1) A good song to start  circle time with is "Let Everyone Clap HAnds Like Me"

Let everyone clap hands like me(clap clap)
It's easy as easy can be (clap clap)
Let everyone join in the game(clap clap)
You'll find that it's always the same(clap clap)

Vary the words by choosing actions that vary different body parts and
movements

roll hands    wink eyes    shake heads    tap toes    stamp feet
snap fingers   whistle   wave arms    yawn

You could also vary the words by using the names of different children in
your group i.e. Let everyone clap hands like Johnny.  Johnny can then begin
the next verse by choosing an action and the name of a classmate.


2) Additonal verse for Open Shut Them

Creep them, creep them(creep fingers upward)
Creep them, creep them
Right up to your chin
Open up your little mouth
But do not let them in
(open your mouth and start to put your fingers inside, but instead quickly
put your hand behind your back


3) One idea is to allow for movement during your circle time. Noone likes 
to sit for too long a period of time. If you break up your 
activities(calendar, movement, weather, movement, etc. you'll keep 
their interest longer. 


4) Open Shut them (Open hands, close hands)
   Open shut them ( repeat above)
   Give a little clap(clap hands)
   Open shut them
   Open shut them
   Lay them in your lap.
   
   Or I will say, "Now, before we do calendar(or whatever is next), let's
check to make sure that everyone is sitting like a pretzel."
   
   Just remember that circle should be age appropriate, and short if their
attention span is also short.


5) The Silly Song!

I'm gonna shake, shake shake my sillies out.
I'm gonna shake, shake  shake, my sillies out.
I'm gonna shake, shake, shake, my sillies out.
and sit down quietly.

I'm gonna clap . . . . .

I'm gonna stomp . . . . .

We always do this right before they need to sit quietly.


6) some of the things that might help during circle is changing your voice tone
from high to low, other voices and singing, whispering...This usually works
for a while. Yesterday I had trouble getting my children to sit after lunch so
I decided to reward those that did by having an extra time on the playground
for them. You should have seen the faces of the children that had to stay
inside with the other teacher. You constantly have to change your techniques
but don't give up. Keep circle short with a lot of movement and that helps
too. It's better to have morre short circles than 1 long one that they won't
sit through.


7) Yes, circle time can betough and it does get frustating.  Besides making it
interesting, one thing I use if the children get jittery is my "magic rock"
or "Magic dust"
The magic rock and magic dust live in a plastic container.  When I take out
the magic rock, I whisper things like "the rock wants to see how nicely you
can sit, etc.  The magic dust (really nothing) gets sprinkled on
thechildren to help them listen.  The kids love this.  Just don't use it
all the time, the novelty wears off.


8) When I worked w/K we covered the days on the calendar with shapes in
patterns, we then would physically act them out ex. we would jump for squares
and clap for circles etc. (the patterns got harder, with more shapes
throughout the year)

The book "Transition Magician" (Strategies for guiding young children in
early childhood programs) by Nola Larson, Mary Henthorne, and Barbara Plum has
an "attention grabbers" section with many ideas.


9) Say this "I can see the Laura is in her listening position, now John is in
the listening position etc.  Until everyone is now listening.  You will see
that as soon as you are giving positive recognition to some the others will
want the same.  


10) It is important to have "hands on" activities at circle time.  I made a large
floor puzzle and each child had a piece to help complete the puzzle.
Cooperation and friendship are the key words.


11) For each day of the month on
the calendar we do a simple exercise.  If it's the 22nd of January we
might do 22 jumping jacks or touch our toes etc.  It not only makes
circle time a little more interesting but the children get reinforcement
on their counting skills without forcing them to learn.


12) make sure it is interesting such as using puppets, songs, fingerplays, maybe
do a flannelboard activity, have the children get involved doing the circle
time as in talking among one another 


13) take styrofoam balls and toothpicks that have points cut off and let students
make snowball sculptures...only thing that happened is that the students
wanted to take them home instead of reusing the balls...explain up front that
they are like legos...you rebuilt with them.