The Book of Beginning Circle Games

These wonderful games to play in circles have been passed down from generation to generation and are full of music, wonder, magic, and make-believe. Some of these circle games are stationary games in which one child chases after another while the rest of the group does not move, while others begin with stationary circles but end with traveling circles as, one by one, children join a group moving around the circle. All of these games encourage a variety of developmentally appropriate behaviors, including social skills, cognitive development, creativity, language development, motor skills, and musical skills. Some of the favorite songs included are “Muffin Man,” “Charlie over the Ocean,” “The Farmer in the Dell,” “Allee Galloo,” and “Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush.”

John M. Feierabend is a national leader in the field of early childhood education and currently serves as a professor and chair of the music education division at the Hartt School of the University of Hartford in Connecticut. He lives in Simsbury, Connecticut.