I agree big time with you playfelt!! The only time I allow wandering off during circle time is if they are under 18 months and even that is rare. If the circle time goes longer because of the older ones than I do let the 2 younger ones go do their own thing but only after they have sat for the beginning of it.

Near the end of my time in centres, it drove me crazy!! Most of the staff quit doing circle time all together because we were no longer allowed to "make" them sit for it and so once one child wandered off the herd followed lol.

I do like having a relaxed plan though. If they want to build robots one day and play with dinosaurs the next, it is nice to have the freedom to do so. When I very first started daycare it was themed weekly and we stuck to that theme almost 100% which had it's pros and cons as well.