Tapestry of Faith: Chalice Children: A Program about Our Unitarian Universalist Community for Preschoolers

Activity 3: Circle Time

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

  • Chalice-lighting words, written on newsprint
  • Chalice with tea light flame or other preschool chalice option
  • Extra stuffed animals for those who did not bring one
  • Feelings Chart or Feelings Flashcards by Todd Parr

Preparation for Activity

  • Before this session, send a reminder to families for children to bring their bear (refer to Session 25, Leader Resource 1).
  • Gather some stuffed animals to have on hand for any child who doesn't bring one.
  • Post the chalice-lighting words on the wall near the Circle Time area.

Description of Activity

Invite the children to get their teddy bear or to select one from the collection of extras. Bring the chalice into the circle, either on the floor or on a small table or stand. Say, in these words or your own:

Welcome to Circle Time! First we light our chalice.

Point out where your chalice-lighting words are displayed. Say your chalice-lighting words as you "light" the chalice:

We light this chalice for the warmth of love, the light of truth, and the energy of action.

Say, in these words or your own:

Now we share our names and feelings. How are each of you feeling today? We will go around the circle and each say our name and point to how we're feeling today on the Feelings Chart [Feelings Flashcard]. If you would rather not share today, you may say, "No, thank you."

Once everyone who wishes to has shared, say, in these words or your own:

For all the feelings that we feel today, we know that we have our friends, our families, and our church [congregational] family to share them with.

Introduce today's theme, saying, in these words or your own:

Today is the last day that our teddy bears will come to Chalice Children with us. Let's look at all the bears we have in our circle. Notice how different they are. [have children name some of the differences] They are different just like people are different-different shapes, different colors, different eyes, different hair. But no matter how different they are, we love all the bears the same. Today we will make a special present for our bears and have a Teddy Bear Parade and then a picnic. But before we do that, let's read a story about teddy bears.

Including All Participants

If any child has mobility challenges, you could hold your circle activities in a circle of chairs to make it easier to include a wheelchair or for a child to sit while wearing leg braces.