Circus skills support children’s learning

Children at Round Diamond Primary School were amazed to find a circus big top pitched in their playground as part of a themed learning event. 

Performers from Circus Sensible visited the school to teach children skills such as juggling, plate spinning and stilt walking. Pupils from Nursery up to Year 6 had the opportunity to take part in the interactive event. 

Circus workshops can help children to develop skills such as concentration, information retention, hand-eye coordination, balance and self-awareness, which can be used to support learning across curriculum subjects. 

Anna Owen, Assistant Headteacher at Round Diamond, explains: “Our circus day consisted of a mixture of workshops where children were able to learn skills such as juggling and plate spinning, as well as a live comedy performance from the entertainers. 

“We linked this to the children’s learning in lots of different ways, with pupils designing their own circus outfits, writing diary entries from the perspective of a performer and researching the history of circuses to name a few.” 

Anna adds: “It was such a fun and awe-inspiring day, and the children were really inspired. They enjoyed learning some new skills and afterwards they said they loved being in the big top, trying new things and learning some circus tricks.”