Hunting for fall circle time songs? You are in the right place!
Because children will be seeing lots of fall colors and decor the next few months, they’ll be especially interested in finding out how you just might be using that pumpkin at circle time.
While this might be interesting enough to get them to circle, keeping them there means providing activities that are actively engaging.
That’s just what you’ll find in the 3 activities below. You will need to source just one item for all 3 songs.
Do you know what it is?
A Pumpkin!
You can purchase a fake one at the dollar store, get yourself the real thing (I’d suggest choosing one on the small side so children can hold it), or print my FREE song pack below that includes 5 printable pumpkins!
Ready for the 3 fall songs for circle time?
1. Walk Around the Pumpkin
Using the traditional tune, “The More We Get Together” makes this activity a perfect way to bring movement to circle time. Add different ways to move around the pumpkin like hopping, jumping etc.
Grab the freebie and you’ll get the digital audio track!
Let’s walk around the pumpkin,
the pumpkin, the pumpkin,
Let’s walk around the pumpkin
and then we’ll fall down.
2. Who Stole the Pumpkin from the Pumpkin Patch
A spin on the traditional chant, “Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar” makes this activity a perfect one for fall. Print the pumpkins in the free download and write your students’ names on them. It’s a great way to practice name recognition and build community!
Who stole the pumpkin from the pumpkin patch?
Jimmy stole the pumpkin from the pumpkin patch.
Who, me?
Yes, you!
Couldn’t be!
Then who?
3. Pass the Pumpkin
Circle games are always a hit and this one is no exception! Children may take awhile to get used to the idea of keeping the pumpkin moving and not holding it the entire time. But with practice they’ll realize it’s fun even if it doesn’t “stop on you”!
Be sure to grab the free download with the digital audio track. You’ll love the song as it does all the heavy lifting for you.
Pass the pumpkin all around.
Listen to the spooky sound.
Ooo, oo, ooo, oo,
Will it stop on you? Boo!
Grab the lyrics Lyrics Below!
Want the lyrics for your circle time binder along with a pumpkin printable? (if you don’t have one yet, I strongly recommend starting one).
Keeping theme organized by seasons and themes is a great way to always have new and familiar songs at your fingertips.
Download the lyrics, pumpkin printable and QR code to play the digital audio tracks below. 👇
“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”
-Dale Carnegie
Learning the names of your kids right away is a must! It instantly connects you with them and they move from being anonymous to, “oh man, she knows my name!”.
My mom was a substitute teacher for years. She had a few tricks to help her survive the day. The first one was to always start by telling the class a joke. She mainly taught high school so that opened up the door for lots of silly and probably off color ones too.
Her second trick was to learn the students’ names right away. That way they went from being “hey you” to “Tommy, turn around!” and that got their attention REALLY fast.
I took that trick to heart and always made sure to learn every child’s name as quickly as possible.
That meant I had to find a lot of name games to keep it fun for kids while I was busy committing the names to memory. As a music teacher I see on average around 300 kids a week so if you are a classroom teacher with 20 kids, I’m little jealous.
I did find that having a list in front of me or on the wall with the names helped me to lock in the name even better. When we use multiple senses to retain information, it helps us to retrieve the information more easily because it’s kept in more than one spot in our brain.
Below are 4 name games that kids love and I hope you will too.
#1 Higgelty, Piggelty, BumbleBee
This catchy rhyme can be sung or chanted with the same great results. There are so many variations to this activity, that you really could do it every day for weeks! Begin by going around the circle and having children say their name at the end of the rhyme. If children are not comfortable enough with the group to say it, they may need some help. Just be sure to not force them to say their name. It will come with time.
#2 Willoughby, Wallaby Wee
If you don’t know this funny rhyming song yet, it’s time to learn it! Even babies will enjoy it especially if you bring along an elephant finger puppet or hand puppet to join in the fun.
Rhyming is a major component to learning to read. The sooner children are able to manipulate language the way we do in this song, the sooner they will learn to read. Click here to read more about why rhyming is such a key player in reading.
#3 Who is Here Today?
Taking the time to show each child that they are a valuable member of the learning community, builds self-confidence and a sense of belonging. When these skills are fostered at an early age in children, it helps cement the idea that they are important and special.
Make sure to look each child in the eye when their name is called. This lets them know you are focusing on only them. Emergent literacy is also developed in this activity when a picture of each child along with their name is used. By providing this visual clue, a child can correctly identify their written name in print as well as their classmates’ names – double win!
#4 Johnny Whoops
While it might seem boring and basic to you as an adult, kids love the simplest things like hearing their name played with in funny ways.
“Johnny Whoops” is the perfect song for this.
You can either go around the circle and do one child’s name at a time, or use a name jar especially if you have a big class.
To use this method, simply place a popsicle stick with each child’s name written on it in a jar. Then select a few children’s names to do at each circle time.
Start on your pinky finger and say “Johnny” as you point to the tip of each finger. After the pointer finger, slide your finger over to the thumb while saying “whoops”. Then work your way back to the pinky saying “Johnny” on each finger.
Do you know what the biggest struggle is when it comes to circle time? Keeping kids engaged!
Here’s how it goes….you plan this amazing list of activities to do at circle time, but you can’t even get a word in edgewise! With kids complaining about not having enough space, someone’s in their seat or they have to go to the bathroom, it is no wonder many teachers say circle time is their least favorite part of the day.
What if I could give you 7 tried and true secrets that will begin to turn your circle times around? These secrets have come from me falling flat on my face repeatedly until I found what works. This means, I’ve failed so you don’t have to!
If you are ready to make a change at circle time, check out the “7 Secrets for Circle Time Success” and get ready to rock your circle times tomorrow!
Songs for Circle Time
A really awesome way to keep kids engaged is to have lots and lots of activities to share. My two favorite kinds of activities are music and movement ones of course.
There was a preschool teacher name Cindy who started every circle time with a story. Sometimes she’d make up a story and use one of the students in her class as the main character, while other times she’d retell a classic tale such as Cinderella or Jack and the Beanstalk. Whatever her story for the day was about, the children were captivated and couldn’t get enough. It became something they looked forward to each and every day.
By the end of the school year, Cindy’s kids had not only heard a vast array of stories, they could retell a few themselves! What if you could be like Cindy too?!?
Did you know that storytelling dates back thousand and thousands of years? Before there was the written word, there were storytellers who passed down stories by word of mouth from generation to generation.
This day and age we have access to millions of books, but the captivating components of a good story being told seems to never get old.
I’ve found when working with kids, if I simply say, “once upon a time….,” the room goes silent and they can’t wait to hear my story.
That’s why I tell a story at least once a month in my music classes.
Benefits of Storytelling
The benefits of storytelling for children are endless. The focus and listening skills required by the listener to ensure they don’t miss a key part of the story are strengthened when they concentrate on the storyteller’s voice.
Language skills are built with the introduction of new vocabulary and phrases. If I use a word or phrase that needs an explanation, I’ll ask the children if they know what it means. This offers an opportunity for those who are familiar with the word or phrase to share with the group. It also shows them that it is ok to ask me if they aren’t sure what a word means.
Because I’m not reading from a picture book that provides imagery, my listeners are encouraged to use their own imagination to picture the story and what the characters look like.
Unlike reading a book, storytelling gives me the freedom to change anything I want. I will often ask the children to help me name the characters or decide what should happen next in the story. It’s like “choose your own adventure” and who doesn’t like that?!? When I do this, I’m encouraging creativity and audience participation. This of course increases overall engagement!
Note: I usually have at least some kind of prop when I am telling the story to keep them visually engaged such as a flannel board and felt pieces or puppets. BTW, If you don’t have a flannel board to do your stories with yet, be sure to check out my blog on how to make a flannel board box. It is actually my favorite way to tell a story and the kids love it too!
Last but not least, many classic folktales also contain a moral or lesson. Without realizing it, kids are learning valuable life lessons in a fun and engaging way.
How to Prepare to Tell a Story
Don’t worry if you aren’t comfortable with the idea of being a storyteller. It’s a skill and can easily be learned with a little bit of practice.
The best way to go about preparing to share a story is to find one you love. You might start with a story you already know like “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. Or check out one of my favorite books by storytelling extraordinaire, Margaret Reed McDonald, Three Minute Tales. She has written a ton of books as a collector of stories from around the world. You also might enjoy her book The Storyteller’s Start-Up Book: Finding, Learning, Performing and Using Folktales. It offers tips and tricks to get started telling stories kids (and adults) will love to hear!
The key is to remember the basic plot and then fill in the rest with your own words. Practice telling the story while you drive or even while taking a shower.
Once you’ve become comfortable with it, just do it!
Would you like to hear one of my favorite stories? Watch the video below. and be sure to have the kids join in on the song that repeats throughout the story! Then try retelling it in your own words. What’s fun about storytelling is you never tell the story the same way twice!
The Enormous Turnip – a Russian Folk Tale
10 Songs Preschool Teachers Should Know
Simply fill out the information below and receive a FREE SONGBOOK filled with "10 Songs Every Preschool Teacher (Parent) Should Know".
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.
When it comes to circle time, many teachers spend a considerable amount of time finding activities to keep the children engaged. But they fail to think about how the space where their circle time is happening may be just as important. I am so excited to share with you a few easy tricks I have found over the years that have made a ton of difference when it comes to making the most of circle time. The great thing is, they are pretty easy changes you can implement right away! Here are a few simple steps you can take to get your circle time space ready to rock.
1. Just the Right Size
When choosing a place to designate as the circle time area, it is important to not only think about the number of students in your class that will need their own personal space, but to also consider all of the activities the children will be participating in while there.From story times to movement activities, this space needs to be large enough to accommodate it all.
While book cases and walls do a great job of defining a space, if they close the space in too much it actually creates a problem on a few levels.
With sitting activities like “Whoa, Jack!” where kids roll back, they need room to do so without hitting a shelf or a wall. In “Balance Boogie” when kids are up and moving, they need room to move about freely and not bump into the other children.
The other issue walls and bookcases don’t allow for is core strengthening. When children (and adults too) have a place to rest their back when they are on the floor, they’ll take it! Problem is it means they miss out on the chance to activate the muscles needed to support one’s body in a seated, unsupported position. As the experts over at Inspired TreeHouse tell us, core strengthening is SO important for kids on a ton of levels.
For these two reasons alone, an open concept circle time space with little or no vertical barriers is ideal.
2. Make a Circle
You are probably thinking, duh, I know it should be a circle, it’s circle time! The reason I am taking the time to explain this piece is because I have seen many classes sit their children in rows rather than a circle. While seeing a book being read may be easier while in rows, it doesn’t change the fact that when kids are sitting in rows, the further away the child is from the teacher, the more likely they are to misbehave. I also feel it is not as welcoming.
A circle is an ancient symbol for unity and wholeness and has no beginning or end. Since community building is a key outcome for circle time, honoring this shape (or some variation of it such as an oval or rectangle) will allow each child to feel like an equal member of the group.
If possible, find a carpet to place in the circle time area that is big enough for all children to sit around the edge of while still allowing for ample elbow room (refer to picture below). Carpets that have letters, shapes etc. around the outside edge work best as they give a visual representation for where each child’s personal space is located.If a carpet is not an option, use carpet squares laid out in a circle or masking tape a circle or oval onto the floor.
Amazon has tons of great carpets that fit my requirements. Click here to start shopping.
3. Circle Time Materials
Until materials are needed, they should be kept out of children’s reach. If possible, even out of sight. Doing so eliminates distraction during the other activities and keeps the children wondering what you will put out next. Finding boxes with lids will not only help keep materials organized, they will also help keep curious fingers from getting into the materials before it is time.Be sure the materials are stilleasily accessible for you so when they are needed in the lesson, you can quickly retrieved them without leaving the circle time area.
4. Reduce or Eliminate Distractions
When children lose interest in what is happening at circle time, they will naturally search for something else to keep them busy.Often times that means something they can put in their hands. To avoid this, make sure the area is free from items that may capture their attention such as books or blocks. Turn bookshelves around so they face away from the circle area or cut a piece of fabric to fit the bookcase or shelf to hide the contents. Think, “out of sight, out of mind”.
Classroom Example
Now that we’ve reviewed the 4 tips, let’s take a look at a classrooms to get a visual understanding of what is and is not working based on my recommendations.
What I like: I love that there are little or no objects within an arm’s reach. That means children can stay focused on what the teacher is presenting and not get into what’s behind them. The carpet is also ideal as the letters around the outside edges clearly designate a space for each child. There are no bookshelves or walls near by which means the children will have no problem rolling backwards and hitting anything. They will also have ample room for movement activities and can even go out into the classroom area and easily return to the circle at the end of the movement without creating a traffic jam.
What I’d change: I do prefer to sit on the floor with the children and be at their level, but if physical limitations do not allow for this, a chair is absolutely acceptable.
Hopefully these 4 secrets will provide some ideas for how you can improve your circle times. Some or all may not be possible in your current situation, but keep them in mind when setting up your classroom in the future.
I’d love to hear if any of my suggestions worked for you as well as learn any tricks you have to share!
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription.