DIY Circus Lab for Kids: A Family-Friendly Guide for Juggling, Balancing, Clowning, and Show-Making

Davis, a former mime and founder of several circuses, offers a playful primer. Chapters focus on acrobatics, acrobalance, and pyramids; balance arts; clowning; gyroscopic juggling; and toss juggling; among other topics (aerial skills are mentioned but not included, for safety reasons). Readers are invited to make circus props and supplies, including juggling sticks, hoops, clown hats, and stilts. Through bright photographs of kids and detailed instructions, Davis demonstrates how each tool plays a role within the larger circus context, and a section titled “Making a Show” advises readers on how to integrate the pieces into a cohesive performance. Davis notes that the “circus is for everyone”—an inclusive message echoed by the activities, which align with different ability levels and interests, from tight rope walking to designing T-shirts. Ages 9–14. (May)