Age and cricle time

[onyxravnos]

How old was your LO before they could put up with things like circle time... My DS is 3 1/2... circle time at the waldorf coop... the library story time... anything... it;'s not a 'he needs his hands busy with something' it's a WILL NOT! and insists on disrupting others who want to participate... 

when did your DS start participating in circle time - ish activities? or at least just still still and be quite for them? Sooooooo frustrating for me. Give me hope that this wont last forever?

[Greenmama2]

Does he have to do it? DD is four and a half and still doesn't enjoy that kind of thing so we don't do it.

[SundayCrepes]

My son does not like group activities. Any time we are anywhere (story time, musical play, etc.) where there is circle time, he will sit as far from the group as he can. We even started a Spanish playgroup in our house with his friends and he did not want to join circle time (though he eventually got sucked in by how much fun his friends were having.) He is 6 weeks shy of 5.

I wouldn't force your son. If he's not interested, he's not interested.

[skueppers]

I think this depends so much on the personality of the child.  My son LOVED circle time from a young age.  I couldn't believe that, as a toddler, he wanted to go to library story time and participate for half an hour.  My daughter at that age was running around pulling books off the shelves, so we just didn't go.

I think most kids at 3 1/2, when confronted with a group situation like a preschool class, will go along with the group and participate in circle time.  But there always seems to be one kid who won't. 

Don't stress about it -- so he doesn't like circle time.  Big deal.  Maybe Waldorf co-op and library story time don't suit his personality, and he'd be better off with gym time or nature walks.

As I was reminded yesterday by a mother I admire, "you have to raise the kid you have."

[zjande]

Originally Posted by skueppers 

I think this depends so much on the personality of the child....   

 

I have a 4 yr old ds that I don't think will ever be able to sit for circle time or group activities. Ever. lol And a 2 yr old that will sit fine for them now. My 4 yr old is super high energy & very easily distracted. That's just his personality. It's been quite embarassing in groups a few times.

Just depends on the kid!

[onyxravnos]

Originally Posted by Greenmama2 

Does he have to do it? DD is four and a half and still doesn't enjoy that kind of thing so we don't do it.

well yes and no... i don't want to deny the other two kids of the group time.  i don't make him sit fir them but i wish he would :(

[Lillian J]

Even though it may not be a matter of his having to have his hands busy with something, it may very well be a matter of his not being developmentally ready to sit still and listen. My son was in a little preschool in which their focus was on what worked for the little ones rather than what they wanted to impose on them, so he did fine there - they had freedom to move around. When he went to a Waldorf kindergarten, though, his teacher noticed that he could either sit still in his chair and not be able to focus on the fairy tale, or he could listen to the fairy tale and not be able to sit in the chair - he'd be falling out of it when he was listening. She recognized that as signs of a lag in sensory integration. He was five at that time, and your son is only 3 1/2 - I wouldn't worry about it, and I'd give him alternate options instead of having to go along with activities that don't fit him.  Lillian

[Needle in the Hay]

At that age we were doing a parent-child gym class that had circle time at the end for just a few minutes. It was everyone though, not just the kids so that helped, I think. However, there were times my son didn't want to participate in a particular activity so we'd either go in the lobby and watch or sit on a bench until they were moving on to the next thing. Sometimes I think he just needed a break.

This way, he wasn't bothering other kids but also wasn't being made or cajoled into doing something he had no interest in. I don't see why I would have instead wished that he had just participated in the activity. What difference would it have made?

eta: I wonder if it would be less frustrating for you if you could catch him before circle time starts and go elsewhere with him so then he's not bothering anyone. You could talk about it with him before the class and let him know he doesn't have to do the circle time but that you'll step out for a few minutes so the other kids can do it.
Edited by Needle in the Hay - 11/15/10 at 12:53am

[kittywitty]

We didn't start untul my oldest was 4 yo. Having older kids to watch has made it easier for the younger ones to join in from baby age-with some changes, of course.