Last Thursday the Cody Child Development Center hosted a circus. Children from the three Strong Beginnings classes performed while the other classes, 50 to 75 children, ages three and older watched.
Part of the preparation for the circus required the children from the Strong Beginnings classes to write about their favorite parts of a circus. They also drew pictures of what they thought a circus looks like.
The classes, composed of 45 to 60 children, performed tight rope, tricycle, hula hoop, strong man, ballet dancing, stuffed animal tamer acts and stilt activities on seven inch cans with string.
Hosting a circus had been the CDC's theme for the week. This theme was put into place to give children a real experience of being in or at a circus.
The circus also provided the children with organization skills, fine motor skills and gave them a chance to connect their personal experiences that they have either been in or read about to the event.
Samantha Young, Lead Program associate said, ''They all (the children) had a lot of fun with it. They loved it."
On the day of the circus, children and teachers participating in the event came dressed in colorful outfits that pertained to the activities they were performing that morning. Performers also painted their faces. A parent donated the face paint.
The morning was a fun learning experience for the children. Talia Cutler, 5, said, ''This is my favorite day ever."
Like a real circus, popcorn was available to the children watching. About six to seven parents came to the circus. ''It was nice to have them there," Young said.
Planning the event took two weeks as teachers discussed some fun themes for the children to take part in during the rest of the summer.
During the summer, the CDC holds a different theme each month.
These themes are then broken into sub-themes, which are usually activities held for the children to take part in.
This month's theme is art, music and movement. The CDC will hold a puppet show today from 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. A pizza party for the children will follow the show.
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