Circus Theme

Circus

 TALK:
Talk about the parts to a Circus! The Big Top Tent, the sights, sounds, smells! Popcorn, Cotton Candy are some of my favorites! Imagine all the animals- lions, and elephants, and trapeze artists and even the grand ring master! Pull up pictures and share with the kids!  Today we are all going to the Circus through stories, songs and activities! Come on along!

READ: BOOKS
Sidewalk Circus By Paul Fleschman 
Olivia Saves the Circus By Ian Falconer
Clifford at the Circus By Norman Bridwell
Curious George Circus Act By H. A. Rey
Peppa Pig Backyard

Circus By Candlewick Press
The Circus Ship By Chris Van Dussen
Harold's Circus By Crockett Johnson
Emma Circus By Candace Fleming
Circus by Lois Ehlert
Spot Goes To The Circus By Eric Hill 
If You Ever Want To Bring a Circus to the Library Don't By Elise Parsley 
Circus Opposites By Suse MacDonald
Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus by Susan Middleton Elya 
A Small Surprise by Louise Yates
 Last Night I Dreamed a Circus By Maya Gottfried
Circus By Peter Spier

SONGS/ RHYMES:

Flannelboard: “One Elephant Went Out to Play”
One elephant went out to play
Upon a spider’s web one day
She had such enormous fun
That she called another elephant to come (HEY ELEPHANT)

Action Rhyme: “Five Little Clowns”
Five little clowns all in a row (hold up five fingers)i
Wearing funny hats (tap head)
And polka dotted bows (fix pretend bow tie)
One little clown hopped away (hop)
Back to the circus to laugh and play (wave goodbye)
(Four little clowns, one twirled away; three little clowns, one tumbled away; two little clowns, one wiggled away; one little clown, he tiptoed away)
Credit: Perry Public Library & Storytime Katie

Action Song: “Funny Clowns”
Funny clowns, funny clowns,
Jump around, jump around
Sometimes making faces
Sometimes running races
Funny clowns, funny clowns
Funny clowns, funny clowns
Spin around, spin around
Sometimes with a big nose,
Sometimes with big toes
Funny clowns, funny clowns
Credit: Youth Literature & Storytime Katie 

Lets go to the Circus

(Sung To: "Mary Had a Little Lamb") Let's all go to the circus
The circus today, the circus today
Let's all go to the circus, today
And watch a big parade
See the clowns all tumbling around, tumbling around
See the clowns all tumbling around
In the circus ring.

Lions and tigers jumping through hoops
Jumping through hoops, jumping through hoops
Lions and tigers jumping through hoops
In their circus cage

The prancing horses step so high, Step so high, step so high.
The prancing horses step so high
In the circus ring 
Add Your Own Verses

 Credit Everything Preschool

Bouncing Balloons

This is the way we bounce the balloons
bounce the balloons, bounce the balloons
This is the way we bounce the balloons, gently in the air
Credit Everything Preschool

Take Me Out To the Circus

Tune "Take me out to the ballgame"

Take me out to the circus
Take me to the big top
I want to see the clowns tumbling
As I eat popcorn and drink soda pop
Oh, the lions and tigers may scare me
And the high wire acts amaze me
So . . .You! . . .see . . .all the great things we will do
On our circus day Credit Everything Preschool

Walking Through The Circus

(Sung To: "I've Been Working On the Railroad")
I am walking through the circus (walk in place)
Happy as can be (smile real big)
I am walking through the circus (walk in place)
Just to see, what I can see (make binoculars with hands)
I can see the clown laughing (ha, ha, ha)
I can see the elephant, too (make trunk motion)
I can see the lion sleeping (yawn)
Look out (make binoculars with hands)... because he sees you too
Credit Everything Preschool 

PLAY/LEARN/EXPLORE/CRAFT:

C is for Circus Theme Preschool 

Circus crafts, printables and games 

Let's Go To The Circus Basic Math Printables FREE 

 Exploring shapes and colors clown craft

Lost or Missing Toys

Lost or Missing Toys

 Talk: Show kids a couple examples of favorite toys- teddy bear, a bunny or a stuffed blue dog! These toys are beloved and are probably dragged along just about anywhere. But as you as a parent or teacher know they can also quickly be misplaced and cause all sorts of grief to that child
until happily found again.
  


READ: Books
The Backup Bunny By Abigail Rayner
I Must Have Bobo By Eileen Rosenthal
Where's My Teddy? By Jez Alborough
Knuffle Bunny : A Cautionary Tale By mo Willems
Plaidypus Lost By Janet Stevens
Olivia and the Missing Toy By Ian Falconer
Teddy's Favorite Toy By Christian Trimmer 
Too Many Toys By David Shannon
Gideon and Otto:Best Friends Lost and Found Olivier Dunrea
Where's My T.R.U.C.K.? By Karen Beaumont
Found By Salina Yoon  
Toy Boat By Randall De Seve 

SONGS/ RHYMES:


Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn around,
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Touch the ground.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Dance on your toes,
Teddy bear, teddy bear.
Touch your nose.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Stand on your head,
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Go to bed.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Say goodnight,
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Turn out the light.
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Wake up now,
Teddy bear, teddy bear,
Take a bow.
Credit KidSparkz.com
 
Balls
 A little ball (clasp hands)
A bigger ball (hands apart)
A great big ball I see (big arc)
Now let's count the balls
ONE
TWO
THREE
Credit KidSparkz.com

Sing with Us (Here we go round Mulberry Bush) (rhythm sticks)        

This one is perfect for babies, toddlers or preschoolers! Actions can be modified to fit your needs

Come along and sing with us

Sing with us, sing with us

Come along and sing with us

So early in the morning

(continued)

Continue with….

…clap with us (clap hands)

…stomp with us(stomp feet)

…Tap with us(use sticks)

….read with us(open and close hands like a book)

 (Credit: Lowena Latiff --Lexington Library)

Blue Bird, Bluebird  (I made clipart laminated birds on a Popsicle stick to use with the kids for this song)

Bluebird, bluebird, through my window.
Bluebird, bluebird, through my window.
Bluebird, bluebird, through my window.
Oh, Johnny aren't you tired?
 

Find a little friend, and  tap on the shoulder
Find a little friend, and  tap on the shoulder

Find a little friend, and  tap on the shoulder

Oh, Johnny aren't you tired?

 Credit:Lowena Latiff Lexington Library

PLAY/LEARN/EXPLORE:

Brown Bear Memory Game 

Preschool Week Match Game Packet FREE 

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head Printable Parts for Craft FREE 
 

Blocks and Building

  

Blocks and Building 

Talk:
Show different picture examples of buildings- towers, office building, house. Then show examples of blocks or other building materials like cups, playing cards, building straws. Today we are sharing books about blocks and building and in just a few minutes we will work together to build on of these fun examples.  

READ: BOOKS 

Blocks By Irene Dickson
Rex Wrecks It!  By Ben Clanton
Bigger, Bigger By Leslie Patricelli
Block City By Robert Louise Stevenson
Crash! Boom! A Math Tale By Robie H. Harris
 Building Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building By Christy Hale 

SONGS/ RHYMES:
 
This Is Big
This is big, big, big (Hold arms to the side)
This is small, small, small (Cups hand together)
This is short, short, short (Hold hands with palms facing each other)
This is tall, tall, tall (Reach one hand above head)
This is fast, fast, fast (Circle fists quickly)
This is slow, slow, slow (Circle fists slowly)
This is yes, yes, yes (Nod head)
This is no, no, no (Shake head no)
 Credit Storytime Katie

The Wiggles
A wiggle wiggle here,
A wiggle wiggle there,
Wiggle your hands up in the air.
Wiggle your shoulders,
Wiggle your hips,
Wiggle your knees,
And move your lips.
Wiggle, Wiggle, Wiggle.
And wiggle some more –
And now let’s sit down on the floor.
Credit Storytime Katie

Fingerplay: “Dance Your Fingers Up”
Dance your fingers up, dance your fingers down
Dance your fingers to the side, dance them all around
Dance them on your shoulders, dance them on you head
Dance them on your tummy, and put them all to bed
Credit: Best Kids Book Site and Storytime Katie 

CD MUSIC:
Laurie Berkner- CD I Really Love to Dance
I Took a Bath in a Washing Machine Song By Jim Gill CD
The Silly Dance Contest Song By Jim Gill CD
The List of Dances Song By Jim Gill CD
 Shake My Sillies Out By Raffi  CD
Kidz Bop Greatest Hits CD (2016) Popular clean versions of radio songs like Uptown Funk, Happy, Shake It Off , Call Me Maybe, Gangnam Style, etc. 
Row Row Row Your Boat Song, If your Happy and You Know It, Skip to My Lou, Hokey Pokey- from Songs For Wiggle Worms CD- By Old Town School of Folk Music

 PLAY/ MOVE/EXPLORE:

Have a building party! Get out different building materials- wood or foam blocks, red plastic cups, boxes, legos, duplos, plastic straws (colored), marshmallows or gum drops and toothpicks. either have the children build alone or as teams of 2-3 depending on the size of your group.  Give them different picture examples of things to build. Gather them to compete for speed relays- set a timer and see how high they can build a tower, a bridge etc.

Blocks of Fun activities 

Duplo Block Painting

Color Block Puzzles  

 Lego Pattern Cards 

Math block Activities for Preschool 

Block activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Vacations and Trips

Vacations and Trips

TALK:
Bring out in your  storytime or at home props that relate to travel or vacations-- suitcase, travel documents, sunglasses, beach equipment, a toy car! Ask the kids if they have ever been on vacation? What do you need to take with you? If you go anywhere in the world where would you want to go? How would you get there-- car, bus, train, plane etc.

READ BOOKS:
Chicken on Vacation By Adam Lehrhaupt
Olivia Takes a Trip By Ellie O'Ryan
Penguin on Vacation By Salina Yoon
How I Spent My Summer Vacation By Mark Teague
Eloise's Summer Vacation By Kay Thompson  
Strega Nona Takes a Vacation By Tomie DePaoloa
Berenstain Bears Too Much Vacation By Stan Berenstain
Peppa Pig Family Trip By Eone
Froggy Goes to Hawaii By Jonathan London
Carl's Summer Vacation By Alexandra Day
Berenstain Bears Go on Vacation By Stan Berenstain
Maisy Goes on Vacation By Lucy Cousins
Rusty's Red Vacation By Kelly Adam Asbury
Are We There Yet? By Dan Santat
Emma's Vacation By David McPhail  

SONGS & RHYMES:

Oh We're Goin' On A Vacation

Sung to: She'll Be Coming Around The Mountain Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the plane (zoom zoom)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation on the train (chug a chug)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation
Oh we're goin' on a vacation in our car (honk honk)
include other modes of transportation such as a boat
Credit Preschool Express

My Hands Say Hello

My hands say hello, (wave hands)

My hands say hello,

Everytime I see my friends,

My hands say hello.

Additional lyrics:

Feet (stomp feet)

Nose (wiggle or tap nose)

Ears (wiggle ears) 

Tongue (stick that tongue out!) 

The Weilded Pen childrens corner. blogspot.com

Touch Your Nose (T, P)
Touch your nose,
Touch your chin,

That's the way this game begins.
Find your eyes,
Touch your knees,

Now pretend you're going to sneeze!

AA-CHOOOO!

Touch your hair,

Touch one ear,

Touch your two red lips right here,

Can you blow a kiss good-bye? (blow a kiss!)

Touch your elbow where it bends

Can you touch your other elbow?

And that's the way this touch game ends.

The Weilded Pen Children's Corner.blogspot.com

MOVEMENT/ CRAFT/ EXPLORE: 
 
Ask Kids what they would bring on a trip or vacation-- get out suitcases and pack for a weekend trip to somewhere!

Set up a tent and have a staycation in the backyard

Puppy's Summer Vacation Printable Matching

Hawaiian Vacation Storytime Theme

Summer Vacation Printable Photo Album Pages