Circle time

Warm ups and End games

1. Fruit bowl: to mix children up
Each child is given the name of a fruit, when their fruit
is called they change seats.
. Clapping
!oing round the circle one clap continues the direction,
changes the direction bac".
#. $eys
%ne child stands in the middle of the circle
blindfolded. &he other children pass something noisy
around the circle. When the child in the middle thin"s
they "now where the "eys are they shout 'stop() and
point in that direction.
*. +hopping
', went to the shops and bought-) each child
remembers the previous items and adds one of their
own.
.. /irthdays
Call a month of the year, children whose birthdays are
in that month, run around the circle bac" to their
original chair.
0. Words
+tart with a word and claps in between, the next
child must say a word associated to the start, e.g. tree,
clap, clap, leaf, clap, clap, caterpillar-
1. +2uee3e
4old hands around the circle, and pass a gentle s2uee3e
from hand to hand.
5. +mile
6 smile is passed around the circle.
7. 6rm lin"
+ay a number, the children have to lin" up with the
correct number in their group, then cross the circle
lin"ed.
18. 4unt the pair
9repare paired picture cards, e.g. buc"et and spade,
each child ta"es a card, then must find their pair
without spea"ing.
11. :usical islands
9lace large sheets of newspaper on the floor, when the
music stops all feet must be on the paper. +lowly ta"e
the pieces of paper away.
1. , "now your name
&a"e turns to call someone)s name and swap seats,
continue until everyone has been called.
1#. ;racula
6 child is ;racula, they say a victims name and start to
wal" towards them, the victim must say another name
to change the victim, and ;racula changes direction
towards the new victim, if a victim is caught, they
become ;racula.
1*. 77
6 child leaves the room while someone is nominated.
When the child enters the room they stand in the
middle of the circle, the nominated child says '77),
trying to disguise their voice. &he first child tries to
guess who spo"e.
1.. Chinese mimes
6ll stand facing the bac" of the person in front, with
eyes closed. &he leader taps the person in front on the
shoulder, when they turn around mime an action. &he
mime is passed around the circle to see if it changes
much.
10. <emote control
Children suggest actions for some of the buttons on a
remote control when that button is pressed they
perform the action.
11. /ody to body
!roup children around the circle= say how they must be
>oined, e.g. finger?to?finger. Children carry out
commands.
15. Follow the leader
&he leader begins miming and action= clapping, etc. the
others in the circle must copy. Change leader after
or # actions.
17. ,ntroductions
,ntroduce yourself and the person sitting next to you.
Continue around the circle.
8. What am ,@
Choose a positive ad>ective to describe yourself, go
around the circle in turn.
1. Who are we@
%ne child says their name and points to another child,
who stands up and repeats until all are standing.
. Colours
,f , were a colour, , would be - because-
#. Aistening
6ll close eyes and listen for minutes, then go around
the circle to say what sounds were heard.
*. ,nstruments
,f , were an instrument, , would be- because-
.. +torm
Aeader starts by wiggling fingers for the rain, this
passes around the circle until everyone is wiggling their
fingers. &he leader then changes the action to other
aspects of the storm, e.g. wind B arms waving, thunder
B slap "nees. End with the sun ? mime a circle.
0. :irrors
,n pairs 6C/ 6 is the leader, / is the mirror and must
copy the actions, go slowly at first. +wap roles.
1. /elonging game
:a"e enough cards for each child to have one, ma"e #
or * with each number from 1?., then one of each
number 0,1,5. Children must not tal", but must find the
others in their groups, when they find a fellow number,
they must act very pleased to see them and continue
wal"ing as if a group, when all members are found sit
down. ,f someone with a different number tries to >oin,
act as if they are not welcome. &al" about the feelings
of belonging, how it felt to be left out, how it felt to
re>ect others.
5. Changes
+omeone goes outside, people in the circle swap
places, and the outsider tries to guess who has moved.
7. 6 stic"y situation
%ne person in middle calls out '4elp, help( %thers reply
'What)s the matter@) first person ma"es up a situation:
e.g. stuc" up a ladder, chased by "iller bees. %thers
reply 'Who do you want to help@) first person ma"es up
random criteria: e.g. tallest, "indest, best at tables.
%thers nominate person to help, they swap places with
one in middle. 6ll good at different things, we can all
help each other.
#8. Feelings
Child ta"es a feelings card and an action card, e.g.
eating dinner B excited. Child acts in appropriate
manner, others guess. Children could ma"e up on
feelings and actions.
#1. 4ow do you do@
9lay music, children move around room. When the music
stops children greet each other Dany culturally
appropriate greetingE then as" each other one 2uestion,
eg what do you li"e doing@ What is your favourite
colour@
#. /uilding community
+ay 'come into the circle and >oin hands if you- Dhave
long hair, wear glassesE) continue until most in circle,
end with 'come into the circle if you are in class-) 6ll
shout 'We are()
##. 4ello, how are you@
%ne child crosses the circle to sha"e hands and as" a
2uestion, then returns to their place. &he 2uestioned
child then crosses the circle.
#*. &he lining up game
Without help, the children need to line up 2uic"ly in:
register order, birthday month order, house number
order Dif the house only has a name it counts as 8E.
#.. 4edgehogs
:ove around the room to the music, when the music
stops children curl up on the floor li"e hedgehogs. 9ut a
curtain over one child, the others stand up and guess
who is under the curtain. <eturn to seats and share a
round to say what we li"e about the curtained
hedgehog.