Summer Circle Time/Morning Basket Routine

As I mentioned in my Summer reading post I have been busy trying to get ALL my planning ready for the coming Learning year.
As yet I am not quite finished but have mostly completed this task.
One of the re occuring events in our day after our Early morning routine is Circle Time/Morning Basket.
This is themed after the seasons and has many aspects within it.
We cover seasonal poems, verses, action songs as well as cover basic Faith items and virtue training, times tables and some general reading together.

Even though we are nearly finished Summer this is what we have been doing in our Summer Circle Time this year.

Circle Time Planner ~ Summer

This is what I do to start Morning Circle Time with our children:

Stock a large basket with everything needed for the day’s circle-time activities. To signal little ones to join you in the circle-time area, grab your basket and sing the following song.

Gathering Verse:

(sung to the tune of “A Tisket, a Tasket”)

A tisket, a tasket,

Mummy has her basket.

It’s time for all my little ones

To join me on the carpet.

* 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;

Light  the candle (taking turns each day) as we say the poem below

* Come out, come out this sunny day

The fields are sweet with new mown hay

The birds are singing loud and clear

For summer time once more is here

So bring your rakes and come and play

And toss and tumble in the hay

The sweet wild roses softly blow

All pink and white the roses grow

The nodding daisies in the grass

Lift up their heads to hear you pass

Upon this happy, sunny day

When you come out to make the hay.

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Sunshine Fairies

*  We are the sunshine fairies

And with our sparks of light

We shimmer and glimmer in the air

Hugging flowers with colours so bright

(Begin standing in a circle, children hold out their arms at their sides and turn in place clockwise as fairies. Stop and flick fingers as sparks. Hold out arms at sides, flutter fingers, then turn in place counterclockwise; hug self and rub hands up and down over folded arms.)

Seasonal Verse:

In summer when the days are long,

The grass is cool and sweet;

I take my shoes and stockings off

And walk in just bare feet;

At night, how good the water feels

Along the bruises of your heels!

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* Midsummer eve so nursie tells,

Is meant for dances and fairy spells.

It is not dark, it is not light,

But grey and tipped with glow worm light.

Then all the flowers awake.

They keep and whisper softly slow and deep,

But most of all a magic song sounds from the daisies all night long.

Seasonal Songs:

*Summer's Here: to the tune of "Are you sleeping"

Days are longer, sunshine's stronger

Summer's here, summer's here!

Let's jump through the sprinkler, let's make lemonade

Summer's here, summer's here.

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* Mermaid Song :  (sung to the tune of I had A little Nut Tree)

I’d like to be a mermaid,

As pretty as can be,

Sitting on a rock,

In the middle of the sea.

Combing out my hair,

In the golden sun,

And swishing my fine tail,

Oh wouldn’t it be fun!

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* Fairy Fairy in the Garden - sung to the tune of Mary, Mary Quite Contrary)

Fairy Fairy in the Garden,

Will you come tonight?

Dancing in the cool moonlight,

All silver sparkling white

Fairy, fairy, in the garden,

Will you come tonight?

Dancing in a little ring,

What magic will you bring?

Fairy, fairy, in the garden,

Did you come last night?

I can tell that you were here,

My little fairy dear!

Hymns:

*Salve Regina in Latin (using you tube)

Salve Regina, mater misericordiae:

Vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.

Ad te clamamus, exsules, filii Hevae.

Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes

in hac lacrimarum valle.

Eia ergo, Advocata nostra,

illos tuos misericordes oculos

ad nos converte.

Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,

nobis, post hoc exsilium ostende.

O clemens: O pia: O dulcis

Virgo Maria.

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*The Servant Song

Will you let me be your servant

Let me be as Christ to you

Pray that I might have the grace

To let me be your servant too

We are pilgrims on the journey

We are brothers on the road

We are here to help each other

Walk the mile and bear the load

I will hold the Christ light for you

In the night time of your fear

I will hold my hand out to you

Speak the the peace you long to hear.

I will weep when you are weeping

When you laugh, I'll laugh with you

I will share your joy and sorrow

Till we've seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven

We shall find such harmony

Born to all we've known together

Of Christ's love and agony

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* Hail Queen Of Heaven The Ocean Star (In Latin too)

Hail, Queen of heaven, the ocean star

Guide of the wanderer here below,

Thrown on life's surge, we claim thy care,

Save us from peril and from woe.

Mother of Christ, O Star of the sea

Pray for the wanderer, pray for me.

O gentle, chaste, and spotless Maid,

We sinners make our prayers through thee;

Remind thy Son that He has paid

The price of our iniquity.

Virgin most pure, O star of the sea,

Pray for the sinner, pray for me.

And while to Him Who reigns above

In Godhead one, in Persons three,

The Source of life, of grace, of love,

Homage we pay on bended knee:

Do thou, bright Queen, O star of the sea,

Pray for thy children, pray for me.

Scripture Verse:

The Weekly 24 Family Ways Verse (repeated from Breakfast)

Catechism:

My Big Book of Catholic Bible Stories – one chapter

The Mass Explained for Children

St Patrick’s Summer

Poetry:

*The Fairy Ring

Oh, Have you seen the fairies dance

Upon a Summers night?

And watched the gnomes and pixies peace

Where’er the moon is bright?

‘Tis splendid fun to see them run

As soon as it grows light.

One evening sister May and I

Went out soon after tea;

The moon hung like a ball on high

Above the fairy glen.

And round and round the ground

Danced fays and elfin men.

And there at dawn they leave behind

A ring of toadstools wee

(Where they have danced you’ll always find

This mark for folks to see)

Then off they fly into the sky

Just as the clock strikes three.

Action Verses/Songs:

 * A tisket, a tasket

A tisket, a tasket,

A green and yellow basket,

I sent a letter to my love,

And on the way I dropped it,

I dropped, I dropped it,

And on the way I dropped it,

A little boy picked it up,

And put it in his pocket.

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* Oats and Beans and Barley Grow

Oats and Beans and Barley Grow

But you or I nor anyone know,

How Oats and Beans and Barley Grow

(Hold Hands for above verse)

First the farmer sows his seed (act out each line)

Then he stands and takes his ease

Stamps his feet and claps his hands

And turns around to view the land.

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*  Yes Ma’am  -Leader says first part children the  yes ma’am

Oh John the rabbit, yes ma’am

Had a mighty bad habit, yes ma’am

Of jumping in my garden, yes ma’am

He ate my tomatoes, yes ma’am

And all my sweet potatoes, yes ma’am

And he cut down all my cabbage, yes ma’am

And he ate up all my peas, yes ma’am

And if I live, yes ma’am

To see next fall, yes ma’am

I just won’t have, yes ma’am

Any garden at all. NO MA’AM!

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* Shoo fly

Shoo Fly don’t bother me

Shoo Fly don’t bother me

Shoo Fly don’t bother me

For I belong to somebody

His name is Jesus Christ and he’s The Son of God

His name is Jesus Christ and He’s The Son of God

So……. (repeat)

          

Skip Counting/Times Tables:

10 times tables, forward and backwards and skip couting with actions

5 times tables, forward and backwards  and skip counting with actions

2 times tables, forward and backwards  and skip counting with actions

11 times tables, forwards and backwards  and skip counting with actions

4 times tables, forwards andbackwards  and skip counting with actions

Stories/Books:

* For Heavens Sake

* Enchanters End Game

*Seasonal -Tip Toes Lightly book

*Stepping Stones for little People

 *Any seasonal or liturgical stories that may fit in with the day

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,