Tag: circle time games

The Montessori Silence Game

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment

Most children are taught how to speak. Very few are taught how to listen.

The ability to listen is an essential skill. Maria Montessori, who developed the game known as “Silence”, understood the need to slow down, to listen carefully, and to pause. She worked with children who had hearing impairments and first used this practice with them. She would stand at the back of the classroom and quietly say the name of one child, then another. When a child heard their name, they were asked to walk towards the teacher. For children who were almost deaf, this was an extremely challenging exercise.

Later, Montessori introduced the Silence game in a classroom of typically developing children. She met a mother with a baby and asked for her help. The mother agreed. Montessori brought the infant into the room and showed the baby to the children.

“Look how calmly the baby is lying,” she said. “Can you stay just as calm?”

To her surprise, the children became quiet almost immediately. She noticed how much they enjoyed playing Silence. From that moment on, Silence became an essential part of the Montessori kindergarten program.

Why is this game valuable for children?

The game develops a child’s listening skills and their linguistic intelligence. It supports self-regulation and calm attention. Children learn to notice and distinguish sounds, to regulate the volume of their own voice, and to practise self-control. When Silence is experienced together, it also creates a shared sense of connection. Montessori believed that the Silence game supported children’s spiritual development.

If you would like to explore Montessori theory and other key educational theories in more depth, you can find them explained clearly in my theory pack here:


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How to play

Invite the children to sit on the floor. Suggest that they keep still and play a quiet game together. Silence does not need to be enforced; it settles on its own. Explain that when we sit calmly and remain quiet, we can hear things that are impossible to notice when we are shouting or talking.

For example, the sound of cars, leaves rustling, an aeroplane engine, the wind, neighbours’ voices, or a washing machine running.

Stay in silence for one minute. Then, in a whisper, ask the children what they heard. Which sounds caught their attention? Were they loud or quiet? Pleasant or irritating?

7 easy to play circle time games

~ Storykate ~ Leave a comment
Sleeping lions is just one of the games you can play with children during group time or free play on a rainy day.

Here are 7 more ideas 👉

Simon Says – this classic game involves one player being “Simon” and giving commands such as “Simon says touch your nose” while the other players follow the instructions. If Simon says something without starting with “Simon says,” then players shouldn’t follow the command. Another version of this game I like is Yogi Says, which invites children to come up with ONE yoga pose for other children to follow. For example, Yogi says, touch your toes; Yogi says – do a tree pose etc.

Red Light, Green Light – this game involves one player being the “traffic light” and facing away from the other players. When the traffic light says “green light,” the players move toward the traffic light. When the traffic light says “red light,” the players must freeze. The first player to reach the traffic light wins.

Duck, Duck, Goose – this game involves children sitting in a circle while one child walks around tapping each player’s head, saying “duck, duck, duck,” and then finally saying “goose.” The child who was tapped as the “goose” must stand up and chase the “tapper” around the circle.

Animal Walks – have the children imitate different animal walks, such as a bear, elephant, or crab. The children can walk around the room or follow a designated path. I use special “move like animal” cards for that.

Freeze Dance – play music and have the kids dance until the music stops, at which point they must freeze. Repeat until everyone has had a chance to dance.

“The Floor is Lava” is a popular game that can be played indoors or outdoors. The objective of the game is to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the “lava” (the floor).

Here’s how to play:

Choose a play area: This can be a room in your house, a section of your backyard, or any other designated space.

Declare the floor as lava: All players must agree that the floor is now “lava” and that they cannot touch it.

Create obstacles: Players must use furniture, cushions, or other objects to create a path or obstacle course that they can use to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor.

Start playing: Players must use the obstacles to get from one end of the play area to the other without touching the floor. If a player touches the floor, they are out of the game. The last player remaining is the winner.

“Fruit Salad” is a fun and active game that can be played with children of all ages. Here’s how to play:

Choose your fruits: Before playing, decide on a list of fruits that you want to use. This can include real fruits or fruits made out of paper, foam, or fabric.

Create a basket: This can be a real basket or a designated area on the floor where the fruits will be placed.

Start the game: One player is chosen to be “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a fruit. All other players must then run to the basket and try to find the matching fruit.

Collect the fruit: The first player to find the matching fruit must pick it up and return to the starting point. They then place the fruit in a separate area, such as a basket or a designated spot on the floor.

Repeat: The player who collected the fruit becomes “it” and starts the game by calling out the name of a different fruit. The game continues until all of the fruits have been collected.

What are your favourite games to play during circle time or outdoor play with children?