This week our classroom explored the exciting theme of the Circus. We began by watching a video of a 2023 circus and comparing it to our own annual circus performance. The children immediately noticed that the modern circus did not include any animals, while our circus has children pretending to be animals. This led to a thoughtful discussion about why real animals are no longer used in circuses. We talked about how wild animals can be unpredictable and how circus owners want to keep both people and animals safe, so many circuses now choose to feature only human performers. The children were also surprised to learn that circuses used to transport their animals and equipment by train.
Throughout the week, we incorporated circus fun into our literacy activities. The children helped create a list of circus vocabulary words and practiced writing them. They played a letter‑matching game and used cotton balls to practice forming lowercase letters. Some children chose to read books independently, while others used alphabet cards to practice identifying letters and their sounds. During Write the Room, the children searched the classroom for circus words and wrote down the ones they found.
In math, the children made numbers using cotton and counted out “popcorn” using yellow wooden blocks. They worked on a number puzzle, putting pieces together to form complete numbers, and enjoyed playing a Circus Memory Game to strengthen their matching and recall skills. Using a variety of manipulatives, they even created their own miniature circuses, showing lots of creativity and problem‑solving.
We also had plenty of opportunities for artistic expression. The children painted using balloons, explored drawing their own circus scenes, and created a popcorn art project using cotton balls. Each activity allowed them to use their imagination while practicing fine motor skills.
The children worked very hard practicing their acts for our own circus performance, and we are so proud of the effort and enthusiasm they put into it. Their excitement and dedication truly showed, and we are happy that the circus was such a success. We hope that all of our families enjoyed watching the children perform as much as they enjoyed preparing for it. Thank you so much for coming to our Annual Circus!
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out!