20 month olds and circle time

st.augbride

How does your toddler do in group situations that involve circle time? We did a music class today, ages 0-5, though most were between 2 and 4, and OMG, it was a nightmare! Ds loves music, so we thought it would be good. The class itself kind of blew, but beyond that, ds just could not handle being in our laps for more than the first 10 minutes (of a 50 minute class). Other kids also wanted to get up, but he just was running everywhere and would get so upset if we tried to stop him. Is my kid just super hyper, or is this just what 20 month olds do??

rnbeth477

My 20 month old does not sit still for circle time either. We take him to a parent/child gymnastics type class. There is circle time where we sing songs, use the parachute, run in a circle, jump, etc. He wants to explore the gym instead of participate. Thank goodness he is not the only child who does not sit still! After circle time, there is free play. That's much more his style. Lol! I'm not concerned. The teacher says its normal too.

Lotsofloveandkids

You're not alone in that! DS can never sit still for group circle time. He'll start running around.

cougarlicious

Another runner here.  At least you were able to get him to last ten minutes - mine is ten seconds tops if he sees other stuff to play with.  Today he was the only kid out of 13 that wasn't sitting in circle time.

saturdaynightdoubletree

In mixed age settings, music time and library story time, both my kids have short attention spans and will sit for 5-10 min, wander a bit, come back and sit, wander, etc. They wander and run a lot more if other kids are doing it too. However, in preschool they both sit and listen well at circle time without a problem.

dairygirl19

I go to an ECFE classes for 12-24 month kids and none of them sit in a circle. The best one even has like a five minute time limit. They listen a bit, get up wander, come back. Repeat. Repeat. It's enitrely normal and the teacher actually encourages it.

My LO does okay if it's something she's really interested in. If she doesn't care..forget it. Even her best is like 2 minutes..lol.

As a teacher myself, I read somewhere once that kids are like 5 before they have the maturity and skills to sit in a circle for the extended period. One of my bfs is a pre-k teacher and she keeps her circle time to a minimum just because she has 4 year olds that haven't grasped the concept yet.

st.augbride

LalaMama81:

I think it's normal. DD did that at library storytime around 18 months for awhile. Then at some point she stopped and started sitting for the whole thing. I think it's totally developmentally normal, just annoying to chase them around! If it's a music class, aren't you getting up and moving around and dancing a lot? I can't imagine they'd expect toddlers to sit still for 50 min. 

Exactly! Hence, my statement that this class blew, lol. The songs the woman sang were all her own weird ones she made up so none of the kids would know them anyway. There was some getting up and moving, but it was all very controlled movements. Ds just wanted to run around and greet everyone! Glad to hear we're not alone!

HALFM00N

DD doesn't sit still for us but obeys her daycare instructors beyond belief. I always get so surprised at how well behaved she is there. We have such a hard time on planes and trains.

BeachM

Music class was fine for us because the teacher had a rule that you brought LO back to your lap 3 times and then just let them move around the room if that's what they wanted to do (the class was broken down into smaller age ranges though).  They didn't work on truly sitting and paying attention the whole time until the 2 year old class and even then she was not delusional about what 2 year olds are capable of.

Story time, however, was awful.  We basically took a break from 18 months until recently (22ish months) and it's so much better now.  He can sit through the 30 minute class with no problem.  I think continuing other activities that incorporated shorter sitting times with being allowed to run around really helped.

laurakaz13

DD has been doing circle time at daycare since about 13 months old.  Circle for the 1-2 yr olds lasts only a few minutes at a time.  Her teachers say it's very normal. 

Ernie52408

DS won't sit still for a second. I take him to storytime at the library once a week though so he can be at least familiar with the concept.

I've found giving him a small car or toy to play with in his lap helps.

MouseInLux

DD's never say for circle time. Our play group has music on Tuesdays, she'll last one song or two then go off to play with the toys, much more fun!