We do a lot of skills based learning using the toys for play but then introducing a concept. Such as I would put out blocks for general play and then at a point join the child and do things like make a row of blocks, name the colours, count the blocks, stack the blocks with me supporting the tower if necessary to have success. As they get older we make patterns with the blocks. Any circletime we do is limited in scope and time to about 10 mintues at a time. We read books a lot, do nursery rhymes and especially the "Five little ...." kind of poem.