Circle Time Songs for Toddlers and Preschool: Hello, Good Morning, Learning and Clean Up Songs

Circle time songs turn a group of wiggly children into a class. A hello song says “we are starting,” a learning song gives everyone something to do together, and a clean up song says “we are finished.” Sung in the same order every day, they make circle time feel safe and predictable.

Here are our circle time songs for toddlers and preschool, grouped by the part of circle time they fit best. Every song has full lyrics on its page, so you can sing along even without the video.

What is circle time?

Circle time is a short group gathering, usually at the start of the day, where children sit together to greet each other, sing, talk about the day and learn something small. It is a daily habit in most preschools and many toddler classes, and it works just as well at home with one child and a parent.

Hello songs and good morning songs for circle time

Open with a greeting song. It gathers everyone into the circle and gives each child a moment to be seen. Good hello songs for preschool are short, repeat one phrase, and have a simple action like waving.

Hello Song

“Hello, just wave your hand like this. Say hello!” The whole song is one easy action, waving, so even the youngest children can join in from the first time. It also names the people we greet: mommy, daddy, a teacher, a friend, even the mailman.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Good Morning Song

“Good morning, good morning, good morning to you.” A cheerful good morning song for kids with a little conversation built in (“How are you? I’m great, how about you?”), then everyone puts their hands up in the sky and shouts hooray.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Learning songs for the middle of circle time

Once everyone is settled, pick one learning song. One is enough: attention is short, and a song children know well teaches more than a new one every day. Try one song per week and change it on Monday.

The Color Song

Red, green, blue, purple, white, yellow, black, orange and brown, sung twice through. After the song, ask each child to find something in the room of one color.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

1-10 Song: Learn to Count

Counting from one to ten, three times, each time a little faster. Children love the challenge of keeping up on the fastest round.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Song About Shapes

Circles, rectangles, triangles and squares, with everyday examples for each one: buttons, doors, sailboats and sandwiches. Great for a shape hunt right after.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

A movement song for when the wiggles take over

Young children are not built to sit still for long. When the circle starts to wobble, stand everyone up for a quick movement song, then sit back down. It is faster than asking for quiet, and it works.

Move it Like This

Left hand in the air, right hand in the air, clap, spin and march in place. It ends with “Oh, I am getting dizzy!” and a room full of giggles.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Manners and kindness songs

Circle time is where children practice being part of a group, so it is the natural place for a song about kind words.

Please and Thank You Song

When to say please and when to say thank you, told through a simple story about taking turns with a friend’s new toy.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Yes Song

A question and answer song: “Can you touch your toes? Yes I can!” Children answer every line, which makes it a good call and response song for a big group.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

Clean up and transition songs

Transition songs tell children what happens next without anyone raising their voice. The song itself becomes the signal. End circle time the same way each day, and children will start moving on their own when the first line begins.

Put Your Things Where They Belong

Our clean up song for kids: “Put your things where they belong, back where they came from.” Toys go in the toy box, clothes in the closet, trash in the trash can. It lasts just over two minutes, a good length for tidying up a play area.

Watch the video and see the lyrics →Listen on Spotify

A simple 15-minute circle time plan

Here is an easy circle time routine for preschool. For toddlers, use the same order and keep only the first three steps.

1. Hello song to gather everyone (2 minutes).
2. Good morning chat: the day, the weather, who is here today (3 minutes).
3. One learning song for this week, such as colors or counting (3 minutes).
4. A short activity that uses the song: find a color, count friends, spot a shape (3 minutes).
5. Movement song to stand up and shake out the wiggles (2 minutes).
6. Clean up or transition song to finish and move to the next activity (2 minutes).

Keep the first and last songs the same every day. Change only the learning song in the middle. The fixed start and end are what make circle time feel safe.

Circle time songs for 1 and 2-year-olds

Circle time for toddlers looks different. One and two-year-olds may wander off, and that is normal. A few changes help:

• Keep it short: 5 to 10 minutes is plenty for 2-year-olds.
• Choose songs with actions, like waving in the Hello Song. Toddlers join in with their hands long before they sing the words.
• Sing the same songs every day. Toddlers learn by repetition, and a familiar song is a comfortable one.
• Let them move. A toddler walking around the circle is often still listening.

Circle time at home

You do not need a classroom. A five-minute morning circle on the rug with a hello song, one learning song and a clean up song gives a toddler the same sense of routine, and it is a gentle way to practice English words too. For more ideas, see our list of English songs for kids, and our guide to learning songs for toddlers.