Activity time: 10 minutes

Preparation for Activity

• Familiarize yourself with the games and songs listed in Posters for Chalice Children, under Resources in the Introduction. Display any posters you have made.
• A new finger play-What Is a Shadow?-appears in this session, in honor of today's theme. You can research additional circle games or songs connected to shadows, or make up your own shadow-related words to a common tune.

Description of Activity

Gather in a circle on the floor.

Play the games and sing the songs. Keep the pace brisk to help the children stay focused.

Welcome, Chalice Children

Ask children to stand, as they are able, in their places. Sing "Welcome, Chalice Children" to the tune of "Little Rabbit Foo-Foo":

Welcome, Chalice Children,

We are Unitarians.

Jump into the circle,

Jump, jump, jump.

Welcome, Chalice Children,

We are Universalists.

Jump into the circle,

Jump, jump, jump.

Welcome, Chalice Children,

My name is [leaders' and children's names, in turn].

Jump into the circle,

Jump, jump, jump.

Alternate verses:

We are Chalice Children!

Welcome to our circle!

We are Chalice Children!

Clap, clap, clap!

We are Unitarians!

We are Universalists!

Welcome to our circle!

Clap, clap, clap!

We are Chalice Children!

Let's all welcome [name of a child in the group]

Welcome to our circle!

Clap, clap, clap!

What Is a Shadow?

Teach the children this traditional finger play in honor of today's theme:

If I walk, my shadow walks. [Make two fingers move in a walking motion]

If I run, my shadow runs. [Make the fingers move in a running motion]

And when I stand still, as you can see, [Hold the same fingers still]

My shadow stands beside of me. [Bring two fingers of the other hand to stand beside the first two fingers

When I hop, my shadow hops. [Make the first two fingers hop]

When I jump, my shadow jumps. [Make the fingers jump]

And when I sit still, as you can see, [Make the fingers bend at the knuckles to sit]

My shadow sits beside of me. [Bring two fingers of the other hand to sit beside the first two fingers]

Lead more Circle Time songs and games, as time allows.

Make New Friends

Make new friends, but keep the old,

One is silver and the other is gold.

A circle is round, it has no end.

That's how long I'm going to be your friend.

Find a Friend at Church

"Find a Friend at Church" is sung to the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell." Have the children gather in a circle. Have one child walk around the outside of the circle while the first two lines of the song are sung. The child then chooses a friend. The two friends hold hands and skip around the circle while the remainder of the verse is sung. The first child returns to the circle, and the game is repeated with a second child walking outside the circle. Continue until all have had a turn to choose a friend.

I'll find a friend at church.

I'll find a friend at church.

Heigh ho, the derry oh,

I'll find a friend at church.

We'll skip around the room.

We'll skip around the room.

Heigh ho, the derry oh,

We'll skip around the room.

Variation: Instead of "skip," ask each child to choose the action, such as run, walk, hop, or jump.

Including All Participants

If any child might find jumping and standing difficult, substitute other actions, such as clapping, stepping, or wiggling, or sing the songs from a seated position.