Circus

Crafts

*Clown puppets

*Cotton Candy - use coloured cotton balls and glue onto a cardboard tube.

*Popcorn Collage

*Animal Puppets

*Clown Hats

*Balloon Clowns - use face stickers or permanent marker to put a clown face onto a balloon. Cut a heart shape from bristle board for the shoes - decorate. Place the balloon head into the notch of the heart. When tossed into the air, these balloon clowns will always land on their feet!

*Horse Headbands - glue feathers and glitter onto a bristle board strip. Staple to fit child's head.

*Tents - use popsicle sticks and fabric to create a Big Top. Children can decorate with animals, people, clowns, etc.

Science

*Balancing experiments

*Helium and air balloons.

Block Area

*Add circus animals to the block area

Dramatic Play

*Add clown costumes and wigs.

*Make a big top by painting brown rolled paper and attach to wall and furniture to hold it up. Add hoola hoops for the rings and props such as balance beam, scarves to juggle, and animal costumes for the circus acts.

Circle Time

*Colour Clowns

*Pop, pop, pop your corn

*One Little Elephant Balancing

Stories:

*Dumbo

*Donald's Day at the Circus

*Comfy Couch stories

Games:

*Balloon toss

*Bean Bag Game - decorate a large cardboard box to be a clown head. Cut out eyes, nose and mouth to toss the bean bags through.

*Pin the nose on the clown game.

Water & Sand Play

*Add circus animals to the sand table.

*Add animal shaped sponges to the water table.

*Add balloons to the water table (some with air, some partially filled with water, others filled with water).

Outdoor Play

*Ring toss

*Hoola hoops

*Balance beam

*Decorate bikes, wagons, etc for clown vehicles or for a circus parade.

Field Trips / Special Days

*Have a circus day.
*Have a clown visit the center.
*Watch Dumbo (Disney) or Follow that Bird (Warner Bros.).
*Go to the circus.

Songs

Pop the Corn

(sung to:I'm A Little Teapot)

Pop, pop, pop the corn
Pop it big and white
Add some salt and butter too
'Til it tastes just right!

One Little Elephant

One little elephant balancing
Step by step on a piece of string
Thought it was such enourmous fun
That he called for another elephant to come.

Two little elephants... etc

Three little elehpants... etc

Four little elephants

Five little elephants balancing
Step by step on a piece of string
The string went "POP", the elephants dropped
And that was the end of the elephant walk!

Printouts

Related Sites

Perpetual Preschool

Hummingbird Educational Resources