Preschool Circus Theme

On this page you'll find tons of fun Circus Activities for your preschooler!  ​Build muscles, improve cognitive function, and have some fun while exploring acrobats, yummy treats, juggling, balancing, clowns and more!

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Planning your Circus Theme

Club Members can download all of our Circus Activities and their related theme planning guide for free!
Not a member? Not a member? Learn More Here

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Download our Free Circus Sample Lesson Plan

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Circus Theme Art, crafts, music, and movement

Pendulum Painting

Pendulum Painting is a  great process art exploration for your preschool circus theme!

Try this!

Cotton Candy Puffy Paint

Making puffy paint is easy and the results are so interesting!
​Simply mix up equal parts school glue and shaving cream and add in desired coloring. 
Offer several different colors, some children may wish to make cotton candy, others might like to create snow cones, popcorn, something not circus related or even just experience the medium!
No matter what they decide to create, they can enjoy the resulting effect created. 

Big Top Collage

Invite your preschoolers to a simple cut and paste colorful experience.
Provide construction paper and scrap paper, perhaps include different textures as well in whole pieces and shape cutouts. Children can work to create a colorful collage to represent the big top in any way they choose!
This experience is a fun way for them to express themselves through color and work on cutting and pasting skills. ​

Free Clown Craft and Pre-K Book Companion

Pair this free Clown Hair Craft Mat with dyed pasta (see our tutorial) or yarn, pom poms, tissue paper, crayons etc. to create clown hair. 

Try this!

Clown Mask​

Set up an invitation to create clown masks. Provide paper plates and a variety of art tools/mediums. The masks could be painted or children could cut and paste paper shapes to create a clown face. 
Paint sticks would be a lot of fun for these masks because the results resemble face paint. 
Either attach elastic to each side of the mask to make it wearable or attach a craft stick at the bottom so kids can hold it in front of their face. 
**Extension for Parent Engagement: Take a photo of each child with their mask in front of them, display on a bulletin board and see if parents can guess who their little clown is. 
Behind each photo put a picture of the child peeking from behind their mask so parents can see if they are correct. 

Paper Plate Clown

Provide a paper plate, colorful paper and basic supplies for preschoolers to make a clown face. Show preschoolers how to wrap a strip of paper around their finger (or a thick marker) to make the clown hair.

Balloon Twisting

For a fun twist on creativity try some balloon twisting with your preschoolers!

More Preschool Art & Creativity Ideas

Cotton Candy Play Dough from Mama Miss

 Cotton Candy Craft from Crafty Morning 

Circus Dramatic Play

Our readers shared so many fun Dramatic Play ideas for this theme, here are just a few:

Reader Corrina B. went all out in her space! She included signs, party food, and carnival games. I love all the cute wall decor she found for this theme. 

Reader Danielle W. of Little Sprouts Daycare transformed her play kitchen into a concessions stand during circus week. I love how she used shower poofs for snow cones!

Reader Jenna F. of Jenna's Daycare contributed this photo. I like how she got creative with her kitchen set! Wrapping the set in red is perfect for the circus theme and is an easy way to incorporate materials already on hand. 

This photo was contributed by reader Terrea D. 
The torn up yellow paper is perfect for popcorn! Adding some measuring cups would also be great for scooping out the popcorn for customers. 

Reader Julia from Tractors and Tulips Daycare hung a colorful parachute from the ceiling for her Big Top theme. 

Clown and Circus Performer Dress Up

Provide a variety of colorful scarves, and circus dress up props for children to create their very own circus costume. This would also be a fun time to experiment with face painting.

Carnival Games

Carnival games are a fun addition to the circus. Set up your own  carnival games like ring toss, bean bag toss, and more! Don't forget to set up a stand to sell your favorite carnival food like: hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy.

Costume Shop

Set up a Costume Shop for the Circus Performers to shop for their outfits.

Click here to see this in our shop!

Construction, Blocks and Small World Play Ideas for a Circus Theme

​Construct a Train Track

Engage your preschoolers in discussion about how the circus can transport all their equipment. 
This is a nice opportunity to talk about modes of transportation and how it's important to choose the right type. 

Stack the Acrobats

Add pictures of acrobats to your wooden blocks and challenge children to create a tower of acrobats.

​Create a Small World Circus

For this theme add brightly colored silk scarves and felt, block people, and other accessories as an invitation to create a big top circus. Use printables from our Circus Preschool Activities pack to enhance this space.

Click here to see this in our shop!

Add a splash of color

Put out any colorful blocks you have this week. 
The see through blocks with colorful centers are a lot of fun. Or set up an invitation to build with magnatiles. 

Build a Circus Tent

Leave out materials such as paper towel tubes, left over fabric from projects, sticks, etc. and invite children to build their own circus tent.

Circus Theme Reading Nook

This space was shared by Community Member Christina R.  ​I love all the color she used to incorporate this theme into her reading space. 

Circus Pre-K Book Companion

Support your students in learning more about shapes through literacy! Engagein discussion questions, learning vocabulary, doing a book review and fun printable shape activity that compliments the book Circus Shapes By Stuart J Murphy
This Circus Shapes Pre-K Book Companion is available exclusive to Pre-K Printables Club Members in our shop

Club members get this in our shop!

*Ringmaster Letter Matching

Invite your preschooler to practice matching uppercase to lowercase letters or lowercase to lowercase with this file folder game. 
This set is included in the Circus Activity Pack from Pre-K Printable Fun. 

Click here to see this in our shop!

At the Circus I spy.. *

I spy games are great for building new vocabulary, and are also great for building visual discrimination skills.
Flip and Find the object cards, place them in a sensory bin, or around the room to collect "scavenger hunt" style. This game is included in our Circus Preschool Activity Pack

Click here to see this in our shop!

Circus Syllable Bingo 

Create circus themed bingo boards with numbers to represent different numbers of syllables. Print off cards with images of people, animals, and things you can find at the circus. Have children turn the card over, say the name of the item, count the syllables and then add a chip to their bingo board on the correct number of syllables. A great way to introduce and begin syllable practice with your preschoolers!

Whipped Cream Letter Tracing 

Writing trays are such a great way for preschoolers to practice writing letters and it's even more fun when they include non-traditional materials. This tasty tray is a great way to encourage preschoolers to use their fingers to practice letters. To complete, place a thin layer of whipped cream inside a pie tin for children to trace letters on.

Clifford at the Circus Free Book Companion + Clown Craft

Join Clifford at the Circus for some fun! Our Clifford at the Circus Pre-K Book Companion is available free in our shop!

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If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss

You See a Circus, I See.. By Mike Downs

Clifford at the Circus by Norman Bridwell

Circus Shapes By Stuart J. Murphy

*Circus Number Ordering Puzzles

Practice number ordering skills with Circus themed number puzzles. This circus tent number puzzle as well as an acrobat number puzzle are both included in in our Circus Activity pack. 

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Clown Hat Number Ordering

For this activity you will need a clown hat, or plain cone party hat, for each child. Write a number on each hat starting with one, going up to the number of children in the group. 
Randomly hand out the hats, then challenge the children to work together to identify the numbers on their hats and then line up in numerical order. 
Educators can provide support with visual props such as number lines or posters and verbal support. 

​Acrobat Counting Mat

 Preschoolers will love this fun counting mat! 
​This activity helps build a variety of early math skills. Flip a card, read the number, then add the circus performers one at a time to the tightrope.

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Circus Tent Patterns

Cut out a red triangle circus tent roof from construction paper. Using colored craft sticks have students create different patterns for walls of the tent.

Shape up a Clown

Preschoolers will love using shapes to make this little clown with this fun roll a clown shape activity included in our Circus Shapes Pre-K Book Companion set (member exclusive)

Pre-K Printables Club Members: Log in and download this for free in our shop.

Hula Hoop Toss

There are many ways to take this fun physical development and add some math concepts!

• Make cones with your preschoolers, this is an excellent time to talk about 2D and 3D shapes!
  
• Toss hoops to the same color cone
  
• Use the hoop and cone to practice positional phrases such as "stand inside the hoop", "place the cone on your head", "place the cone on top of the hoop"
  

The Brannock Device

Clown shoes are big and funny and they invite a great opportunity to talk about measurement!
Introduce preschoolers to the Brannock Device which is used to measure feet. Similar devices are available on Amazon or you could ask a footwear professional to come in and talk about the device!

Science, Sensory and, STEM Activities for your Circus Theme

Circus Inspired Sensory Bins

This sensory bin was shared by Community Member Lori C. of Lori's House Preschool. She included a variety of tools for scooping as well as tongs for fine motor development. The addition of the scale is great for promoting measurement concepts too!

Popcorn Sensory Play

Community Member Danielle C. set up this invitation to scoop using popcorn. 

Rubber Ducky Sensory Play

Gather rubber duckies, write numbers on the bottom making two of each number. Combine rubber duckies with water beads or plain water.

Cotton Candy Experiment

Invite your preschoolers to experiment with some cotton candy!

Preschoolers will love this Cotton Candy Science experiment, perfect for a Circus Theme!
Get the details on our blog!

Try this!

Balloon Blow Up Experiment

Have children add baking soda to an empty liter bottle. Add in vinegar and quickly put a balloon over the spout of the bottle. Watch together as the balloon begins to inflate.

Learn About Static Electricity

Discuss the science behind static electricity then break out the balloons for hands-on exploration!

Amplifying Voices

Invite preschoolers to create paper megaphones by using half sheets of poster board. Encourage children to listen to the differences in sound based on people talking with or without the paper megaphones. Can they tell a difference with the size of the megaphone?

Circus Theme Fine Motor Preschool Activities

*Juggling Counting Mats

Use these clown juggling counting mats with play dough, pom poms, or other counters of your choice.

Click here to shop for this activity!

Circus Sticker Scene

Give students paper and circus themed stickers and allow them to create their own scene.

Circus Clown Shoe Lacing Cards

Clown shoes are so much fun! Create some clown shoe lacining cards with your preschoolers for some fine motor fun! Check out all the details on our blog.

Try this!

5 Little Clowns Finger play

Watch this Youtube video to learn a fun circus themed fingerplay for circle time this week.  The library is a wonderful resource for circle time ideas, be sure to ask your local librarian for book picks and other ideas. 

Clown Nose Sort

Cut the top off water bottles then glue to circles of colored paper. Supply large matching pom poms to act as clown noses. Preschoolers can balance the noses on top of the water bottle tops or squeeze to push them into the bottles for some math and fine motor fun!

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Circus Theme Gross Motor Preschool Activities

Tight Rope Walking

Practice balancing skills with tight rope walking! There are many ways to introduce this idea to preschoolers. A simple board for balancing is a great option!
This photo was contributed by reader ​Terrea D. 
If you don't have a balance beam, you can secure a long piece of painters tape, or a jump rope on the floor.

​Circus Obstacle Course

Create a circus obstacle course!
In addition to a tunnel you could also use stable laundry baskets upside-down, a balance beam, hoola hoops, jump ropes, or many different household items. 

Hoop Tricks

A few hoola hoops can be used in many fun ways for this theme!

• Hold up a hoola hoop and challenge children to jump through it. Gradually move the hoop higher and higher to challenge them. 
• Hold the hoop up and challenge children to toss a ball through it. Change the position of the hoop before each throw for an added challenge. 
• Lay several hoops on the ground near one another, similar to tire drills. Then challenge children to run from one side to the other moving in and out of the hoops. 
• Use the hoops as a jump rope. 
• Use the hoops for doing arm circles. 
• Play catch with the hoops. 
• Provide large cones or other targets, toss the hoops and try to get them around the target. Or, lay hoops on the ground and try to toss bean bags into them. 

​Parachute Games

This is a great time to break out the parachute! Use as a circus tent and with fun parachute games! Colorful plastic balls or large pom poms would be fun too!

​Ball Toss Game

Community Member Corinna B. Set up this ball toss game to give arms a big workout!

Circus Gross Motor Cards*

Pretend to be different performers at the circus!

This activity is included in our Circus Preschool Activity Pack

Play some Circus Music

Play circus theme music while engaging in movement activities this week.

Stand in my Shoes

Gather some large shoes for children to try to walk in. Before this activity review safety procedures, ask open-ended questions to see what preschoolers know about this then supply information as needed. This is great for physical development as well as encouraging preschoolers to learn more about their own well-being and safety.

​Juggling

Read your favorite circus book that includes juggling. Then invite your preschoolers to give it a try!
Provide both light juggling scarves (these are great to have on hand for many different activities) and lightweight balls. Challenge children to try juggling with just two balls or scarves and then add more if they like. 

Tumbling

The clowns and cotton candy tend to take front seat at the circus, don't forget about all those acrobats! Somersaults are excellent for preschool physical development!

Face Painting Artists

Face painters are popular artists in communities and a big part of many community events. 
Invite a professional face painter to your program to show children what they do!
These artists can talk about the details of their work and how they contribute to the community. Showcasing these artists is a good way to show children that art can take many forms. 

​Kindness and Appropriate Sillyness

Take time during this theme to talk about respect for other people, animals, and property. 
In the circus there are performers that intentionally do silly things that are funny. With their jobs, it's a compliment when they hear laughter! However, there are times when it's inappropriate to laugh at someone, for example if a friend trips and falls. When someone is physically hurt, feels hurt, or could become hurt in some way, it's important to make sure that person is being helped so they can feel safe. 
Young children may have a hard time with this concept, having this discussion is a good way for them to talk this through and gain understanding.

Teamwork Under the Big Top

There are many different types of circuses, no matter the type, respect and teamwork are important components. 
​Put together some teamwork games for children to practice this concept. They can do relay races, puzzles, follow the leader, constructing a tall tower, and guide me games (blindfold one child and another child tells them how to move to avoid obstacles). 

Take a Field Trip!

Plan a trip to a gymnastics center to play and strengthen little bodies. 
Call ahead to inquire about the services offered at the facility, ask if anyone would be available to share more about gymnastics with your preschoolers. 

Acrobats are a fun part of the circus and fantastic for children to learn about as they are strengthening their bodies. Invite a gymnast or acrobat to your program, take a field trip, or explore with a virtual field  to a gymnastics school like this one from Kid Vision PBS.

Be ready to set up many different gymnastic invitations to play after your introduction to gymnasts! 

Play a Game Together: Circus Roll & Play Game*

Engage in this activity independently or with a partner. Roll the playing cube then add a ball under the shown circus performer. This game is included in our Circus Activity Pack!

Click here to see this in our shop!

Clown Emotions Dough Mats*

This activity is great for reinforcing different emotions. Use these mats from our Circus Activity Pack along with play dough for preschoolers to complete the face to represent each of the shown emotions. 

Click here to see this in our shop!

Noise Sensitivity

There's one big thing the Circus and Preschool classrooms have in common....they can be very noisy.
While learning all about the circus there will be plenty of opportunities to talk about how noise impacts people.
One thing preschoolers can do to help themselves when there are a lot of noises is to use ear safety earmuffs. 
These are fairly inexpensive at hardware stores. Offering an opportunity for children to get a close look and try these out is a step to understanding how they can help people.

EDUCATOR RESOURCES : CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT & PARENT ENGAGEMENT

​Theme Communication

In your theme announcement be sure to let parents know what type of activities you will be doing this week. There can be some strong feelings about the circus, be sure to describe what type of circuses you will be exploring and what components you will be discussing with children. 
Encourage families to discuss their feelings and experiences with circuses with their children. 

Class Carnival

Set up a class carnival as either a fun family event or class fundraiser. 
Use bright colors and set up fun carnival games for children to engage in with their families. 

Circus Preschool Activity Pack

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Halloween Costume Shop Dramatic Play

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Clifford at the Circus Free Book Companion + Clown Craft

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Circus Shapes Pre-K Book Companion

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