Circle time is an important part of the preschool day, but keeping a group of young children engaged and focused can sometimes be a challenge!
The right circle time songs can make all the difference. They help children to start the day, settle down, and transition smoothly between activities.
I have chosen these songs as they all have simple lyrics and tunes, making them easy to learn.
There are ideas for:
- Come-to-the-carpet songs
- Welcome and name songs
- Attention grabbers
- Fingerplays
- Movement songs
- Counting songs
- Days of the week and months of the year songs
- Line-up and transition songs
- Theme songs
- Body percussion songs
- Classic preschool songs and nursery rhymes
- Goodbye songs
Remember to save this list as a handy reference!
Sit Down Songs
Call the children to the carpet to start the day with these songs.
Everybody Have a Seat
This fun sit-down song uses body percussion, with children clapping their hands and tapping their laps. Follow along with the actions in the video, or use the lyrics below.
Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.
Everybody come and have a seat on the floor.
Everybody have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.
Everybody come and have a seat on the floor.
Not on the ceiling, not on the door!
Everybody come and have a seat on the floor.
Hey, Hey, Circle Time
This simple circle-time song is sung to the tune of Skip to My Lou, My Darling. You’ll find the lyrics below the video.
Hey, hey, circle time
Hey, hey, circle time
Hey, hey, circle time
Let’s all find our spot
Bottom on the floor cross your legs
Bottom on the floor cross your legs
Bottom on the floor cross your legs
Criss-cross applesauce
(Repeat both verses)
Tap your head, one two
Tap your head, one two
Tap your head, one two
Now let’s wiggle our ears
Wiggle your ears, doo-bee-doo-bee-doo
Wiggle your ears, doo-bee-doo-bee-doo
Wiggle your ears, doo-bee-doo-bee-doo
Now let’s clap our hands
Clap your hands, one two
Clap your hands, one two
Clap your hands, one two
Clap your hands, one two
Now it’s time to shhhhhhhh
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Listen to your teacher
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Sh, sh, sh-sh-sh
Listen to your teacher
Here are more sit-down songs to call children to the carpet.
Attention Grabbers and Listening Songs
Use a quiet-down song or simple chant to get kids’ attention quickly. Try changing up these chants from time to time so children don’t become so familiar with them that they stop responding promptly.
One, Two, Three
This is a very basic chant that’s simple to remember.
Teacher chants:
One, two, three
Eyes on me
Children respond:
One, two
Eyes on you
Hocus Pocus
Here’s another easy attention grabber from Dr Jean:
Hocus pocus
Everybody focus
After saying “hocus pocus,” have the children pretend to put on their focus goggles, then keep them on while they listen and pay attention.
Open, Shut Them
This short and simple song can be used effectively to settle children and get their attention.
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Give a little
Clap clap clap.
Open, shut them
Open, shut them
Put them in your
Lap lap lap.
Creep them, crawl them
Creep them, crawl them
Right up to your
Chin chin chin.
Open wide your little mouth
But do not let them in!
Welcome Songs
Start your day with one of these good morning songs. Some include each child’s name, giving everyone a special moment of recognition and making the welcome more personal and fun.
Good Morning Everybody
This welcome song can be sung to the tune of The Wheels on the Bus or simply chanted.
For the “shake hands everybody” verse, children can cross their arms and link hands with the children beside them, moving their arms up and down for some extra midline-crossing practice.
Lyrics:
Good morning everybody and…
How do you do?
How do you do?
How do you do?
Good morning everybody and…
How do you do?
How do you do this morning?
Clap hands everybody and…
How do you do?
How do you do?
How do you do?
Clap hands everybody and…
How do you do?
How do you do this morning?
Make up more verses such as: shake hands, click fingers, tap knees, etc.
Miriam’s Here Today
Sung to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell, this one is simple yet enjoyable for kids.
Lyrics:
Miriam’s here today
Miriam’s here today
Hooray, hooray, hooray, hooray,
Miriam’s here today
Sean’s here today
Sean’s here today
Hooray, hooray, hooray, hooray,
Sean’s here today
Here is a collection of good morning songs to start your circle time.
Name Songs
While many of the previous hello songs include the children’s names, name songs can also be used as a getting-to-know-you activity or to transition children to another activity, such as washing hands or lining up.
Willaby Wallaby Woo
My all-time favourite, Willaby Wallaby Woo is always a hit with kids. Change the word “woo” in each verse to rhyme with each child’s name.
Add the actions to introduce rhythm (shown in the video below). The lyrics are below.
Lyrics:
Willaby Wallaby Woo,
An elephant sat on you.
Willaby Wallaby We,
An elephant sat on me.
Willaby Wallaby Wam,
An elephant sat on Pam.
Willaby Wallaby Welize,
An elephant sat on Elize.
Willaby Wallaby Wemma,
An elephant sat on Emma.
Feel free to swap the animal for one the children particularly enjoy, or pick an animal or object to match your current theme.
Jump Up and Down
This is a great song for burning off some energy, helping children reset or making transitions easier. Sing it to the tune of Skip to My Lou.
John, John, jump up and down,
Jump up and down, jump up and down,
John, John, jump up and down,
Now (please sit back down/go wash your hands/join the line)
Here is a collection of name songs for more ideas.
Goodbye Songs
Finish circle time or the school day with one of these fun goodbye songs.
Goodbye Everybody
This fun song by Miss Linky gets children dancing as they say goodbye to their friends and teacher at the end of the day.
Lyrics:
Goodbye everybody, we had a good day
Goodbye everybody, it’s time to say
Goodbye to my teacher
Goodbye to my friends
Goodbye everybody till I see you again
Wave your hands left
Wave your hands right
Turn around once
And clap your hands twice
Step to the left
Step to the right
Jump to the middle
Later Alligator
Sing this simple jingle by Miss Nina to each child, adding their name as you go. Watch the actions and hear the song from 1:27 in the video.
Lyrics:
(Insert name) see ya later,
Later alligator.
After a while crocodile
Bye for now!
Line Up Songs
Dismiss the children and get them to line up for the next transition with these songs.
Let’s Line Up at the Door
Try this simple song, sung to the tune of The Farmer in the Dell.
Let’s line up at the door
Let’s line up at the door
Everybody, take your place
And line up at the door
If You’re Ready and You Know It
Here’s an adapted version of the popular If You’re Happy and You Know It.
If you’re ready and you know it, face the door
If you’re ready and you know it, face the door
If you’re ready and you know it, then it’s time to really show it
If you’re ready and you know it, face the door
Say no more! (whisper)
[source]
Here are more line-up songs to try.
Fingerplays
Here are some classic children’s finger rhymes to add to your circle time.
Grandmother’s Glasses
This timeless rhyme is always a hit. Watch the actions below.
These are grandmother’s glasses,
And this is grandmother’s hat.
Grandmother clasps her hands like this,
And folds them in her lap.
These are grandfather’s glasses,
And this is grandfather’s hat.
This is the way he folds his arms,
And has a little nap.
My Rabbit
Teach your kids this cute finger play about a rabbit.
My rabbit has two big ears,
And a funny little nose.
He likes to nibble carrots,
And he hops wherever he goes.
Here is a collection of finger plays for preschoolers.
Action Songs
To keep the attention of young children, you’ll need lots of movement during circle time. A good movement song will provide a reset, burn off some energy and help children refocus.
Hop Little Bunnies
This song always seems to be a hit as it is just so much fun!
See the bunnies sleeping
Till it’s nearly noon
Shall we wake them with a
Merry tune
They’re so still
Are they ill
Wake up little bunnies
Hop little bunnies
Hop hop hop
Hop hop hop
Hop hop hop
Hop little bunnies
Hop hop hop
Hop hop hop
Repeat the verses with “Jump little bunnies” and “Skip little bunnies”
The Hokey Pokey
Sing a verse or two of this classic song to get kids moving.
You put your right foot in,
You put your right foot out,
You put your right foot in
And you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey,
And you turn yourself around,
That’s what it’s all about.
Repeat the entire verse with each of these movements:
You put your left foot in…
You put your right hand in…
You put your left hand in…
You put your right shoulder in…
You put your left shoulder in…
You put your right hip in…
You put your left hip in…
You put your whole self in…
You put your hair in…
You put your tongue in…
Here are more action songs for kids.
Counting Songs
Teach your children to count forwards and backwards with these number songs.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five
Little kids love singing this song and counting out on their fingers.
Five Little Speckled Frogs
This is a fun song for teaching children to count backwards from five.
Then:
Four little speckled frogs…
Three little speckled frogs…
Here are more counting songs for kids.
Classic Preschool Songs
Don’t forget to sing some classic songs and nursery rhymes during circle time. Here are a few that have been passed down through the generations.
Incy Wincy Spider
Incy Wincy Spider climbed up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out came the sunshine and dried up all the rain,
And the Incy Wincy Spider went up the spout again.
Miss Polly Had a Dolly
Miss Polly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick.
So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick.
The doctor came with his bag and his hat,
And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat.
He looked at the dolly and he shook his head,
And he said, “Miss Polly, put her straight to bed!”
He wrote on a paper for a pill, pill, pill,
“I’ll be back in the morning with the bill, bill, bill.”
I’m a Little Teapot
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout.
Here is my handle,
Here is my spout.
When I get all steamed up,
Hear me shout.
Tip me over,
And pour me out!
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rule.
It made the children laugh and play,
To see a lamb at school.
Here is a collection of 40 of the best classic songs for kids.
I hope you’ll enjoy using some of the song ideas in this list to make your circle time run a little smoother.