Circle time allow children to share with each other as an entire class. They can also learn about different cultural traditions of their friends' families. For instance, children can bring in family heirlooms representing their cultures to share with the class. The child who brings in the item shows it to each child in the circle while answering questions about it. Regular sharing time such as every week, fosters identity, pride and responsibility in the children.
Throughout the school year, there are many times when the entire class can engage in an activity to create a class project to give to parents, the entire school or to the community. Examples of entire class activities which can be planned and instructed during class time are food drive collections, lemonade stands, holiday gifts for parents and gifts for visiting alumni students. Circle times are also excellent formats for class sing-a-longs and storytelling.
Circle times allow the teacher to introduce activities and lessons to the entire class at once. Teachers use this time to teach children about holiday traditions such as pumpkin carving at Thanksgiving. Circle times are also great opportunities for subjects such as language and music to be taught. Children can also sit in circle to receive visitors such as alumni students, parents and community workers such as policemen and firemen into the classroom.
Circle times teach children about social interaction appropriate behaviors in public. For instance, children learn social graces and how to present themselves in a group. Good manners such as raising your hand to speak, greetings, answering questions politely and listening are also reinforced in circle time. Children quickly learn which behaviors are acceptable and which ones are not tolerated in the group. Those who misbehave are corrected by the teacher and are encouraged to behave acceptably by watching other children.