This is a post out of the 31 Days of Morning Circles. You can find the main page for this series here.

Before we get into specific activities you can do in the morning circle, let’s get the building blocks in place first. Here, we’ll talk about location.

Where can you set up and execute the morning circle successfully for a neurodivergent/disabled child?

Setting up the morning circle

Morning circles can take place just about anywhere. However, with the increase in technology, I suggest finding a spot that is not close to a television or a computer. Small handheld devices should be put away unless you are using them as part of the circle (such as for communication purposes or to teach a new skill).

Listed below are some suggestions for where you can hold a morning circle. They are meant to inspire or trigger an idea for you. You will know where the best spot is. You should at least have some space for you and each of the children—with a little extra wiggle room for each person.

Locations to hold a morning circle:

• The living room with the coffee table pushed out of the way
• On the sofa in the living room
• A spot on the dining room floor
• Around a table
• A play area/room
• A child’s bedroom
• A carpeted area
• A hallway or foyer
• Outdoors on a porch, or on a blanket on the grass
• In a play tent (some children enjoy an enclosed, secure space)
• A nook the child already loves to be in

Tip for morning circle location set-up

When first starting the gathering, aim to hold it in the same place over an extended period of time. The child will begin to internalize the transition from what you were doing before the circle to this special activity simply by moving to that spot.

If the child is resistant to joining you at first, begin with the opening activity in that spot just the same. Even if the child is moving about in other parts of the house, you are suggesting this new activity is going to happen daily and it’s going to start in the place where you are sitting. Do this for several days in a row, even if you feel silly doing it alone.

Eventually, you can move to join the child where they are, but you will find that before you do that, they likely will be joining you!

Posts on adaptations for positioning as well as some additional adaptations for execution can be found on day 4 and day 6, respectively. For now, take a walk around your space to find the perfect spot for your morning circle.

Where do you hold the morning circle? If you haven’t started yet, did you find the perfect spot?