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Circus At Home
If these past few months have had you dreaming of running away with the circus, you're not alone. Now's your chance. (Kinda.) Welcome to a world of daring performers, hilarious clowns, and spectacular performances. Did you know the circus has been around since ancient Rome? From Asia to Africa to the 146-year-old American Ringling Bros. Circus, circus arts have roots—and present-day popularity—all around the world. This week, you'll learn the basics of circus performance and put together a circus show from start to finish.
While you're home for the summer and social distancing, it's so important to engage in activities that activate your body and mind. Circus arts will have you creating, experimenting with movement, and building confidence (and since each skill builds on the one before it, we do recommend following this week's activities in order).
The next time the circus rolls into town, you'll be ready to get up on that stage.
what you’ll need
- Your Camp Kinda toolkit
- Paper, cardboard, colorful scraps of paper
- 6 balloons (optional: 3 of one color, 3 of another)
- Party hats (or make your own with origami paper)
- String, twine, or elastic
- Rice
- A kitchen funnel or one made of paper
- An old egg carton
- Tape
- Red and white paint
- A paper plate
- 3 plastic grocery bags
- Sturdy plastic sandcastle buckets
- Rope
- Blankets
- Miscellaneous costume items (old clothes, Halloween costumes, hats, etc.)
- Miscellaneous art supplies (sequins, pom-poms, whatever you've got!)
- Miscellaneous household items (pots and pans, a mop or broom, a jump rope, magazines, etc.)
For optional homemade face paint:
- Flour, cornstarch, or baby powder
- Face lotion
- Baby oil or vegetable oil
- Nontoxic, washable paints
- Water
- A bowl and spoon
- Plastic containers (Tupperware or old takeout containers will work)
weekly family activity
Grab a front-row seat (i.e. your couch) for a viewing of Cirque du Soleil's traveling show KURIOS. The hour-long program is brought to you through their special #CirqueConnect virtual offering, and is fun for the whole family. (We recommend this for your kids in second grade and above.)
this week’s content builder:
Kelly Smith
Kelly Smith is a 6th grade Social Studies teacher at Bricolage Academy in New Orleans during the school year, but come summertime, camp is her jam! She's worked in experiential learning for 9 years and most recently was the Camp Director at the Louisiana Children's Museum.
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