 Themes & Activities
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CIRCLE TIME
Circle
time is ideal for getting children to exercise. Use this time to
introduce the week's theme: the circus. Play the role of the animal
trainer. Children are the circus animals. Here are suggestions of
thematic exercises. Have children stand and walk together in the same
direction around your circle time area. Name a few circus animals. Say,
"You are tigers." Children crawl about like tigers. Say, "You are
elephants." Children walk slowly, stretching out their arms and legs to
make themselves as wide as possible. Next, state, "You are beautiful
horses." Have them walk holding their head up high, arms alongside
their body. When children are used to the game, have them jump through
hoops, raise one leg, etc.
Variation: Once children understand the
game, give each child a different circus animal to represent. Your
circle can have a horse, a tiger, an elephant, etc.
Claudine,
one of our collaborators suggests an imaginary game to begin each day.
(Open thematic letter-Pipo the clown)
Print the letter. Prepare a shiny
envelope.
Place the envelope in an easy to find location in the
daycare.
Read portions of the letter to them each day.
AREA SETUP
Organize
a circus corner. Install mats for trapezists (children can use them to
pretend they are acrobats throughout the week). Add balls and scarves
for juggling, hoops, makeup, clown costumes, hats, disguises, a mirror,
and a clown nose.
VARIOUS CIRCUS WORKSHOPS
Here are a few workshop ideas for this theme.
Building blocks-Construction area: Blanket or parachute to create a large tent.
Role Play: Trains, animals, disguises
Manipulation: Pictures, memory games, animal or clown puzzles
Arts & Crafts: Modeling dough with animal-shaped cookie cutters
Reading: Circus picture books or animal stories
Music and movement: Hoops, scarves, balls, whistle, microphone
PICTURE GAME
The
pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with
the group. Use them to decorate your daycare or a thematic corner.
(Open picture game-Circus) Print, laminate, and store in a "Ziploc" bag
or in your thematic bins.
MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Massage
Children
sit two by two. Place mats on the floor. One child lies on the mat on
his stomach. The other child uses a ball to massage his back. Play
relaxing music throughout the activity.
Makeup
Provide children with makeup pencils and mirrors. Let children paint their own faces to resemble circus animals or clowns.
MOTOR SKILLS
Stilts
Make
your own stilts using metal cans. Punch two holes on either side of
each can, near the bottom. Measure a piece of rope so it is the
appropriate length for children. Thread one end of the rope into each
hole and secure with a knot. To walk on stilts, children stand on the
cans, holding the rope in their hands. It's not easy, children will
need practice! (Verify that the edge of the can is not sharp, add
masking tape for extra protection.)
Lions
Have lions jump
through hoops. This activity may be done indoors or outdoors. Children
stand single file and hop, one at a time, through the hoop you are
holding for them. Once all have had a turn, raise the hoop. Add words
of encouragement such as, "Come my beautiful lions!" Continue raising
the hoop, then alternate between high and low.
Elephant trainer
One
child plays the role of the trainer and stands with his back to the
rest of the group at the opposite end of the daycare. The rest of the
children are elephants who move in a line towards their trainer. From
time to time, the trainer turns around. The elephants must immediately
freeze. If an elephant moves, the trainer names him, and the child must
sit down until the next round.
Tight rope walker
Stretch a
long rope out on the floor. Invite children to imagine the rope is high
up in the air. Children walk barefoot on the rope. They mustn't put
their two feet beside the rope if they do not want to fall! There are
different ways to walk on the rope. Have them walk backwards, hop on
the rope, and crawl on the rope.
COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES
Circus memory game
(Open
games-Circus memory game) Print cards twice. The cards may be laminated
or put in small "Ziploc" bags to protect them. Place cards face down on
the floor. One at a time, children pick two cards. If they match, they
keep the cards and play again. If the cards do not match, they must
replace the cards. Their turn is over.
EARLY SCIENCE
Balance
Build a tower of objects or have children walk while balancing an object on their head.
CULINARY ACTIVITIES
You be the judge of how sweet you will go depending on the age group under your care.
At
the circus, there are sweets galore! Small bags of popcorn, candy
apples, cotton candy, and sausages are examples of treats you can
enjoy. Try turning your kitchen area into a sweet treats canteen.
Children can choose their favourite item!
Clown pizza lunch
Prepare
a round pizza for each child. Create a clown face using vegetables for
eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
Add spaghetti for the clown's hair.
Clown surprise
For
each child, put one scoop of ice cream in a bowl. Add an upside down
cone on top of the scoop.
Have children create their clown faces (the
scoop) using small candy.
ARTS & CRAFTS
Hat model
(Open
model-Circus hat) Print and trace onto coloured cardboard. Have
children cut out and decorate their circus hats. Measure children's
heads and staple closed.
Clown nose
Provide children with
Styrofoam balls to paint and decorate with sparkles. Thread string on a
needle and push through the ball. Tie behind children's heads.
COLORING PAGES
(Open coloring pages theme-Circus)
ACTIVITY SHEET
(Open activity sheet-Clown face) Print the face outline. Children add the expression of their choice.
SONGS & RHYMES
The Circus
By: Patricia Morrison (No particular tune)
1 elephant wearing a hat
2 lions, very big cats
3 monkeys, making us laugh
4 clowns with noses so red
5 acrobats flying in the air
1, 2, 3, 4, 5...the circus is live!
Have you ever seen a circus?
By: Patricia Morrison Sung to: Have you ever seen a lassie?
Have you ever seen a circus, a circus, a circus
Have you ever seen a circus
Oh, what a show
With lions and tigers and horses and acrobats
Have you ever seen a circus
Oh, what a show
COMPLIMENTARY ACTIVITY: A DAY AT THE CIRCUS
A day at the circus
(by: Joanne Arsenault)
Material:
Makeup,
costumes, jumping rope, hoola hoops, balls, soft balls, mats, balance
beam, balancing pole, parachute, ribbons and balloons for decorating,
musical instruments
Use a parachute to create a big top. Decorate
with ribbons, streamers, and balloons. Create a balance beam with a 2 x
4 and cover it with red adhesive tape. Cover a long stick with red
adhesive tape too. Use it as a balancing pole. Children can walk like
tightrope walkers. Provide mats for clowns and acrobats. Lion tamers
can make use of the hoola hoops.
Set the stage:
Emily was
going to spend the day at the circus with her friends. When they
arrived, they were told that all six clowns were sick and that they
could not be in the show. Emily and her friends thought that, if they
practiced, they could be the clowns in the next day's show.
INTERVENTION GUIDELINES:
For creative representation:
• Children use makeup and costumes to dress up as clowns
• Children create animal or clown masks
• Children make rings for juggling
• Children build a big top with blocks
For social and moral development:
Relationships with peers:
• Suggest children paint each other's faces
• Children wait for their turn to get their face painted
Empathy:
• Have children pretend to be happy clowns and sad clowns
Autonomy:
• Give children freedom to choose their costume
• Encourage children to clean up on their own
Self esteem:
• Invite children to show their parents their work (ex. mask or big top made with blocks)
• Invite parents to come see the show children have prepared
For language development:
• Have children discuss circus pictures
• Ask children if they have ever been to the circus, have them describe the outing
• Show children new words (big top, tightrope walker, juggler, etc.
• Discuss clowns' emotions (sad, happy, angry)
• Tell a circus story
For psychomotor skills:
Global motivity
• Invite children to perform somersaults on mats
• Let children throw a ball into the air and catch it
• Have children jump in hoops and walk through or under hoops
• Let children walk on a balance beam while holding a balancing pole (stick)
• Have children juggle tiny soft balls
Movement and music
• Sing songs using gestures and movements. For example you may sing an adapted version of
the Hokey Pokey song:
You put your clown foot in
You take your clown foot out
You put your clown foot in
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
And you turn yourself about
That's what it's all about
You put your monkey tail in
You take your monkey tail out
You put your monkey tail in
And you shake it all about
You do the hokey pokey
And you turn yourself about
That's what it's all about
Continue with: elephant trunk, balancing pole, etc.
EVALUATION:
• Invite children to describe their day at the circus
• Review new vocabulary
Marie-Josée, Karine, Valérie, Nancy, Sonia, Magalie, Patricia, and all our collaborators.
Our job is to make yours
easier. Do not hesitate to suggest themes you would like to see us
develop. Let us know of any printable documents or tools which could be
useful. Send us your comments and suggestions!
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