Big Top Circus Games

Get your celebration off to a high-flying start with these fun and easy circus-themed games.

Tightrope Walking
Best for: Ages 1 to 3

This simple activity is a fun game to get toddlers into the act of balancing.

You’ll Need:

• Green painter’s tape (or white string if outside)

How to Play:

1. Create a straight line with either the tape or string depending on where you’re holding the activity.
2. Have the kids start at one end, then carefully try to walk all the way across the line without stepping off of it. For younger kids, a little adult help might be required. For older kids, try modifying the way they cross (ie backwards, hopping on one foot, on tiptoes, etc.).
3. If the player steps off the line, they get back in line to try again.
4. If you choose, have a little prize or treat for each child who manages to get across successfully.

Feed the Lion
Best for: Ages 3 to 5

You can modify this classic game easily by making it a monkey or another circus animal.

You’ll Need:

• A cardboard box
• Paint
• Three beanbags
• Something heavy (a rock, or the like) to keep the box in place
• Tickets (which can be found in dollar stores)
• Small prizes

How to Play:

1. Paint a lion face on the bottom of the cardboard box, then cut a hole out where the mouth would be.
2. Have the players form a line.
3. Put three beanbags at the front of the line and place the painted cardboard box about five feet away with the mouth of the lion facing the players.
4. Each player gets three chances to get a beanbag inside the mouth of the lion. For every beanbag in, the player gets a ‘ticket’.
5. Go through the line as many times as you choose (and hopefully each child has one ticket). At the end, have the kids use their tickets up at the prize ‘table’ where they can redeem their tickets for a prize.

Three-Ring Circus Relay
Best for: Ages 5 to 8

Get those little clowns giggling thanks to this wacky circus relay.

You’ll Need:

• Three hula hoops (or string circles sized like hula hoops)
• Fun costume clothing and a red clown nose
• Cardboard box
• Paint
• Balloons (one per child with a few extra)
• Popcorn
• Bowl
• Table spoon
• Small brown paper bag
• A stopwatch

How to Play:

1. Place three hoops approximately 10 feet apart.
2. In the first hoop, put the clothing and nose. In the second, have the bag of balloons next to the hoop. In the third, put the bowl of popcorn, the spoon and the paper bag.
3. Have your birthday guests all sit in audience formation in front of the three hoops as though preparing to watch the ‘show’.
4. Start with the first guest. Have he or she begin by standing in the costume ‘ring’. Start the timer. The child has to put on all the clothing, then hop to the second ring.
5. In the second ring, the child has find a way to blow up the balloon, then walk backwards to the third ring.
6. In the third ring, the child has to fill the paper bag halfway up with popcorn using the spoon only.
7. When finished, stop the timer and note the time.
8. Once each child has gone through the three-ring relay, the child with the best time wins.

Good to Know: For extra fun, have an adult dress up as the ringmaster while taking note of the times from the stopwatch.