Whether you have one kid or ten, circle time games are fun for all.
Try out these games to bring some fun to your circle time.
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Why Play Circle Time Games
Circle time is a great time to work on various skills.
From community building to letter identification to gross motor skills to memory games.
Take what you have learned and turn it into a circle time game to help your little ones review what they have learned.
Most games require your little ones to take turns.
These circle time games are a great way to practice taking turns in a fun way.
Enjoy getting your little ones thinking and moving with these circle time games.
7 Circle Time Games
Finish the Pattern
Grab some blocks, crayons, or anything you can think of!
Make a pattern like red, blue, red, blue, and have your little ones finish the patterns.
Patterns don’t have to be only colors.
The direction of the object, shape, or size can all make patterns, too.
Would You Rather
Give your little ones two options to choose from.
Would you rather be a cat or a dog?
Have everyone that would be a cat go to one side of the room and everyone that would be a dog go to the other side.
Ask another question and have them move to the correct spots.
You can have them tell you why they made that choice, or you can move on to the next question.
Here are 100 Would You Rather Questions for Kids that we love to use!
I Spy
A game as old as time. No materials are needed.
Look for something around the room.
Say “I spy with my little eye something _______.”
Fill in the blank with a color, shape, texture, or size.
Have your little ones guess what you are spying.
The person who guesses it first gets to spy next.
Items on a Tray Memory Game
Before circle time, place a few items on a tray.
Show the kids the tray full of the items.
Give them 30 seconds to try to remember everything on the tray.
Take the tray away and remove one of the items.
Bring the tray back and have the kids determine what item is missing.
The more items on the tray, the harder the task!
Simon Says
Simon (the person that is calling out moves) says, “Simon says stand on one foot.”
The rest of the group needs to follow the task.
Simon continues to call out moves to have the group do.
Simon can also say, “Raise your hand” without saying, “Simon says”.
If anyone in the group does the task, that person sits down because Simon didn’t say to do the task.
Parachute with a Bed Sheet
Grab a bed sheet and have everyone grab onto the edge.
Call out different speeds.
Have the children move the ‘parachute’ at this speed.
Add some fun by putting pom poms or stuffed animals on top to make ‘popcorn.’
If you have multiple children, challenge one to crawl under the parachute from one side of the parachute to the other before the parachute comes down to the ground.
Pass the Letter Bag
Put letter tiles (or anything with letters on it— even index cards) in a bag.
Pass the bag around the circle.
Sing the song, “Pass the letter bag, the letter bag, the letter bag.
Pass the letter bag.
Now please take one.”
The person that has the bag when you are done singing gets to pull out a letter and say the letter’s name.
Continue to pass the bag around and sing.
You can add other things to the bag, like shapes, colors, or even items to say the name of to change up the game.
Circle Time Games
From classics like I Spy to new takes on old games like using a bed sheet as a parachute, you are sure to have a great time playing these circle time games with your littles.
Feel free to change these circle time games to fit the needs of your little learners.