The children were usually seated on the floor in the center of that circle. Every week, we sang songs, did fingerplays, etc. It was great to see the joy the very young and the very old brought to one another. If I could and had the power to do it, I'd require all preschools and day care centers to provide social gatherings between the children in their program and the community's elderly. Watch the magic that happens between these two age groups.
Most towns have a similar program.