Winter Circle Time/ Morning Basket Plans

Circle Time Planner ~ winter

Gathering Verse:

* Good morning dear earth

Good morning dear sun

Good morning dear flowers

and fairies, every one

Good morning dear beasties

and birds in the tree

Good morning to you

Good morning to me

Come to the circle where dreams are found.

Take my hand, we’ll dance around! (Join hands and sway R and L)

Ha la ha la ha la ha la!  (Skip around the circle)

Round, and round, and round we go!  (spin around)

Opening Verse;

*A candle's but a simple thing,

it starts with just a bit of string,

But dipped or rolled with patient hand,

it gathers wax upon the strand.

Until complete and snowy white,

it gives at last a lovely light.

Life seems so like that bit of string,

each deed we do a simple thing.

Yet day by day on life's strand,

we work with patient heart and hand.

It gathers joy, makes dark days bright,

and gives at last a lovely light..

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* In the Winter garden,

Dark the night below

Earth is waiting, waiting, waiting

For the stars to glow...oh oh oh oh

Seasonal Verse:

*Look Out! Look Out!

Jack Frost is about!

He's after our fingers and toes;

And, all through the night,

The gay little sprite

Is working where nobody knows.

He'll climb a tree,

So nimble is he,

His silvery powder he'll shake;

To windows he'll creep,

And while we're asleep,

Such wonderful pictures he'll make.

Across the grass,

He'll merrily pass,

And change all its greenness to white;

Then home he will go,

And laugh, "Ho, Ho, Ho!

What fun I have had in the night!"

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* Little snowflake, light snowflake, In your white skirt float down;

From the clouds you come drifting To us here on the ground.

Come and stay on my window Like a lovely bright star;

Draw some flowers and ferns, too Bring us joy from afar.

Little snowflake, come cover All the flowers with snow

So they’ll sleep warm and safely Till the spring breezes blow.

hear here 

Seasonal Song:

*Come and wake my Winter King

Join the snow and ice and sing! 

Blow onto trees your wintry frost

Walk with your scepter, do not get lost! 

Breathe icicles on branches above

Pointy like the crown that you love 

Spiral and swirl snowdrifts delight!

Freeze and glow your magic tonight

Join the snow and ice and sing!

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* The North Wind doth blow

And we shall have snow

And what will the robin do then, poor thing

He'll sit in the barn

And keep himself warm

And hide his head under his wing, poor thing

The North Wind doth blow

And we shall have snow

And what will the swallow do then, poor thing

Oh did you not know

He's gone long ago

To a country much warmer than ours

 The North wind doth blow,

And we shall have snow,

And what will the doormouse do then?

Poor thing.

She’ll curl in a ball,

In her nest oh-so small,

And wait for the coming of spring,

Poor thing.

The north wind doth blow,

And we shall have snow,

And what will the daisies do then?

Poor things.

They’ll stay in the grass,

‘Til winter has passed,

And wait for the coming of spring,

Poor things.

 The north wind doth blow,

And we shall have snow,

And what will the swallows do then?

Poor things.

Oh say, don’t you know?

They were gone long ago,

To a country much warmer than this,

Poor things.

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*Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold

Peas porridge in the pot 9 days old

Some like it hot, some like it cold

Some like it in the pot 9 days old

Hymns:

Tell me the old, old story,

  Of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory,

  Of Jesus and His love;

Tell me the story simply,

  As to a little child,

For I am weak and weary,

  And helpless and defiled.

Tell me the old, old story,

Tell me the old, old story,

Tell me the old, old story,

Of Jesus and His love.

Tell me the story slowly,

  That I may take it in—

That wonderful redemption,

  God’s remedy for sin;

Tell me the story often,

  For I forget so soon,

The “early dew” of morning

  Has passed away at noon.

Tell me the story softly,

  With earnest tones and grave;

Remember I’m the sinner

  Whom Jesus came to save;

Tell me the story always,

  If you would really be,

In any time of trouble,

  A comforter to me.

Tell me the same old story,

  When you have cause to fear

That this world’s empty glory

  Is costing me too dear;

And when the Lord’s bright glory

  Is dawning on my soul,

Tell me the old, old story:

  “Christ Jesus makes thee whole.”

Scripture Verse:

The Weekly 24 Family Ways Verse (repeated from Breakfast)

Catechism:

One chapter of St Joseph First Communion Catechism

Read a Bible story

Poetry:Winter Time – R. L. Stevenson

* LATE lies the wintry sun a-bed,     

A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;   

Blinks but an hour or two; and then, 

A blood-red orange, sets again.         

 

Before the stars have left the skies,            

At morning in the dark I rise;

And shivering in my nakedness,        

By the cold candle, bathe and dress. 

 

Close by the jolly fire I sit     

To warm my frozen bones a bit;          

Or with a reindeer-sled, explore        

The colder countries round the door. 

 

When to go out, my nurse doth wrap

Me in my comforter and cap; 

The cold wind burns my face, and blows        

Its frosty pepper up my nose.

 

Black are my steps on silver sod;       

Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;           

And tree and house, and hill and lake,          

Are frosted like a wedding-cake.

Action Verses/Songs:

 *A chubby little snowman had a carrot nose.

(show long nose with a closed fist like a trumpet in front of face)

Along a came a bunny, and what do you suppose?

(Hands show the bunny hopping)

That hungry little bunny, looking for his lunch,

(wiggle nose like a bunny)

Ate the snowman's carrot nose,

Nibble, nibble, crunch

(pretend to eat the carrot)       

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* Five little eskimos by the igloo door

one went out to feed the dogs, then there were four.

Four little eskimos rowing out to sea,

one jumped on an iceberg, then there were three.

Three little eskimos making fish stew,

one burned his finger, then there were two.

Two little eskimos hunting just for fun,

one chased a baby seal, then there was one.

One little eskimo all his work was done,

went home to supper, then there were none.

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* The Snow

This is the way the snow comes down,

Upon a winter day,

But soon the golden sun comes out,

And melts it all away.

Lines 1 & 2: flutter fingers down from arms raised position until arms are lowered.

Lines 3 & 4: make large circle with fingers for sun.

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*Making a Snowman

Roll a snowball round and round,

Round and round upon the ground.

Make one, make two, here's what you do,

You can build a snowman too.

As the sun shines down some day,

Poor snowman, he will melt away.

Lines 1 & 2: roll hands around each other.

Line 3: make two fists, then put one on top of the other.

Lines 4 & 5: hold fists in snowman position.

Line 6: open hands flat out on top of each other.

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* Chook chook chook  one hand)

Good morning Mrs Hen!  (other hand)

How many children have you got?
Madam, I’ve got ten.

Four of them are yellow,  (4 fingers)

Four of them are brown  (hold up other 4 fingers)

And two of them are speckled red  (hold up thumbs)

The nicest in the town!

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* Look Out, Look Out, Jack Frost is About!

Look out, look out  (jump right, jump left)

Jack frost is about  (arms and legs out and up)

He’s after our fingers and toes  (wiggle fingers, touch toes)

And all through the night  (open one arm)

This gay little sprite  (open other)

Is working where nobody knows  (three stomps, r l r)

He’ll climb a tree  (climbing)

So nimble is he

His silvery powder he’ll shake (shake something)

To windows he’ll creep  (make a window frame with your hands)

And while we’re asleep  (Sleep hands)

Such wonderful pictures he’ll make  (move hands around like drawing)

Across the grass,   (jump right, jump left)

He’ll merrily pass (open arms and legs)

And change all its greenness to white  (open one arm then the other)

Then home he will go (bring in arms, one at a time)

And laugh Ho Ho HO!  (arms over belly, and big laugh)

What fun I have had in the night!

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* Here is a cave, inside is a bear  (Cupped hand is cave, curled in thumb is bear)

Ow he comes out to get some fresh air.  (stick thumb out)

He stays out all summer in the sunshine and heat

Hunting in the forest for berries to eat (thumb “eats”)

When snow starts to fall, he hurries inside  (back to the cave)

To his warm little cave, and there he will hide

Snow covers the cave like a fluffy white rug  (Snow flutters down, hand over cave)

But inside the bear sleeps, all cozy and snug.  (open hand a bit to show bear)

Skip Counting/Times Tables:

10 times tables and skip couting with actions

5 times tables  and skip counting with actions

2 times tables  and skip counting with actions

11 times tables  and skip counting with actions

4 times tables  and skip counting with actions

Stories/Books:

Angel Food

Enchanters End Game

The Festival of Stones

 Any seasonal or liturgical ones  that may fit in with the day

* The Land of The Fire Fairies -Adapted from Anne Elizabeth Allen

This is a very old fairy story that children enjoy so very much.  Again we can use our beautiful playsilks to dramatize this tale.  A red silk bunched up can be placed on the floor ahead of time to symbolize the flames of the fire Ted falls asleep next to.  If you have a small figure dressed in red to hide under the silk, this can be the fairy that comes out to tell Ted that the King has sent for him.  Now take your red silk and lay it long and narrow for the 'road' that they travel.  You can just tell the tale as you move your fairy down the road (or you can really take the time to set up beforehand and have small figures on each side for the other fairies working on logs, houses, etc.).  Use a large figure for the King of the Fire Fairies and speak in a deep tone as you tell his part.

The east wind was blowing the falling snow into drifts against the house, fences, and trees. Colder and colder it grew, and little Ted, who had been out playing snowball, suddenly burst into his grandmother's room, crying: 

"Oh, I'm so cold"

He took off his coat, hat, muffler, and overshoes, stamped his feet and shook off the snow. A bright fire was roaring in the grate, and Ted lay down before it to warm himself. He began to watch the flames dancing up the chimney and disappearing into the darkness above. Picking up a stick, he lighted it and held it up the chimney, trying to see whether he could tell where the flame on the end of it went; and he was enjoying himself very much, when his grandmother called to him to put down the stick.  "Why," said Ted, "I am just playing, and want to see what becomes of the flames when they go up the chimney."

"Yes," said Grandmother, "perhaps you do; but the fire king does not allow people to play with his fairies. They are meant to do work, not to play."  "The fire king!" said Ted, as he dropped the stick into the fire; "who is he, Grandmother?"  "I've never seen him," she answered; "but he lives in the land of the fairies."

With his toes turned toward the fire, lying on his back on the warm hearth, Ted soon dropped off to dreamland, the home of the pixies and fairies.  No sooner had he reached that queer land than straight out of the roaring fire jumped a tiny little fairy clothed all in red, who said to Ted:

"The king of the fire fairies has sent for you. Will you come with me?"

Ted was up in a moment, and jumping into the fire, followed close behind the tiny little leader. The bright red road along which they traveled was very interesting. On either side was a fringe of gray moss-like ashes, and as they hurried along Ted saw the fire fairies at work by the hundreds. In one place they had a large log they were working with, which was sending up great flames and much smoke. All around the log were the blackened remains of the grass they had spoiled. In another place a beautiful house was being torn down and burned up by these little mischief-loving fellows. Again, he came to a large stove in which were many of them were helping a cook get dinner ready, and warming the cold fingers and toes of a little boy and girl.

The fairy who was leading Ted went so fast that he did not have a good look at any of these things, and very soon the fairy shouted at the top of his little voice, "Look!"  Ted did look, and straight before him was a larger palace than he had ever supposed could be built.  Flames were bursting out of doors and windows, and the roar made Ted hold his ears, it was so loud.

 On either side of the great front door stood a large giant whom the little fairy said were the giants Heat and Light.  Putting Ted safely on the top of a high wall, the fairy disappeared into the palace. And just at that moment a giant greater than either of the others came to the door. In a voice that sounded like thunder and shook everything around, the giant called:

"Where is the little boy I sent for?"

Ted knew then that this was the great fire king, and was frightened, but answered quickly, "Here I am!"  Then the giant said: "I have sent for you to tell you that my fire fairies are not to be played with. They never hurt any one unless they are played with and taken away from their work; then they are sure to hurt the person who disturbs them."

How frightened little Ted was as he promised faithfully never again to play with fire! He was glad when the giant, satisfied with his promise, shut the great door and disappeared, and his little guide in the bright red suit came skipping toward him, and offered to take him back home.

On the way back he found things changed. The stove was black and cold, and the people who had been warming themselves around it and getting dinner had gone away. The house was burned to the ground, and only a few sleepy fairies were showing their red coats in the gray rubbish. Where the log had been only an ash-heap remained, which the wind was carrying away. The road was no longer red, but dusty, and Ted found that he could walk much more slowly.

How tired he was! His face felt so warm, his body so stiff-and what was that noise? How much like the dinner-bell it sounded! Was that the fairy who was slinking him? A long stretch and a yawn, and his eyes flew open. There was his dear grandmother trying to get him awake.

"Did you see him, Grandmother," asked Ted.
"See whom?" she answered.
"The fire fairy," said Ted; and then began to laugh when he saw his grandmother's eyes twinkle.

"Oh! Grandmother," said he, "I have really been to see the giant king of the fire fairies, and have seen his palace and the two giants Light and Heat that guard his door." 

Closing Verse:

* Here’s a heart in my hands (hands together)

I hold it very near (bring to chest)

I share it with my family, and all I see right here (gesture open)

Today our hands were busy (hands turn over)

Tonight we all shall rest (hands to face, as in sleep)

And every day I strive (one hand up, other hand across body)

To do our very best (slowly lower raised hand)

and snuff out the candle.

Game:

'Ticka Tacky

Nicky Nacky Nu

Dear little sultana where are you?'

Props Needed:

Blessings to you and your homes,