Waldorf inspired Circle ideas for toddlers

[Birthisbeautiful]

I am facilitating a small Waldorf inspired play group for toddlers in my community. It is going really well, but I am running out of song and finger play ideas suitable for very young children. Anyone have some good ones to share with me, or perhaps be able to point to a good resource for toddler appropriate circle ideas. Thanks so much!

Blessings,

Anna 

[Melaniee]

My memory is rusty, else I'd just give you a big list, sorry!  I am now feeling like I should have been writing things down more when my littles were really little.

Which ones are you already using?

Also, are you only changing them seasonally?

Some ideas that I think are not season-specific and involve the children/parents

Sally Go 'Round the Sun

Ashes Ashes

See-Saw

This is an interesting article

http://theparentingpassageway.com/2009/11/10/waldorf-101-circle-time/

I am not familiar with this person or most of her songs (LOL), and it seems the circle songs age as the years increase, but I see a lot in here...and she references a few books

http://womantalk.wordpress.com/category/waldorf/

[MammaG]

Do you have all the 'standard' books?  Wynstones seasonal books?  'A Journey Through Time...'?  'Festivals, Family and Food' has some seasonal songs.  Anna Rainville's 'Singing Games for Families, Schools and Communities' is good, too.  I've used 'The Waldorf Song Book' to teach in school, but maybe this is suited to older children better?  I don't remember, sorry...lots of rounds as I remember it!  And I love the Seasons of Joy curriculum for young children, but you'd want to email the author to be sure you are not violating copyright, especially if you are charging for this service.  Lots of finger and movement rhymes there!  What about A Little Acorn Learning (ditto about copyright)?

I'm doing something similar and I find all I need in the public domain in general.  I've spent a lot of time at Main Lesson.com to find public domain books of poetry, songs, stories.  It's a great resource!  http://www.mainlesson.com/main/displayarticle.php?article=k_books

Also check out Marsha Johnson's Yahoo Group page (Waldorfhomeeducators). The 'Files' are free and fabulous. Have you just googled 'Waldorf Circles'?  I've found a lot that way, too.

Another place I go for songs is the the Revels shop: http://www.revels.org/  Lots of fantastic CDs and books of folk and seasonal songs.

I would reiterate the PP's question; are you repeating circles?  I do a circle for four weeks, so three 15-20 minute circles for each season.  I print out the circle (with music included, even when I have to plug it out on scorio!) so the Mamas can replicate the circle at home for the full four weeks.

HTH!

[Birthisbeautiful]

Thanks! I am repeating the circle for a few weeks, as well as trying to keep things seasonal. I have been doing it for about a year with the same core families, and had simply run out of what I know. These are all great suggestions, thanks so much!

Blessings,

Anna

[annettemarie]

I have a bunch of circle time ideas here on my blog:
http://ourseasonsofjoy.com/category/circle/

I like to have the same circle time for 2 weeks at a time.