 
During group time give the kids a magic word. If you remember Pee Wee Herman, this is similar to the secret Word of the Day. Everyone who is paying attention will be in on the secret. Throughout the day, use this magic word for lining up or transitioning to activities. Those who know the word will get to do the activity first or be first in line. Eventually, all of the children will catch on to the magic word of the day.

Keys
Blindfold one child and place her in the middle of the group's circle. Have the other children pass a noisy item (such as keys) around the circle. Think, Marco Polo without all of the shouting! When the blindfolded child recognizes the sound, she shouts for the rest of the group to stop and then points toward the item. If she is incorrect the game continues until she guesses correctly.

Want to find discounts for game props? Check out Coupon Kirin for more information.

Shape Walk
Cut out different shapes from craft foamPlace the foam on the floor and ask the kids to "cross the river" by walking only on  triangles. Choose different shapes each time. This is a great way to teach preschoolers to identify shapes.

Shape Lacing 
Draw a shape on a piece of paper:  circle, square, triangle, oval, rectangle, etc. Place the shape on cardboard and trace it. Take a hole punch and punch holes around the shape. Tie the yarn into the first hole and let the kids lace the shapes. While they are working, go around the circle and ask each child to share their shape. What shape is it? What else could it be? For example, a triangle could be a dog house. This keeps them busy while waiting their turn.


Like these ideas? Get our book with printable pages that are the perfect size for your clipboard! Best Circle Time Group Games.



Best Ever Circle Time Group Games Book




Introductions
Introduce yourself and the person sitting next to you. Continue around the circle. Then, do a silly version. Introduce yourself with a silly name and give the person next to you a silly name too.

Fruit Bowl
Tell the kids that you are going to mix up the fruit. Have the children draw a name of a fruit out of a basket. They don't have to keep it a secret. When the leader calls out the fruit the children with that fruit move to a new spot or do as the leader says. Mix it up!

Poor Kitty
Sit kids on the floor in a circle. Pick one child to be the kitty and to wear the cat ears. The kitty crawls up to another kid and meows. The other child pets the kitty on the head while saying "poor kitty" without smiling. If he laughs or smiles, he becomes the kitty. 

Birthday
Ask the children what month they have their birthday. Then, call out a month. Kids whose birthdays are in that month run around the circle and back to their original spot in the circle.

Cards
Grab an old Go Fish or Old Maid deck of cards, give each child a card. Now, have the kids find the other people with the matching cards. First time, they can talk. Second time, no talking allowed. This is a great way to divide up into teams or partners.

Clapping
Simply clap. One clap continues the direction and two claps reverses direction. Teaches the importance of paying attention.

Doggy, Doggy Where's My Bone
Remove one player from the room. Give the bone to a player in the circle. This child places the paper bone behind her back. The other player returns to the room and tries to guess who has the bone. Can they sniff it? Can they guess by facial expressions?

Shopping or Grocery Store
Find how to play this game and over 30 other group circle games in our Circle Time Handbook.

Jigsaw
Get a giant jigsaw puzzle or make your own with foam. Then, give all players a piece of the jigsaw puzzle. Each player has to find the other players with the matches to their puzzle piece.

Jigsaw Puzzles                                                                                                                                       
Jigsaw puzzles come in all different difficulty levels, which is perfect for a group time game in school. For preschoolers, it’s best to stick with easy puzzles with fewer than 30 pieces. If you can find a variety of physical jigsaw puzzles that are easy enough for preschoolers, that’s great. Otherwise, check an online jigsaw puzzle site where you can choose any design from a list of thousands of puzzles and make it easy, medium, or hard depending on who is playing. Another cool thing about some of these sites is you have the ability to create puzzles and share them. If you’re leading a preschool classroom, this can be helpful if you have a topic you’re covering and you want a puzzle to align with the lesson.

99 
Remove one child from the room. While he is out, the group nominates someone else to speak. When the child reenters the room they stand in the middle of the circle. The nominated child disguises their voice and says ‘99.' The first child guesses who is speaking.

Words
Start with a familiar word. Then, the group claps twice. The next player must say a related word. For example, "dog" clap, clap, "bone," clap, clap, "skeleton." Passes from player to player all around the circle.

Names
Choose a name out of a hat to start. Clap around the circle stopping to clap the syllables of each child's name. For example, two claps for Jacob, three claps for Samantha.

Order Up
Break into groups of three to five. Standing in rows, see how quickly each row can arrange themselves by height. Can they beat the other rows? Change it up with ages, birthday months, or alphabetical by names.





Pig On Her Head by Laurie Berkner
Fill a bag with plastic animals. Each player pulls an animal from the bag and places the animal on her head. 
Then, go around the circle and sing the song with each player's name.

Sally has a sheep on her neck,
Sally has a sheep on her neck,
Sally has a sheep on her neck,
And she’ll keep it there all day!

Around the World
Think Four Corners. Place a sign with North, South, East and West on four walls. Players start in the middle and someone shouts where to sail the ship. If the leader shouts, "All round the world," the players have to visit all four walls and get back to the middle as quickly as possible.

Frankenstein
One player pretends to be Frankenstein. He walks towards the others in a slow, creepy, Frankenstein way with arms out. The player he is walking toward calls out another name. Frankenstein walks toward the next person named. Shout a new name before Frankenstein touches you. This is a great ice breaker to learn each other's names. Change Frankenstein after five names.

Arm Chains
Leader calls out a number. The players break into small groups and link arms with that number of people. Once everyone is linked they cross to the other side of the circle. If anyone is odd man out, they get to call out the next number.

Cookie Jar
Seat players in the circle. Pass a cookie behind their backs while they chant,  "Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?"

Teddy stole the cookie form the cookie jar. 
Player whose name was called says, "Who me?"
Everyone else says, "Yes, you!"
Player whose name was called says, "Couldn't be." 
Everyone else says, "Then who?"

Player whose name was called chooses the next name. "Terri stole the cookie from the cookie jar."

Repeat until all names are called.

Follow the Leader
The leader mimes an action. Everyone else must copy the action. The next person mimes that action and adds one of their own and so on.

Hunt the Pair
Get or make cards with matches. Each player takes a card without speaking. They must find the other person with the matching picture card. Use regular cards and match numbers or use picture cards and match things like a baseball and bat.

Johnny Whoops
Name game with finger play. Say the words while pointing to each finger. Start with the pinkie finger. Then move to the index finger.  Each time you move, point to the next finger and say, “Johnny Whoops.” Work your way back saying the name of each finger and then "Johnny Whoops!" 

Hedgehogs
Think Bugs in a Rug! Move around the room to the music, when the music stops have the players curl up like hedgehogs. Put a blanket over one player and then the others stand up and guess who is under the blanket.
Musical Islands
Think Musical Chairs! Place sheets of newspaper or butcher paper on the floor. When the music stops everyone must be standing on the paper. One by one, take the pieces of paper away until there is only one left. Beforehand, have the children decorate the paper like islands.


I know Your Name
Take turns calling out someone’s name. When your name is called, you must swap seats. This is a good game to play during transition time.


Who are We?
First kid states their name and points to another kid, who stands up and repeats the first kid's name. This continues until every kid states everyone else's name.
Chinese Mimes
Think Telephone! Everyone stands in a line in a circle with eyes closed. The first player taps the person standing in front of them. When they turn around, they mime an action. Pass the mime around the circle. Can it make it to the end?

Remote Control
Make up actions for the buttons on a remote control, when that button is pressed they perform the action. Make your own pretend remote or get a giant remote control.

Body to Body
Players stand in a circle and wait to hear how they must connect with each other. Connect fingers, elbows, ankles, etc. If safe, ask them to move left or right while connected. 

What am I?
As you go around the circle, everyone chooses a positive adjective to describe their personality. 

Colors
Go around the circle and ask, "What color would you be?" Everyone must answer something like this, "If I were a color, I would be blue, because it is the color of the sky."

Listening
Everyone closes their eyes and listens for two minutes. Then, the leader goes around the circle asking what sounds were heard.

Instruments
Go around the circle asking what instrument each child would be if they were an instrument. Now, they must also make the sound and pretend to be that instrument. At the end, have a marching band concert with all of the "instruments."

What Color Is This 
Prep with several different colored items. Ask the children, "What color is this?" Let them shout out answers. Next, go around the circle and ask each child to name something else in the room that is the same color.

Storm
Wiggle fingers to make rain. Pass around the circle until everyone is wiggling their fingers. Change the action: Wave arms to make wind, stomp feet to make thunder, raise arms in a circle to make the sun. 

Mirrors
Stand the children in two lines facing each other. The person across from them is their mirror. Take turns being the mirror and being the one looking into the mirror.

Belonging Game
Make cards for each child. Make a few with each number from one to five, then one of each number from six to eight. Without talking, players must find the other numbers in their group. When they find a number match, they pretend to be happy to see them and continue walking together with their number group until all members of their number group are found. If someone with a different number tries to join, they do not let them join their group. Then, talk about how it feels to be left out and how it feels to belong to a group.

Changes
Hand a basket of items to the kids to hold or wear. (Bunny ears, gloves, scarves, pillows) Tell everyone to study each other. Then, remove one player from the room. When they return, they must guess what is different. You can also have kids change places with each other. 

Choo-Choo Game
Everyone sits in a circle. Slowly say, "chug a chug a chug a." Then, begin to chant faster, "chugga chugga chugga chugga." While chanting, slowly stand up. When everyone is standing straight and tall, have them move their arms back and forth and begin to move around the circle together as a train while continuing chanting. Take turns saying, "choo-choo!"

A Sticky Situation
One person in the middle of the circle calls out, "Help, help!" Others reply, "What’s the matter?" The first person makes up a situation. For example, I'm stuck up a ladder or a dog chased me up a tree. The others reply, "Who do you want to help?" The person in the middle makes up random traits for who he wants to help. For example, anyone in a red shirt, someone with tennis shoes... The others nominate a person to help based on these traits. Then the nominee swaps places with the person in the middle. 

Peek-a-Boo
Everyone sits in a circle. One person says, "Peek-a-boo, I see you." Then, they call out a person(s) by attire. For example, "Peek-a-boo, I see you in a red shirt." Everyone in a red shirt stands up. Now, the person speaking covers his eyes. The others wearing red shirts sit back down in different places. Now, the person speaking uncovers his eyes and points to the first person he sees in a red shirt. This person is now "it" and starts the game again with a new item of clothing. "I see you in the tennis shoes."

Feelings
Make cards in advance depicting feelings or actions. Player draws a card and acts out the action. Everyone else must guess the action or emotion.

How Do You Do?
Play music, children move around the circle. When the music stops, they must greet each other with a greeting. Hello, How do you do, Good Morning... Next, they ask each other one question. For example, "What is your favorite color?" This is a fun icebreaker game.

Rug Bugs
Everyone sits in the circle. Grab a blanket or a big beach towel. Now, pick two children to leave the room or wear a fun blindfold. Shh! Just point at the children, grab their hands and take them away from the group. Next, point at two more children and then to the "rug." Hide the children under the "rug." Bring the others back. Can they guess who is missing?

Hello, How are You?
One child crosses the circle to shake hands and ask a question and then returns to their previous position. Now, the questioned child crosses the circle and does the same thing choosing a different child. Play continues until everyone has a turn.

Building Community
While children are in line or at their desks, the leader says, "Come sit in the circle if you live in an apartment." "Come sit in the circle if you drive a van." "Come sit in the circle if you have a dog." "Come sit in the circle if you go to school." When everyone is seated, the leader talks about what it means to have things in common. What it means to have a community. "We are a community of preschoolers with dogs and cats."

Butterfly
Think Duck, Duck, Goose. Everyone sits in the circle. Choose one butterfly. This child flaps fingers like a butterfly as they walk around the circle. Chant, "One little butterfly flew away on a very bright, warm summer day. It flew up in the sky so blue, And when it landed, it landed on you!" The butterfly taps another child on the shoulder. Now this person is the butterfly.


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Circle Games and Activities for Youth: Camp Songs and More

Camp Songs always bring back the best memories! Circle Time isn't just for preschoolersCircle Activities and Games are fun for teens too. If you're planning activities for an after school program, summer camp, scouts, or youth group, these school-aged circle camp activities make nice icebreakers. We've used these group circle games and songs to welcome kids to camp, introduce each other, and as a way to make attendance and head counts fun. 


Circle Games and Activities for Youth: Camp Songs : Summer Camp


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Themes and Activities for Summer Camp at Home


Want to give kids the experience of a great summer camp? Whether you do summer camp for your neighborhood, for a church youth group, or your local community, these summer camp at home themes, schedules, and tips will help you create the best, most fun summer camp for kids from six to sixteen! 

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Summer Camp at Home Themes, Schedules, and Tips


Work in a retirement village or nursing home? Activity directors can adapt the activities for any age group. The objective is fun! Our website is full of fun, free camp activities, circle time activities, and group games. If you want everything at your fingertips (or on your clipboard) grab a copy of any of the books in our companion book series. These books are designed to help you organize and create an amazing youth group program or a simple, summer camp at home

Each books stands alone or get all 3 books for an organized summer camp, after-school program, or extra activities for vacation bible school. 

Our latest book, "Summer Camp at Home Handbook" has a total of five weeks of camp themes and activities. Each week includes: songs to sing, science experiments, group games, art activities, and fun themed snacks. It also includes a welcome pledge, icebreaker game, filler activities, planning calendars, printable today's birthday poster, activity schedule, daily menu poster, registration forms with allergy and photo permission features, and sample letters and forms to create a professional, organized camp program. If you want to do a full-on community summer camp, the only thing you'll need to add is insurance. Some small programs forego insurance for waivers and good luck. It's a good idea to get a short-term summer insurance policy if you plan to include your neighborhood or others outside of your close circle of friends and family.

Do you need a license to operate summer camp? That depends on your city and state. Check with your local government agencies, especially the board of health. Many churches (depending on state laws) are exempt and do not require visits from board of health or other agencies. Often, if the campers are participating in the prep of food it falls under different rules than if you are providing snacks. This is why the Summer Camp at Home Handbook includes theme snack activities and edible art. An easy way to avoid any trouble is to only provide prepackaged snacks and beverages (stay away from milk.) At the least, always have parents sign waivers, waivers, waivers. They won't completely protect you if someone decides to sue, but they do give everyone a heads up and let everyone know you are thinking ahead. Always have parents sign field trip waivers (you can make one for the entirety of camp and list out all pre-planned activities.) Also, be sure you have records of food allergies, immunizations, and authorized pick up persons. Finally, be aware of your state's childcare laws which vary based on the age of children in your care. To play it safe (when doing summer camp at home,) don't have more than five children that are not related to you in each camp session and always have another adult or camp counselor 18+ at your side.

Another thing to consider is first aid and safety training. Staff should be trained to recognize child predators in all childcare, summer camp, youth group, and school settings. In today's world, you can never be too safe or too prepared. That being said, if you are simply doing summer camp at home for your family, close friends, or homeschool group, not all of these steps may be required. However, it's better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you run background checks on anyone that will be regularly helping with your program. That includes your parents, aunts, and older children! This is a safety precaution designed to protect you in case something comes up. In your letter to parents, mention that all adults working with children have undergone a background check. Your local government probably has a background check option on their website.

A big safety consideration is water. Children may find pools and nearby bodies of water enticing. Always, always, keep count of the children in your immediate care. A good rule of thumb is to count kids every 20 minutes. If you are on a field trip or involved in a hectic group game, count them every 15 minutes. If you plan to include swimming in your camp activities or have a pool in your backyard, be aware that special precautions are needed and insurance rates will be higher.

Are you ready to get started hosting your own summer camp at home? Great! You'll want to start with our book, Summer Camp Handbook. This book is full of everything you need for five weeks of awesome summer camp.

Summer Camp Weekly Themes:


  • It's all Rainbows: Rainbow Trails Song, Rainbow Snacks, Leprechaun Rainbow Skit, Rainbow Science Activities (Color and Prisms), and Get Moving Games.

  • Silly Spaghetti: On Top of Spaghetti Song, Crunchy Spaghetti Recipe, Spaghetti Strength Science, Spaghetti Relays, and lots more.

  • Eat Worms: Herman the Worm Song, Worm Theme Snacks, Snakes vs. Worms Game, How to Build a Worm Farm, Slurpin' for Worms, and lots more Worm Theme Games and Activities.

  • Do Monkey Around: The Monkey Song, Banana Snacks, Banana Experiments, and Get Moving Games for Monkeys.

  • Sharks vs Chickens: Baby Shark Song, Chicken Feed Snack, Egg Science Experiments, Shark and Chicken Hats, and lots of Games to Play as Sharks and Chickens.

With a blank, printable monthly calendar included in each weekly camp theme chapter and extra filler activities in case of a time emergency, the Summer Camp at Home Handbook is an essential tool whether it's your very first summer camp program or you are a seasoned camp director. Don't wait any longer, get on your way to the best summer camp ever today!






Our companion books are also available on Amazon in 8 x 10 paperback book format. These books give you extra credit as a camp director or activities director. Get organized with our 365 Planner. This handbook includes printable planning calendars, daily journal space with shareable quote of the day for note taking and planning, printable lesson/activity planning sheets, birthday logs, printable today's birthday poster, menu and activity schedules, and more. 

The 365 Activity Planner Journal, is a great companion handbook to Summer Camp at Home. It's also a great classroom resource planning tool for teachers. Whether you make copies of the printables to reuse again and again, or cuddle up on the sofa with the book to journal your activities, this handbook will help keep all of your thoughts and ideas organized with the added benefit of motivational quotes to keep you going strong. Get your 365 Activity Planner Journal now by clicking on the image.






And, if you are looking for fun games to play in a circle setting check out our Circle Time Handbook. This book includes 39 of the best ever games kids love. Tried and true, we played all of these games in our camp and after-school programs. This book is ideal for teachers who need to fill in some transitional time, afterschoolers who want to have a daily group rap sessions, preschool programs who realize the importance of circle time group activities, and summer camp programs who need filler material for rest breaks and other down time.





Ready, Get Set, Go! You can get all 3 books for under $40 on Amazon



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Summer Camp Themes Ideas Books



Saint Patrick's Day Party Games for Kids: Perfect for Circle Time

Planning a themed Saint Patrick's Day Party? 

These easy games can be played with one child or moreTry some leprechaun approved games for kids. Use these Saint Patrick's Day games in a circle time setting with preschoolers or early elementary school. Enjoy!


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Saint Patrick's Day Party Games for Kids.

How to Get your Kids Excited About Nature at a Young Age

How do you Get Kids to Enjoy Nature?


There’s no refuting that encouraging our kids to get out in nature and engage in outdoor play will result in your family reaping a myriad of benefits, spanning from improved physical and emotional health to providing your children with a ton of fun opportunities for both learning and family bonding. But we also know how difficult it can be to get your kids genuinely excited about outdoor time in this age of screens, screens, and more screens. So, how can you get kids to enjoy nature? Here are a few quick tips!


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How do you Get Kids to Enjoy Nature?


NATURE APPRECIATION TIPS


1. Plan regular outings

Hands down, the best way to get your kids excited about being out in nature is to make sure that you take regular family trips to beautiful places. Make full use of your local hiking trails on weekends, and set some time aside every week to go on a nice, long (and maybe even educational) bushwalk! If you’ve got younger kids with you, be sure to come equipped with a sturdy Joolz stroller, or another kind of stroller that you’re certain can handle off-road terrain if you plan to stray from the beaten path. 

2. Watch nature documentaries

It’s safe to say that young children have very few opportunities to engage with the wonders of the wider world, especially if your family has no upcoming travel plans. But you don’t need to go to Africa to see the lions of the Serengeti or to the Arctic Circle to see polar bears! If you have an allocated family movie night, be sure to flick on some David Attenborough and other nature documentaries every now and then to keep your kids in absolute awe of the natural world. Not only this, but documentaries can also be a great tool when it comes to teaching your kids about the effects of climate change and the importance of decreasing your household’s carbon footprint. Putting these complex issues into real-world contexts can really help your kids develop and maintain healthy living habits.



how to get kids outside in nature


3. Grow your own garden

Speaking of healthy living habits, did you know that even the pickiest kids are more likely to eat veggies that they’ve grown themselves? And that not only is gardening a natural stress reliever, but it’s also been proven to boost our immune systems and strengthen our fine motor skills? Both suburban and city-dwelling families alike, are jumping on the gardening bandwagon and using any free outdoor space to cultivate their own little veggie patches. And you don’t need to go all-out here to reap the benefits either! Even families living in apartment buildings can utilise balcony space to nurture their own herbs and potted produce like tomato plants. If you’re uncertain of where to start, here are five low-maintenance plants that will be sure to get your kids excited about flexing their green thumbs for years to come.

4. Play some outdoor games

Some of our strongest memories from childhood are made during outdoor play, whether we’re bouncing on a trampoline in the backyard or swinging from the monkey bars of our nearest playground. For this reason alone, it’s highly recommended that you take any and all opportunities to play some outdoor games with your kids and to encourage your kids to play sports and other outdoor activities with their peers. Even younger kids can join in on the fun with some inclusive activities like a sandcastle-building competition, and older kids will have a whale of a time with age-old classics like ‘Tag’ and ‘Capture the Flag.’


Finally, it’s a good rule of thumb to always have a small debrief with your little ones after any outdoor activity, just so you can gauge what interests them and what you can do to nurture those interests. If you listen well, you’ll be sure to have some very avid little hikers, bikers, and gardeners on your hands who will only find more ways to keep themselves learning and developing new skills as they grow up!



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