10 Circus Crafts and Activities for Kids
This year on American Circus Day and World Circus Day, let’s rediscover our love for the circus with some Circus crafts and activities for kids. Make your own tent, performers, and animals!
There are some joys of our childhood that our kids seem to be missing out on, and one of them is the joy of going to the circus! The circus was an event we looked forward to a lot, and the acts were short, simple, and hilarious!
Somehow kids today don’t seem as excited about circuses as we were, probably since they’re too busy staring at screens. But it’s time to change all that.
WORLD CIRCUS DAY
Every year on the third Saturday in April, World Circus Day (on 19th April in 2025) raises awareness for the circus arts. The day also garners well-earned attention for both amateur and professional circus performers. There’s also American Circus Day on 3rd April (anniversary of the 1st circus by PT Barnum)
What is a Circus?
A circus is a form of entertainment that features many different spectacular acts. These acts may include funny clowns and skilled and daring performers. The word “circus” is derived from the Latin word for circle. Romans hosted their events in circle-shaped amphitheaters. During that time, circuses were the primary source of entertainment for the Romans. Even though the circus changed through the years, entertaining the masses was still the primary goal.
First Circus in America?
The first circus in America took place in Philadelphia on 3rd April 1793. By 1872, thanks to P.T. Barnum, the circus became known as “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
On this day, let’s rediscover our love for the circus with our kids, with some Circus crafts and activities.
10 Circus Crafts and Activities for Kids
1. Paint Stick Clown Puppet circus craft
Kids Activities Blog shows us how to make some cute clowns using wooden sticks. This multimedia craft uses various supplies – buttons, paper, yarn, pom poms, and more!
2. Climbing Strong Men circus performer craft
Strong men are one of the main attractions of the circus and this craft from Pink Stripey Socks proves it! Make these men using cardboard and have fun moving them around!
3. 3D Circus Trapeze Act
What’s a circus without the trapeze! Aunt Annie brings the trapeze to life in this awesome craft using regular craft supplies and a full downloadable template. The performers all look so realistic!
4. Paper Clown Puppet – Free printable circus crafts
This colorful clown puppet is not too hard to make with a free template available for download. Kids will have fun assembling the various parts together to make the final puppet.
5. Cardboard Circus Tents – easy carnival crafts
Handmade Charlotte creates an impressive circus that’ll really bring alive the feeling of going to the real thing! This is a great project to make use of bits and pieces left over in your craft cupboard.
6. Circus Train – circus-themed crafts
First Palette brings us a project that uses multiple craft techniques. We particularly like the accordion folding and cutting of the train cars They also have many printables for the circus people and animals, so you’re all set for a packed circus train.
7. Balancing Elephant Circus Craft | Circus activities for kindergarten
Have you always wondered how those elephants balance on little balls? Create your own balancing circus elephant with a free printable from Learn Create Love.
8. Paper Mache Circus Animals circus craft
If you’d like to create your own custom circus, try making paper mache animals as shown in Small World Land. You can create any animals of your choice, like this tiger jumping through a hoop of flames!
9. Peg Doll Circus Troupe
Want a complete troupe for your circus? Check out how you can make them using peg dolls, from this tutorial at Red Hand Gang. Love how minor details like the hair and some paint can transform plain pegs into circus performers with personality!
10. Paper Circus Tent – circus tent craft for preschoolers
Go to First Palette to learn how to make your very own circus tent! All you need to do is print out the template on card stock and then it’s just a matter of adding details and place for your circus dolls, clowns, and animals to play around with.
Don’t you feel like you’re at the circus already? Circuses have their own culture depending upon where you live, and these circus crafts and activities for kids are perfect to learn more about them!
Responses