Until kids are about 2 they don't appreciate the other kids and group activities anyways as up to this time they are more into parallel play and doing their own thing. I do not rush them into circle time and even then when we do it we read a story and do activities related to the story that are me led such as fingerplays, games, matching and sorting - a chance to use materials that would be destroyed if I just left them out for general play. I do not do things like weather, calendar etc as they do not truely grasp all the concepts because things like calendar are not concrete so to me it is a waste of time till they are closer to age 4-5 - JK teachers can do it. Why waste time boring them any younger, lol. Once you take out things that have no meaning even younger children will sit for a story. Usually we all curl up for the story and then the younger restless ones leave and I continue with those that want to stay. The exception is that those over 2 1/2 must stay as this is their lesson time but younger kids are welcome to tag along if they want. The lessons for the younger kids are built into the play such as doing colours and counting while block building or playing with hotwheels cars.