Autumn Circle Time

This is what my wall looks like every time I draft a new morning circle time repertoire. I'm probably cheating by Enki standards, since it seems to be expected that you should be able to memorize all of these before introducing them. But, hey, I'm not exactly getting paid for this, you know? I'm pretty stoked just when I get organized enough to make sure that we're doing seasonally appropriate activities, let alone committing them all to memory. I do memorize some of them just during the process of going through and learning the movements that go along, but there's a lot of material there, and I seem to have fewer braincells to use for that sort of thing every season. I think it's mothering induced loss of brain function. A friend once told me that you lose IQ points with every child that you have, and I don't doubt it for a minute!

So what is on these numerous sheets of paper? Well, it's a secret Enki formula that I can't reveal unless I'm willing to give up my first born son. And since at this current moment I'm very eager to do just that, I'll let you in on the secret.

First of all, we do a few opening songs/verses that just get the blood and breath engaged. Basically this means that I end up looking like a complete freak to the mailman who always parks right out front of my house just as we're skipping around in a circle like mad, singing Sally Go 'Round the Sun in front of our large picture window. Next we do some midline crossing activities that involve moving forward, back, right, left, up and down. Then we engage the base senses: the vestibular through spinning round and round, and then proprioceptive via froglike hopping. We work with naval radiation during movement like a basic yoga "boat" pose. We also include academic games and bean bag activities. Next comes Spanish practice, and a few fingerplays. I have a space that will soon be filled with a form drawing walk, as well. Probably beginning next week. And then we close the circle by walking a spiral in and then out while speaking a verse. All of this has a purpose (other than to confuse the hell out of me)- it's strengthening their neurological development, and creating new pathways in the brain. Important stuff!

Not complicated at all, huh? When I first started using Enki, I thought I'd never figure all of this out, but now coming up with a new circle time is starting to become second nature. Wow! I am really amazed at how much the kids like to do it, too. On those off days when I am totally disorganized and really late with breakfast, they keep bugging me about when we're going to do morning circle. So I must be doing something right. Even if I do have to tape papers all over my wall to get through the whole thing!