Circus Activities for the Classroom

📝 This post, *Circus Activities*, was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with new information and resources.

If you’ve been teaching for a while, you may remember when circus-themed units were a staple in primary classrooms. For several years, my first graders dove headfirst into a full circus unit of study—and I mean full! We didn’t just talk about acrobats and clowns. We explored the history of the circus, discussed animal welfare and the ethics of using animals in performances, learned about circus costumes, talked about the food you might find under the big top, and students even created their very own circus acts. It was quite an undertaking and one of those units I still look back on with such fond memories.

After about four years, we decided it was time to retire the unit. Traditional animal circuses have changed significantly over the years, and it no longer felt like the right fit for our classroom. The funny thing is, though, many of the activities we created are still just as engaging today! Whether you’re planning a full circus unit or simply looking for a few fun themed lessons, these circus activities are sure to bring a little big-top fun to your classroom.

Circus Craft: Trapeze Artist

One of our all-time favorite circus activities! Students create their own trapeze artist craft—a fun, hands-on project that pairs perfectly with a writing activity or a class circus showcase. This one was always a classroom favorite.

💚 Check out the Trapeze Artist Craft here.

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Books About the Circus

Every great themed unit starts with great books! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite circus picture books for the primary classroom. They’re perfect for read-alouds, independent reading, and sparking thoughtful classroom discussions.

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Circus Writing Activities

The Important Thing About the Circus (FREE Printable!)

Inspired by The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, this free writing activity encourages students to think about what makes the circus special using the familiar “The important thing about…” writing format. It also makes a wonderful companion craft.

💚 Download the FREE Important Thing Writing Template here.

Silly Circus Sentences

Who doesn’t love getting a little silly? Students combine a circus performer card with an action card to create hilarious sentences before illustrating their favorites. It’s a creative way to practice complete sentence writing.

💚 Grab Silly Circus Sentences on TpT.

Circus Writing Prompts

This resource includes 13 circus-themed writing prompts paired with fun story paper that’s perfect for Writer’s Workshop, writing centers, or early finishers.

💚 Grab Circus Writing Prompts on TpT.

If I Ran the Circus Reader Response

After reading If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss, students imagine their own amazing circus and write about the performers, attractions, and silly surprises they would include.

💚 Grab If I Ran the Circus on TpT.

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Circus Math Activities

Circus Themed Math Activities

This collection includes eight circus-themed math activities covering addition facts, adding 10, ordinal numbers, coordinates, number lines, and more. It’s an easy way to bring a little circus fun into your math block.

💚 Grab Circus Math Activities on TpT.

Circus Addition Bump Game

Practice addition facts with this fast-paced partner game that’s perfect for math centers and independent practice.

💚 Grab the Circus Addition Bump Game on TpT.

Roll a Clown Face Dice Game

Students roll a die and race to complete silly clown faces while practicing math skills. It’s quick to set up and always a hit.

💚 Grab Roll a Clown Face on TpT.

Circus Clown Glyph

Students answer questions to create their own unique clown face before comparing and analyzing class data. This activity combines art, math, and critical thinking in one fun lesson.

💚 Grab the Circus Clown Glyph on TpT.

Books About the Circus

Complete your circus theme with a great read-aloud! Whether you’re introducing a circus unit or simply looking for a fun story to accompany your classroom activities, these picture books are wonderful additions to your classroom library.

📚 Emeline at the Circus by Marjorie Priceman

Emeline’s teacher wants her class to sit quietly and watch the circus—but Emeline has a few ideas of her own! This humorous story is a fun reminder that learning can happen in unexpected ways.

✏️ Writing Idea: Have students write about their own adventure at the circus.

📚 If I Ran the Circus by Dr. Seuss

A classic! Morris McGurk imagines the most outrageous circus filled with wacky creatures, incredible performers, and silly acts that only Dr. Seuss could dream up.

✏️ Writing & Art Idea: Invite students to invent their own circus performer or animal, then write and illustrate a story about it.

📚Circus by Lois Ehlert

Lois Ehlert’s bold cut-paper illustrations bring the excitement of the circus to life with colorful performers, animals, and imaginative scenes.

✏️ Art Idea: Have students create their own circus scene using cut-paper collage techniques.

📚You See a Circus, I See… by Mike Downs

This clever picture book gives readers a funny behind-the-scenes look at circus life, showing that things aren’t always what they seem under the big top.

✏️ Writing Idea: Have students choose a circus performer and imagine what they do when the show is over.

📚 Sandy’s Circus by Tanya Lee Stone

Learn about sculptor Alexander Calder and the incredible wire circus he created by hand—a fascinating blend of art, creativity, and imagination.

✏️ Art Idea: Use pipe cleaners to create circus animals or performers inspired by Calder’s famous wire sculptures.

More Great Circus Books

Looking for even more circus stories? Here are a few additional picture books that are perfect for classroom read-alouds or independent reading.

Peter Spier’s Circus by Peter Spier

The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen

Olivia Saves the Circus by Ian Falconer

Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman

Circus 1-2-3 by Guido van Genechten

Skippyjon Jones Cirque de Olé by Judy Schachner

Claude at the Circus by Alex T. Smith

The Secret Circus by Johanna Wright

Last Night I Dreamed a Circus by Maya Gottfried

Wrapping it Up

Whether you’re planning a full circus unit or simply looking for a few fun circus-themed activities to sprinkle into your week, I hope these ideas save you time and bring a little big-top fun to your classroom.

💚 Do you have a favorite circus activity or picture book? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!