Glad you found our forum, welcome mama2_3.

I agree that Cfred gave you great advice already. As far as circle time, that's something I've had trouble with too. I can't get my under 2's to pay attention half the time so I started reading books at afternoon snacktime while I have them all pinned down in their boosters at the table. I don't actually read the words from the books sometimes, instead I point to the pictures, use funny voices and hand movements, that keeps them interested more than just reading all the words, that's how I lose them.

On an inside bad weather day I sit down and start singing songs with finger movements that they love or surprise them with the puppets or feltboard and sometimes it works great and they will engage. If I start to lose their interests and only 2 are left paying attention I keep going because even though you don't think the other children who are wandering around are absorbing what you are doing or saying, they ARE! But it helps to repeat the same songs at the beginning so they recognize it's time to sit down and pay attention. Repetition sounds boring to adults but it's what toddlers need.

As far as the park is concerned, we have 2-3 park trips/week so I feel your pain! I rarely get to sit, I'm constantly going back and forth from child to child. My daycare children are pretty good going up the stairs, it's those open gaps at the top to the climbing parts that freak me out and I don't want one of them to fall through so as they walk across I'm dashing back and forth under the climber from open space to open space above me.