In our home, “Circle Time” is how we start our day.
This is when the kids sit with me to spend a little time focusing on Jesus to get our day started on the right note. I absolutely feel that if THIS is all that we accomplish in the day it has been a success.
We also have some academics built into the end to do memory work too just to keep it fun and moving.
So I thought that I would share a glimpse into our “Circle Time” to help give you some inspiration and ideas! I have tried a few different methods, and I have definitely OVER packed our Circle Time in the past, but now I feel like we have a good groove going.
What is “Circle Time”?
There are so many variations for this that other amazing moms use like: “Morning Time”, “Together Time”, “Quiet Time”, “Morning Basket”, etc, and you can call it any name best for your family.
The beauty of this opportunity is to make it all your own – what best fits you and your family. I’ve created ours by lots of trial and error.
Additionally, each new year bring new opportunities to learn different things.
WORSHIP & PRAYER
The first portion is “Jesus Focused” with Worship and Prayer.
We gather in the living room and begin with a worship song to focus our hearts and attention on the Lord first. Some worship songs we love are “Ever Be” by Natalie Grant, A Simple Kids Hymn Study
Then we Pray.
We use the ACTS acronym as a guide: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication.
We then begin prayer with a few moments of confession – I pray aloud in order to teach my kids how to confess, and they bow their heads. Sometimes we go around the room so that each one can share something they are thankful for.
And then we move to our Prayer Board. This is a simple tri-fold board that we have decorated as our Pray Without Ceasing Board. We tape up pictures of family and friends and have an American flag, and missionary cards. Then we use simple sticky notes to add everyday requests.
You can read more about prayer here: Teach Kids to Pray by Faith
This provides a visual board to pray for the needs around us. We have used the same board since 2016. It has evolved, but it is more amazing than ever.
DEVOTIONAL & READING
Next, we review our scripture memory verse. the kids like to recite their favorites during this time, and then read our devotional.
Some of the devotionals that we have used are Jesus Calling For Kids, “I AM Devotional:100 Names of God“.
Check out these: 8 Amazing Devotionals for Kids
“Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends” – this was a fantastic book that we used as a morning devotional. Written by siblings for siblings with a full spiritual focus, we really enjoyed it.
I also have read from our “The Ology” book which is a great book for kids to learn the basic truths of the theology in Christianity.
Finally, we do our current read-aloud. We read either a living book, history book, hymn story, bible animals, or missionary stories. This is done on a loop schedule like the one below.
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | ||
| History book | Missionary story | Bible Animals | Hymn story |
Using this type of loop schedule allows you to simply pick up the next topic/book each day. I used a 4-day sample since it accommodates a homeschool coop program day or field trips.
Occasionally we will do another new hymn we learned too. This might take us about 30 minutes to get through, but we are able to do it in about 10-15 minutes when pressed for time.
ACADEMICS ADDED
Many mornings I will include our History or Science. I weave into our circle time simple living books on one of the topics we are studying.
This is also a great place to include a simple unit study. If you are studying butterflies, then you can read a book on the life cycle. Or if you are studying weather, then you can read about Types of Clouds.
Here is where I also LOVE to use Youtube and get the kids up and moving.
We might watch a few of the hymns to sing along with and switch gears to some exercise and math/grammar/geography memory songs – skip counting, parts of speech, letter sounds, continents, and countries.
We also review our weekly Classical Conversations.
With this portion of academics, it takes us about 1 full hour to get through from start to finish.
AFTER CIRCLE TIME
After all this, I try to get outside. We often go for a family walk through the neighborhood. This is hands down one of the favorites of my kiddos!! Or the kids will shoot hoops, ride scooters, and hop on the swings. RECESS!
See why in this post: Reset Your Day with a Family Walk
Any morning routine can have something like this implemented into it. It can be brief or elaborate but most important is that it centers on your family’s values and mission statement.
CIRCLE TIME INSPIRATIONS
We have at times created circle time bags for each child. This works best for small children, but elementary aged kids can also benefit from having something to do with their hands while reading aloud times.
After prayer, they would each grab their bag that is stuffed with things like:
- blanket
- puzzles
- Lincoln Logs
- Lacing cards
- crayons + book or paper
- LEGO’s
- any quiet handwork items
This gives them a chance to get settled in their own area and set up while I read to them.
Our circle time is not always perfect.
In fact, it usually still has its interruptions and a bathroom break here and there, and SNACKS, oh the snacks (reading and sitting seem to make kids very hungry, you know)
But we do get through it almost every school day.
I have purposed that if I get nothing else but circle time done then I have accomplished something!
I have also checked out other moms to see what they have in their morning baskets and how they carry it out.
You can see how Pam Barnhill discusses all kinds of Morning Basket ideas on her website. There are lots of possibilities out there and as you start to find what works you will open up new closeness with your children that will be a part of the day you all look forward to.
Some resource links to the above products.
Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids
I Am Devotional: 100 Devotions About the Names of God
Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends: How to Fight the Good Fight at Home
The Ology: Ancient Truths Ever New
Do you have a circle time to start the day with your kids? What things do you include in that time? I’d love to hear it in the comments.
Best,
(This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.)