Spring is in the air! And that means we’re in the part of the year when it gets harder and harder to keep the kiddos engaged, especially during circle time. But, these spring circle time games will solve that problem for you! They cover letters, numbers, colors, and shapes, and your kiddos will have so much fun playing them, they won’t even realize they’re learning! We play at least one of these games in my room each day, and my kiddos always beg me to play again! Let’s take a look at my five favorites!
Flower on the Ground
I absolutely LOVE these “On the Ground” games! I uses them for every single theme we do! When I use this one during circle time, I spread out the flowers in the middle of the carpet. My kiddos and I sit in a circle around them. Then we say the chant:
Flower, flower on the ground,
Pick up a flower and make the sound!
I choose one of my kiddos to pick a flower. They look at the letter on the flower and tell me the sound it makes. If they get it right, they get to keep the flower card. (But, they always get it right because we help them out if they don’t know the sound!)
And, when I want to work on letter names, we still play this game, but we use this chant instead:
Flowers, flowers, they’re not all the same!
Pick up a flower and say the name!
Birdie in the Tree
The format of this game is exactly like “Flower on the Ground!” I just lay out the cards, we say the chant, and a kiddo chooses a bird card. They love the predictability of the familiar format with the fun of the different content! When I want them to work on letter names, we use the chant in the picture. And, when I want them to work on letter sounds, we just change it to say, “Will you say the sound with me?”
An added bonus to these two games is that the uppercase and lowercase letter cards can be used in SO many ways once you’re done using them at circle time! Your kiddos can use them to match letters, write letters, spell their names, or read/write around the room just to name a few!
Seed Hunt
OK… I know I said the “On the Ground” games are my favorite, but these number hunt games are always a favorite of my kiddos! When we play this one, I use the pocket chart. I put the chant card and all the number cards in. Then I turn it around and hide the seed behind one of the numbers. (I used to just have my kiddos close their eyes, but somebody ALWAYS peeks! So now I make it to where they can’t!) When I turn the pocket chart back around, we say the chant, and I choose a kiddo to guess a number. I very dramatically pull the number card out to see if the seed is behind it. (They really love that part!) When we finally find the seed, they just laugh and laugh! I try to keep going until they find the seed, but when I’m short on time, I’ll tell only three will guess before I show them where it is. But, they love it either way!
Once we’ve played this game, and they know how to play, I make it available in the math center. It’s one of their favorite things to do during centers!
Flower Shapes
I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for new and fun way to teach and review shapes! That’s why I really love this game. I decide what shapes I want to have them work on. Then I pass out the flower cards. We sing the cute little song to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” and the kiddos who have flowers in that shape stand up and follow along with the song. We keep going until we’ve done all the shapes that we’re using. And, once we’re done using this at circle time, the shape cards go right into the math center as a matching game!
I Picked a Purple Flower
This game is one I use to teach sharing and kindness along with reviewing colors! I put the flowers in the middle of the carpet, and we sit around them. We sing the song, and while we’re singing, the kiddos are looking for the flowers that are that color. When the song is over, they raise their hands if they see that color flower. I choose three of them to “pick” the flower and give it to a friend! It’s always fun to watch them sharing the flowers with their friends!
Spring Circle Time Games Bundle
These five spring circle time games, along with four others, are available in my TPT store! They are super easy to print and prep, and your kiddos will love them! Just click HERE to go grab your own set!
And if you really want to save some money, be sure to check out my year-long bundle of circle time games! You might also want to check out my other spring resources while you’re there! I’ve got spring busy boxes, question of the day for spring, and my spring writing center!
You can read more about how I use my spring busy boxes in this blog post!
I’d love to hear how you’re using these games in your classroom! Make sure you come back and leave me a comment to let me know!