DIY Circus Lab for Kids: A Family- Friendly Guide for Juggling, Balancing, Clowning, and Show-Making: Volume 14

Description

DIY Circus Lab for Kids gives families everything they need to produce their own circus! Author Jackie Leigh Davis invites the you into the international youth circus community, then dives into the circus skill families: juggling, acrobatics, manipulation, balance, and clowning. The book opens with a do-it-yourself prop-making class, and provides enough homemade circus equipment to get you started on some fun circus basics. Rising circus stars will then move on to lessons in toss juggling, flower sticks, poi, human pyramids, and how to move on to even more tricks and skills. And best yet, kids will see how to combine skills into an act, and acts into a show. DIY Circus Lab for Kids also includes the Circademic Corner, which is full of academic and scientific factoids about circus, and Safety Check boxes whenever skill-learning requires adult supervision. Many of the skills in this book are safe enough for kids to do themselves, with a few requiring an adult "spotter" so families or classes can enjoy them together.

Jackie Leigh Davis, EdM., is a circus education pioneer, teacher, and advocate. She was a founding member of the American Youth Circus Organisation (AYCO), the first national youth circus advocacy organisation in the country. Founded in 1999, AYCO hosts biennial national festivals and educator conferences to promote the participation of youth in circus arts.

Davis is a long-time circus instructor and her experience is immediately evident in her clear instructions, which are broken into written steps with photo illustrations featuring actual youth circus artists, while website links provide video demonstrations of prop/apparatus construction and the skills themselves. [. . .] A niche but exemplary resource. * Booklist, starred review * Davis notes that the "circus is for everyone"-an inclusive message echoed by the activities, which align with different ability levels and interests, from tight rope walking to designing T-shirts. * Publishers Weekly * DIY Circus Lab for Kids is a perfect circus classroom resource and also a tool for children who are interested in learning circus skills but who live in places where there is no access to circus classes. * Fiona Bradley, Circus Talk * A well-conceived how-to book [...] ideal for collections where tweens and teens want to learn how to put on a show. * School Library Journal * This is an excellent book, expertly done, and deserves a place on the bookshelf of any child interested in exploring the circus arts. * International Jugglers' Association * A hands-on, step-by-step guide with easy instructions and clear photos that demonstrate each juggling, balancing, clowning, and show-making activity. -- Vivian Kirkfield * Picture Books Help Kids Soar blog * The book allows children to learn the basics of juggling, balancing, clowning and show-making, each skill paired with tutorials on how to hand-make props they might need at a cheaper cost than purchasing ready-made equipment. Whether it's juggling balls from tennis balls filled with sand and covered with colorful balloons suitable for kids of any age, or a plywood tight-rope frame that may need some adult assistance, the idea is to create an environment of inclusivity. * Monadnock Ledger-Transcript * A great reference book for school libraries [. . .] It's also a great hands-on gift for adventurous youth, and for video game-obsessed or artistic youth who need to know that not all physical activity is highly competitive or sports based! * CircusTalk *