Theme
The Circus
This program will cover a five week time frame
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Week
Week
Week
Week
Week
1
2
3
4
5
Under the Big Top
Circs Training
Clowns 1
Circus Animals
Clowns 2
Everything you need to know will be in this book so hopefully it will
make programming easier for you.
You Will need
•
Week 1 Under the Big Top
Lots of boxes, long fabric/carpet cardboard rolls, sheets, blankets,
wide print paper rolls, tables, chairs, masking tape, large safety
pins, staples etc Lengths of rope; assortment of items to throw ropes
at, and to weight the ropes Large sheets of paper, textas, crayons,
pencils, and/or paint, pictures, etc Bean bags (one per Joey)
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Week 2
Long ropes Two sheets of newspaper for each team; half of each team at
each end of the room, Broom stick and music, Two tin cans per Joey and
String
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Week 3
Cold cream, tissues, face paints, brushes, For each team a set of
clothes eg large jacket, oversized pants, scarf for bow tie, red nose,
hat. Two shoe boxes and two shoe laces (150cm long) per Joey Scout,
pom poms, paint, stickers, etc for decorating, For each team inflated balloon, rolled newspaper (stick) and some sort of hat,
Balloons, rice and funnels
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Week 4
Two inflated balloons for each team , Balloons, Notes, Construction
paper (cut into 22 cm squares), textas, tape, glue decorations
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Week 5
Large cardboard boxes (one per Joey), decorating items, streamers,
paint, paper plates for wheels, etc. Clown cars from previous
activity , Tissue paper, gift wrap or construction paper (18 x 30cm)
and one pipe cleaner per Joey, ruler and tape , Large pieces of
butcher’s paper, marking pens, scissors, scraps of fabric, coloured
paper, etc for decorating the clown, Two chairs per team
2
Theme
The Circus
Week 1
Under the Big Top
Time
Item
Description
Leader
00
Opening Parade
Promise/Law/Prayer
All
05
Game
Circus Train Relay
Instructions
10
First player is the train engine, next is ringmaster’s carriage, then lions’ carriage, musicians’ carriage, elephants’ carriage, monkeys’ carriage
etc. Firstly, each engine races (with appropriate noises) to end and back,
picks up next carriage (with noises) and races to end and back, then picks
up next carriage etc. When all carriages are hitched to the engine, the
whole train runs to end and back
Activity
Build a tent
Instructions
Build a big top for a circus
Need
Lots of boxes, long fabric/carpet cardboard rolls, sheets, blankets, wide
print paper rolls, tables, chairs, masking tape, large safety pins,
staples etc
20
Game
Rope-La
Instructions
Show Joey Scouts how to coil rope correctly, and how to throw at different
sized and shaped objects. Allow Joey Scouts to practice. Show how to
throw rope when weighted eg with a shoe, to land beside object so as not
to knock it over. Practice. Put loop in end (bowline would be best, but
any loop can be used) Try throwing loop over objects as in hoop-la .
Needs
Lengths of rope; assortment of items to throw ropes at, and to weight the
ropes.
30
Instructions
35
Game
Step by Step
Joey Scouts line up across the hall, facing end. Each places the heel of
one foot in front of the toe of other; then bring the first foot in front
of the second … continue, to a line five metres away .
Activity
Make circus posters
Instructions
Have the Joey Scouts design posters for putting up around the hall
Needs
Large sheets of paper, textas, crayons, pencils, and/or paint, pictures,
etc
50
Game
Juggling Joeys
Instructions
Joeys in pairs with one bean bag each simultaneously throw their bean bag
for their partner to catch.
Try sitting, standing, walking, etc while
throwing to each other.
Needs
Bean bags (one per Joey)
55
Closing
Promise/Law/Prayer
3
All
Theme
The Circus
Week 2
Circus Training
Time
Item
Description
Leader
00
Opening Parade
Promise/Law/Prayer
All
05
Game
Jumpinastics
Instructions
With head up, jump forward six jumps; back six, six to one side; six
to the other side. Ropes held taut, 20cm from ground. First player
stands at one end, alongside rope, facing other end. Cross outside
foot over rope, cross inside foot over as well. When one Joey Scout
has made two crosses, next Joey can begin
Need
Long ropes.
10
Instructions
15
Activity
Scattered mimes
Joey Scouts walk around; leader calls a number e.g. three and an item
e.g. alphabet letter, piece of furniture, animal etc. Joey Scouts in
groups of that number, mimic or form the item without speaking in a
short given time
Game
Balancing on one foot
Instructions
Joey Scout puts a sheet in front with foot on it. Then places other
sheet in front of the first one with other foot on top. Briefly
balancing on one foot, the Joey reaches behind and collects the first
sheet to put in front to step onto. Continue to end. Next Joey Scout
returns same way.
Need
Two sheets of newspaper for each team; half of each team at each end
of the room.
20
Instructions
30
Games
Charades
Mime a clown, tightrope walker, ballet dancer, clown sword fighting,
horse rider, conductor of music, ringmaster, ball, lion tamer, elephant driver.
Game
Lets Limbo
Instructions
How low can you go?
Two people hold the ends of a broom handle as the Joey Scouts “limbo”
under without touching it. Move the stick lower and lower until the
Joey’s have to lie on the floor to get under it. Joey’s love it when
parent have a try.
Needs
Broom stick and music
40
Instructions
45
Activity
Tight rope walking
Joey Scouts balance a bean bag on their head while the try to walk
along the tight rope. Can you stay on and not drop the bean bag? Try
a balancing pole in the Joey hand or an open umbrella
Game
Stilt races
Instructions
Make stilts by puncturing holes opposite each other about two and a
half centimetres from bottom of unopened end of cleaned dog food cans.
Thread strong string through holes tying at appropriate height for
Joey Scouts to be able to hold in hand and walk on the upturned can at
same time. Need a set of two per team. Half of each team at both ends
of room.
First player on “GO”, mounts can stilts and walks to the other end to
change with next player.
Needs
Two tin cans per Joey and String
55
Closing
Promise/Law/Prayer
4
All
Theme
The Circus
Week 3
Clowns 1
PAINT CLOWN FACES - COMING IN ACTIVITY
Need: Cold cream, tissues, face paints, brushes.
As they arrive, Joey Scouts in pairs decorate each other’s face as a clown.
Time
Item
Description
Leader
00
Opening Parade
Promise/Law/Prayer
All
05
Game
Clown Relay
Instructions
Teams of six, one is selected as the “clown” and stands at one end of
room, others at other end, each being given an item of clothes. In turn,
on “GO”, each races up to dress the clown, running back to their team to
sit down for next Joey to race up. When dressed, the clowns run down
around their team and sit in place at the head of them
Need
For each team a set of clothes eg large jacket, oversized pants, scarf for
bow tie, red nose, hat.
10
Instructions
20
Activity
Sideshow alley .
Teams equal distance around box. Each player tries to feed hungry clown by
throwing in a ball through the clown’s mouth.
Activity
Silly clown shoes
Instructions
Have the Joey Scouts make a pair of Clown shoes.
Need
Two shoe boxes and two shoe laces (150cm long) per Joey Scout, pom poms,
paint, stickers, etc for decorating.
30
Game
Clown walk
Instructions
First player has a balloon between knees (to make bow legs), a walking
stick and a hat, and walks to the end and back for the next to continue.
You could use the clown shoes from the previous activity also.
Need
Each team - inflated balloon, rolled newspaper (stick) and some sort of
hat.
35
Activity
Juggling Balls
Instructions
Fill the balloons with rice, size to fit easily into Joey Scout’s hands,
tie off, place second and third balloons over the ball (these balloons are
different colours with small holes cut into them) so that the finished
juggling balls show several different colours.
Need
Balloons, rice and funnels.
35
Instructions
55
Games
Juggling Act
Practice juggling with the juggling balls you just made.
Closing
Promise/Law/Prayer
5
All
Theme
The Circus
Week 4
Circus Animals
Time
Item
Description
Leader
00
Opening Parade
Promise/Law/Prayer
All
05
Game
Ring Masters Top Hat
Game
Elephant Act
Instructions
10
ONE GREY ELEPHANT BALANCING (The leader starts pretending to be balancing
on a string; Joey Scouts in a circle; at end of verse, leader selects one
Instructions
or more to walk in a line, holding onto waist of one in front. Verse is
repeated until all are balancing)
One grey elephant, balancing,
Step by step on a piece of string,
Thought it was such a wonderful stunt,
He called for another “el-ee-phunt
Song
15
Game
Going to the circus
Joey’s sit in a circle. Play begins by one person saying “I’m going to the
circus and I’m going to take……………… (here the Joey chooses an object to take
Instructions
to the circus with them, eg an umbrella, the next person says what the
first Joey said and adds something he/she would take, and so on).
25
Game
Two humped camel race
Instructions
Two balloons are placed between backs of a pair who run to end and back.
This can also be done with one balloon instead of two
Needs
Two inflated balloons for each team
30
Game
Balloon bust mime
Notes are placed inside balloons, then inflated, and placed in centre of
circle. Joey Scouts in circle. On “GO” all rush into centre of circle, grab
Instructions
a balloon and go back to their place. In turn, they burst their balloon and
then go to the centre to act out mime for others to guess
Balloons, Notes,
Needs
40
Activity
Magnificent megaphone
With a pencil draw a line to round off one corner of the square and cut
Instructions off. Decorate one side of paper. Bring paper together (Cone shaped) and
tape, cut off the top of the cone to make an opening to talk through.
Construction paper (cut into 22 cm squares), textas, tape, glue decorations
Needs
50
Game
Follow the ring master
Play as in follow the leader, pick a Joey to be the ring master leader and
Instructions have the other Joey’s follow the ring master doing whatever the ring master
does. After a few minutes swap leaders
55
Closing
Promise/Law/Prayer
6
All
Theme
Week 5
The Circus
Clown 2
Time
Item
Description
Leader
00
Opening Parade
Promise/Law/Prayer
All
05
Game
Make a Clown car
Instructions
Have the Joey’s decorate their boxes to look like clown cars.
Needs
Large cardboard boxes (one per Joey), decorating items, streamers, paint,
paper plates for wheels, etc.
15
Game
Clown car races
Instructions
Line the joeys up and have races around the hall. (You could set up
witches hats, chairs, parents, etc for them to maneuver through).
Needs
Clown cars from previous activity
20
Game
Funny clown bows
Instructions
Place the tissue paper on the work surface so the long side is closest to
you. Make a fold on a long side 1cm from the edge; press hard to make the
fold stay in place. Turn the paper over and make another fold about 1 cm
from the first fold. Turn and fold again and again until all the paper is
folded. Wrap a piece of tape around the centre of the folded paper.
Unfold the ends to make a bow. Bend the pipe cleaner into the shape of
the letter CD. Tape the centre of the pipe cleaner to the centre of the
bow. Wear bow around you neck as a clown’s bow tie
Need
Tissue paper, gift wrap or construction paper (18 x 30cm) and one pipe
cleaner per Joey, ruler and tape
30
Instructions
35
Game
Clown acts
Have the Joey scouts do clown acts eg tumbling, cartwheels, jumping,
acrobatics, etc
Game
Joey Scout Clowns
Instructions
Have a leader or parent lie on the butcher’s paper and get some one to
trace around them with a marker. Cut around the line. Draw clown facial
features onto the cut out. Have the Joey’s stick pieces of fabric or paper onto the body for clothing. Use a large red pompom for the nose.
Hang your clown on the wall when complete. (If you have a large mob you
will need two or three clowns to decorate)
Need
Large pieces of butcher’s paper, marking pens, scissors, scraps of fabric,
coloured paper, etc for decorating the clown.
50
Game
Circus performers relay
Instructions
Form teams (the more teams the better). Each team stand behind one chair,
the second chair is placed some distance away. The leader gives each
member of the teams the name of a circus performer eg all the number ones
are ring masters, twos are lion tamers, threes are elephants, etc and the
last person on each team is the circus clown. If the leader calls the
name of a circus performer the team member with that name runs to the
other chair, around it and back. If the leader call circus clowns the
last person on each team must crawl under the legs of all their team
members before running to the other chair and back
Need
Two chairs per team
55
Closing
Promise/Law/Prayer
7