Circus Preschool Crafts
Funny Clowns and silly Food

by Karen & Grace Morris

Get ready for the big tent with these circus preschool crafts. Make clowns, a man on the flying trapezes, and pretend to eat cotton candy. Soon you will have your own acts for the big top. By the way, you might want to invite your older school aged children to join along.

Click the pictures to find the directions for the different circus preschool crafts.

Eating is always fun. So click to make circus preschool crafts pretend food.

make some "cotton candy"

make some "hot dogs"

make "condiments"

Funny Clowns
Unique Acts
Yummy food
Time to Pretend
Circus Preschool Crafts

Want to make the circus preschool crafts another day? Pin for later.

Circus Tent – The Big Top

You can’t have a circus without a tent. It takes several men to put one up. It is cool to watch. Yet, with this craft, you will only need one young kid.

What you need;

A cereal box 18oz that measures 7 1/2 by 10 3/4
Three sheets of white paper
Red paper
A dowel
Markers (I used red and black)
Tape

First, tape the three pieces of white paper to all four sides of the box.

With a pencil, draw a triangle on the box. The sides measure 5 1/2 and the bottom 7 1/2 inches. You will want the triangle's point at the center of the top of the box.

Do the same on the other side of the box. Cut around the triangles.

With a black marker, make a rounded rectangle shape on both sides of your box. This will look like the tent's opening.

Make stripes with your chosen color all around the box. Now that I think about, white and red are candy cane colors.

Cut a rectangle shape out of red paper, not too big, not too small. This will be the flag for the top of the tent.

Stick the dowel through it. Hold the dowel with the flag in the center of the two triangles at the top of the box.

Tape the two triangles together with the dowel between the two.

Circus Preschool Crafts - Clowns

Everyone in this circus is a clown!

Big Mouth --- The Pompom Toss

You can't use his him as a beanbag toss, but you can toss large or small pompoms into his mouth.

You will need;

Two paper plates
Crayons
Scraps of colored paper
Glue stick
Stapler
Yarn
Dinner fork
Large, medium, and small pompoms (optional)

Fold one of the paper plates in half and cut the rim off the plate. Then cut the rim in half. Color the rims red, these are his lips. You could use another color if you want. (Maybe blue??)

Place one piece so that about half of it is below the rim of the plate. Place the other piece above the first piece. The two together will look like the clowns mouth is open. Staple the sides to the plate. Cut off any excess.

Cut ovals from the leftover paper plate to make eyes. Glue the ovals on the clown and draw around them with a black crayon.

Cut small circles that will fit inside your oval. I used blue. Glue them inside the ovals that you drew on the face.

Use a hole punch to cut two black circles for the pupils. Glue onto the blue circles.

Make a circle for a nose. Also, make two pink circles for cheeks. Glue everything to your paper plate.

Make a triangle out of green paper for a hat and glue to the top of the plate. (“Would you like some pie?”)

Take a piece of yarn and tread through the center prong on the fork. Wrap yarn around the prongs of a dinner fork from top to bottom approximately 4 times (Dinner time!). Then cut the yarn.

Pull the yarn in the center tight and knot. Slide the yarn bundle off the fork. Cut the folded ends. Here is a page with pictures on how to make a pompom.

Make four pompoms for hair and glued to the sides of the hat

When the glue is dry, try tossing the large, medium, and small pompoms into his mouth. Every pompom you get in is a point!

Mr. Smiley

You will never see a frown on this clown’s face! Let this clown cheer you up as he goofs off doing funny things.

What you need;

Two paper plates
Red paper
Red yarn
Small red pompom
Markers
Tape
White glue
Glue stick

Cut two eye shapes in one of your paper plates. Trace around the eyes with a black marker and made red diamond shapes around the eyes.

With your other plate, cut a piece of the rim about 5 1/2 inches long. Draw a big smile on it with a red marker. Tape it to the bottom of your plate just above the other rim a little.

Cut out two circles out of red paper, (use a spice lid to get your circles perfect and the right size). With a glue stick, glue next to the edges of the mouth.

Glue the pompom in the center of the face for the nose with white glue.

Cut 12 pieces of red yarn 10 1/2 inches long and tape to the edge of the rim to make hair.

Now go make someone happy with your smile!

Circus Acts

With these circus preschool crafts, your clowns will do something entertaining.

Unicycle

A unicycle is like a bike that only has one big wheel.

You will need;

Round cheese box (the kind that brie or Laughing Cow cheese comes in)
Pipe cleaners
Straws
Cardstock
Hole punch
Washi tape

Have a parent punch a small hole in the center of the top and bottom of the box with a sharp object, such as a pen. Take off the label.

Decorate the box with Washi tape.

Thread a 12-inch pipe cleaner through the holes in the box. Bend 1 inch over on each end.

Put a 3 1 /2 inch piece of straw on each end of the pipe cleaner.

Thread a 6-inch piece of pipe cleaner through the open ends of the straws. This will be the seat of the unicycle.

To make the clown. Draw two circles using a 3 ounce cup on top of each other like a snowman. Draw a triangle for the hat. Cut the clown out.

With a hole punch make arm and leg holes.

Punch two holes near the bottom for the legs. Punch two holes where the two circles connect for the arms. Add a face and decorate your clown.

With a 6-inch piece of pipe cleaner, thread it through the two bottom holes. Bend the ends over to make feet.

Thread a 6-inch piece of pipe cleaner through the top holes in the clown to make arms. Bend the ends over to make hands.

Wrap the legs around the straws so that it looks like he is holding on with his legs.

Man on the Tightrope

Supplies;

Pipe cleaners
2 pony beads
Straws
Card stock
Decorations for clown

Draw the clown on card stock. Use a 3 ounce cup to draw two circles. Then draw a pointy hat.

Decorate with construction paper, markers, and star stickers.
Make four holes in the clown for the arms and legs.

Thread a 6-inch pipe cleaner in the top two holes for the arms. Bend the ends to make hands.

Thread another 6 inch pipe cleaner through the bottom holes to make legs. Add a 2-inch piece of straw to each end of the pipe cleaner.

Put two pony beads on a 12-inch pipe cleaner. This is the tightrope.

Thread the ends of the clowns legs through the pony beads.

Twist the tightrope around one of the pony beads.

Thread a 2 1/2 inch of straw on each end of the tightrope. Bend the ends.

When you hold the ends of the tightrope, it will look like the clown will fall off the wire, but he will find his balance and stand up.

Funny Dressed Clown

Clowns wear almost anything to make you laugh. This one looks like he is wearing a barrel.

Supplies;

Card stock
3 oz cup
Pipe cleaners
A plastic drinking straw
Lid from spice bottle (the kind that had the holes in the lid)
Markers, or whatever you want to decorate your clown with
Hole punch
Pen to poke hole in cup

Make your clown by drawing two circles next to each other on a piece of card stock.

Draw a triangle on top of one of the circles. With scissors, cut your clown out. Decorate the clown with markers.

Punch two holes near the bottom for the legs and two holes where the two circles meet for the arms.

Thread a 12-inch pipe cleaner through the bottom holes for the legs. Thread a 6-inch piece of pipe cleaner through the top holes for arms.

With a parent's help, poke two holes in the bottom of the 3 ounce cup. This is where the legs will go.

To make the barrel, cut several 2 by 1/4 inch pieces of light brown construction paper.

Glue the strips from top to bottom on the 3 ounce cup. The strips should be touching but not overlapping. Next, cut three strips of dark brown paper 9 by 1/2 inches. Glue one next to the top, one in the center, and one near the bottom of the cup. Cut off any excess paper.

Cut a 3 1/2 inch piece of straw for each leg. Thread each piece on the pipe cleaner. Thread the pipe cleaner and some of the straw through the holes in the 3 ounce cup.

Fold the excess piece of pipe cleaner on each leg in a circle, then push the end into the straw. Bend so that it looks like the clown has on large shoes.

Break off the top of the spice lid. Take a small piece of pipe cleaner, thread through both of the clowns shoes. Then tread the ends through two of the holes on the spice lid. Twist the ends together. Your clown will be able to stand.

With a hole punch, make holes near the rim of the cup for the arms to go through. Bend the ends of the pipe cleaners over to make hands.

Man on the Trapeze

You will need;

2 18 ounce oatmeal containers
2 16 ounce paper coffee cups
1 plastic wrap cardboard roll
Orange streamer
Other colored streamers
3 white 12 inch pipe cleaners
1 red 12 inch pipe cleaner
Card stock
Markers, stickers, or small pompoms to decorate clown

wrap cardboard roll with orange streamer

Decorate the plastic wrap roll with orange streamer.

use streamers to decorate the cups and oatmeal containers

Cover the cups with one color, then fold the other streamer in half and tape to the top. Wrap around the cup so that some background color shows.

Do the same with the oatmeal containers.

Bend the three white pipe cleaners in half.

Take two of the pipe cleaners and twist the open end around the ends of the third pipe cleaner to make a swing.

Place the swings handles on the orange pole.

Place the top of one of the coffee cups on the lid of the oatmeal container. Do the same with the other cup.

Make a clown out of card stock by drawing around a 3 ounce paper cup and adding a rectangle for a hat. This one reminds me of a snowman.

Decorate your clown. With Washi tape, construction paper, and a flower sticker.

Add arms and legs out of 6 inch pipe cleaners.

Balance the roll with the trapeze on the bottom of the two coffee cups. (He'd fly through the air with the greatest of ease….)

Place the clown on the trapeze. He can balance on one foot, or sit on the swing, or hang from one arm.

A Clown's Juggling Act

Juggling objects is a common circus act. People juggle balls, clubs, or rings. Some people have learned to do a somersault while throwing the objects in the air and still catch them. Other jugglers can hold a drink or ice cream in one hand without spilling anything.

Here is a clown who is juggling three balls.

What you will need;

Purple Paper
Card stock
Markers
4 Tiny pompoms
Brad
Glue stick
Pink tissue paper
Wiggly eye
Tacky glue

cut out a clown shape from cardstock and colored paper

On the purple piece of paper, draw a rectangle that is about 6 by 2 1/4 inches. This will be the clown's body.

Above the rectangle, draw a circle (use a peanut jar lid to make it perfect). This will be the head. Also, make a curve that measures 31/4 by 1/2 inches for the hair.

At the bottom of the rectangle, draw a rounded rectangle for the shoes. It is about 4 3/4 inches long.

Cut out a circle on the same piece of purple paper (I used a spice lid). Also, cut a same size circle out of card stock.

Draw arms about 2 inches long to the rectangle of your clown. Also, draw hands. Trace your card stock circle so that it looks like the clown is holding it.

Draw the same shape for the clown on card stock.

Cut around the clown. It will look like he is facing sideways.

Glue the paper to the card stock.

Roll up tissue paper to make hair. Glue to your clown.

With your markers, decorate your clown however you like. (I used a green marker for the shoes, black for outlining, purple for the neck's collar, yellow for the buttons, and red for the mouth.)

Stick on a wiggly eye above the mouth. Make sure you have enough room for the nose!
Wad up some tissue paper and glue with the glue stick to make the hair.

With tacky glue, glue on a red pompom for the nose.

With the last three pompoms, glue them on the card stock circle. Let dry.

With the circle, attach it above the hands with a brad. It should look like he is holding the circle.

Once your craft is dry, you can spin the circle. The pom-poms will go around and around, looking like the clown is juggling.

If your kids want to learn how to juggle, a great book is The Great Juggling Kit by Stuart Ashman, It comes with three balls to learn with.

Circus Preschool Crafts - Food

These circus preschool crafts will make you hungry.

Cotton Candy

You could use this activity to teach your preschooler about small, medium, and large. So cut three sizes of circles. I used a cottage cheese lid, a ricotta cheese lid, and an empty plastic fruit cup.

You will need;

Pink paper
Lined notebook paper
Homemade Pink Finger Paint
Cotton balls
Glue stick

Cut a small, medium, and large circle.

The large circle will go on the bottom. Next, place the medium-sized circle. Overlap it some so that it sits on top of the larger one. Take the small circle and place it on top the medium one.

Next, make finger paint by mixing;
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon vinegar
Red food coloring

Paint your cotton candy with a cotton ball. When it dries, you should see some cornstarch. It looks something like cotton candy.

Now you need a stick. Roll a piece of notebook paper starting from one corner.

Glue the end so that it does not unravel.

Glue your cotton candy on the stick.

Hot Dog

Baseball, football, picnics, and the circus; you can eat this fun food at lots of places. You could use this circus preschool crafts in lots of places.

Supplies;

2 Empty toilet rolls or a paper towel roll
Orange streamer
Yellow and red yarn
Cream colored paper

To make the bun;

If you are not using the toilet paper rolls. Cut a cardboard roll 4 inches. Cut out 1 1/2 inches from the side of the roll.

Cut a piece of cream-colored paper 5 1/2 by 4 inches. Place the paper on the 4-inch cardboard roll. Fold the longer sides of the paper over the cut ends of the roll and glue.