Circus Warm-up
Circus warm-up: students imitate tightrope walkers, jugglers, lions, clowns and trapeze artists as the ringmaster announces each act.
How to play
- The teacher is the ringmaster and announces each act.
- Tightrope walkers: walk along a floor line with arms out.
- Lions: move on all fours and jump through an imaginary hoop.
- Jugglers: toss and catch imaginary objects while moving; finish with a bow to the audience.
Rules
- Each act lasts until the next announcement.
- Lions don't touch anyone.
Variations
Easier
Three acts.
Standard
Five acts in a row.
Harder
Groups invent and teach a new act.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: upper-body acts (juggling, clown).
- Shy students: ringmaster's assistant.
Learning goals
- Develop balance, coordination and body expression.
- Warm up creatively.
PatioLab has "Circus Warm-up" and 599 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
More warm-ups for Elementary
Active Blind Man's Bluff
Active "Blind Man's Bluff": a partner guides a blindfolded classmate by voice so they can tag the others.
Active Corners
Active corners: each corner of the area has an exercise; students run to the corner called and do that exercise.
Animal Races
Animal races: students move like different animals across the space — a fun way to warm up all major muscle groups.
Around the World
Around the world: each area of the playground is a continent and students travel between them doing different moves.
Balance Pose Challenge
Balance pose challenge: students hold balance poses alone, in pairs and in small groups, improving stability and body control.
Body Echo
Body echo: the teacher makes a sound or rhythm with the body (claps, stomps) and students repeat it like an echo.