High Flying Fun

Swim class, gym class, ballet and soccer—all fun and all done. Break the mold this summer and sign your kids up for something different.

Ever dream of joining the circus? Well, now you and your little one can with a class at the Vancouver Circus School.

Parents and tots (six months to four years) can get a taste of the Big Top in a fun and fast-paced session that goes well beyond a traditional gymnastics class. You’ll be bouncing on trampolines, tumbling on mats, and throwing and catching balls under the watchful eye of a trained circus professional. A similar parent participation program is already popular at the school’s North Vancouver facility.

If you have an energetic four to eight year-old, then let them try a bit of everything in a one-hour Circus Exploration class. They’ll get a thrill out of walking a mini tightrope, climbing the aerial silks, swinging on a trapeze, juggling balls and even riding a unicycle.

The Vancouver Circus School offers a 5:1 student teacher ratio, making for a safe learning environment. And we love how learning the circus arts improves coordination, balance and flexibility in a fun, non-competitive way.

Kids 6 to 15 can take more specialized classes and sign up for morning and afternoon summer camps. Budding performers are divided into age groups to learn to ‘fly through the air with the greatest of ease’. The icing on the cake is a show for parents on the last day of class. Look out Cirque du Soleil!

And if there’s a birthday celebration around the corner, the circus school offers great packages for kids 6 and up—one and a half hours of instruction is followed by time for food and presents. There’s even an online store where you can purchase fun circus equipment for the birthday boy or girl.

So let the circus begin! Your family is ready to take the ring with some tried-and-true tricks of the trade. Tested by Carolyn W., North Vancouver