Week 3 - Circus

Skill focus: Balancing

Session equipment:

Marker cones
Spinning plates and sticks
Floor mats

Download Circus Skills - Week 3 activity card to support teaching before and during the sport session.

Fast start - Here, where, there

How to play

On your call, players run towards you (here), away from you (there) or perform a static hold on the spot (where).
When teacher calls out ‘where’, also call out different static positions.
Static positions include angry cat, tuck sit, hands and knees, side lunge, arabesque, v-sit, arch

Skill development

Activity 1 - Pairs passing

Equipment: 1 spinning plate per player

How to play: Players form pairs. On your signal, players pass plates to each other for 30 seconds. At the end of the 30 seconds, the player without the plate moves to form a new pair. Passing starts again.

Using plastic plates, vary the type of throw e.g. high, low, rolling.
Between throws, ask players to do different types of activities e.g. turn around, clap, touch the floor

Pairs Passing - Playing for Life Activity Card

3 hands, 2 feet - Playing for Life Activity Card

Activity 2 - 3 hands, 2 feet

Equipment: Large space

How to play: Pairs hold hands and run randomly around the room and, on your call, perform a specified balance. (Play with 6 or more.)

On ‘GO!’, pairs move freely around the room holding hands until they hear your signal.
Call out combinations including any of the following: feet, bottom, shoulders, knees, hands, backs, elbows.
Players find a space and assume the position called, e.g. if you call out ‘THREE HANDS, TWO FEET!’, pairs form a balance with only these number of body parts touching the ground.
Players hold their position for a set time, e.g. 10 seconds.
Players must always be in contact with one another to maintain balance

Activity 3 - Skip to my Lou

Equipment: 1 x skipping rope per player

How to play: Players challenge themselves to skip within a time limit.

On your signal, players skip for 1 minute, doing a single two-footed jump.
Each time, players should be aiming to beat their last score.
Partner up – have participants pair up, with 1 player turning the rope while they both jump it.

Spinning Plates - Playing for Life Activity Card

Activity 4 - Spinning plates

Equipment: 1 set of spinning plates and sticks per player

How to play: Players use a stick and a spinning plate to perform a variety of activities individually, in pairs or in small groups.

Using their free hand, players place the middle of the underside of the plate on top of the stick.
Players hold the plate in place by placing their finger tips on top of the plate, in a spider shape.
To start spinning, players quickly and lightly twist their spider-shaped wrist and then remove their hand.
To ensure a steady and fast spin, use the palm of the same hand (held flat and parallel with the stick), and lightly brush the edge of the plate, encouraging it to spin faster

Modified small-sided games

Teams work together to design and reheasrse a circus show.

The circus show will be held on the Circus gala day.

Dress Rehearsals

Equipment: All equipment from the lessons

How to play: Players prepare and rehearse for the final circus show. (Play in groups of 6–10.)

Players are split into groups of around 5–10 and asked to prepare a mini circus show to perform for the rest of the group.
The circus show must include a minimum of three acts, two of which must include two or more people. It must have a definite beginning (perhaps a ringmaster/mistress introducing the show) and a definite ending (e.g. a group bow)