During the “school year”, we enjoy a Morning Circle Time at the breakfast table.

Typically, I read from a devotional book as the girls eat. Afterward, we find the date on the calendar, and do a couple of exercises that correspond with the girls’ readiness (i.e. we talk about the weather, make the date with coins, do some skip-counting together, etc.).

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how “identity determines biography“. Who we are – or, who we believe we are – informs our thoughts and behaviors. Thus, my passion to establish a firm foundation of biblical identity in our children.  I’ll be incorporating these couple of additions to our Morning Circle Time this year:

* Our Family Ways

We’ve loved learning the first 12 lessons in Clay Clarkson’s “Our 24 Family Ways“. We’ll save the second half of the curriculum for the Spring, but until then, we’ll review one of the 24 Family Ways every morning. I typed out each Family Way, wrote the corresponding memory verse on the backs, and laminated them. I’ll attach a velcro circle to each Way. Then, every morning, one of the girls will select an oval and attach it to our Circle Time bulletin board. We’ll look up the Scripture reference on the back, giving the girls an opportunity to navigate their way around the Bible. I’m looking forward to this regular review so that I can hide these virtues in my own heart.

* The Learning Parents’ Character Trait Cards

I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to review The Learning Parent’s Character Concepts for Preschoolers this year. (I’ll keep ya posted about how it works for us!) But I’ll tell you this much, I’ve looked over the curriculum and can’t wait to get started. We’ll spend four weeks on each character trait, according to the lesson plans provided by TLP. I laminated the Character Trait cards and will attach velcro circles to these as well so that we can begin each day reviewing that month’s character quality. We’ll hang the month’s card next to a colorful piece of paper, where we’ll attach stickers whenever we share examples of ways in which we grew (or didn’t, but realize we should’ve) in that quality.

If I remember, I’ll post a photo of our bulletin board when I get it all ready for the end of August! In the meantime, though, I just wanted to get these ideas out to you in case you’d like to include them in your own home.