Circus facts for kids
A circus is a super fun show that both kids and grown-ups can enjoy! It's a group of amazing performers who travel around to different places. You might see acrobats, funny clowns, people doing tricks on a trapeze, musicians, and even people walking on a tightrope. There are also jugglers and other artists who do incredible stunts.
Circuses usually perform in a giant tent called the "Big Top." This tent is huge and can hold hundreds of people! The seats are usually set up so that the ones at the back are higher, giving everyone a great view. In the middle of the tent is a round area called the "ring" where all the action happens. The person in charge of the whole show is called the "ringmaster." While most circuses travel, some perform in their own special buildings.
Awesome Acts
Circuses are packed with many different and exciting acts! Some performers are incredible acrobats and gymnasts. Often, a group of gymnasts will stack up on top of each other to form a human pyramid. You might also see gymnasts doing amazing jumps on trampolines.
Other performers are jugglers, who can throw many objects into the air and catch them without dropping a single one! There are also people who walk on tall stilts or ride on unicycles, sometimes even doing tricks while balancing. Some performers do magic acts, which can include exciting things like swordswallowing, knife throwing, or even fire-eating.
And of course, there are always clowns! They do hilarious things to make everyone laugh. They might trip over their own feet, pretend to fall, or even throw buckets of water or custard pies at each other. Sometimes, these funny clowns are also very skilled acrobats, musicians, or jugglers. They might act silly at first, but they often surprise everyone with how clever and talented they really are!
Animal Acts (Past and Present)
For a long time, circuses used to feature many different kinds of animals. You might have seen wild animals like lions, tigers, or bears. There were also camels, horses, elephants, sea lions, and even pets like dogs.
However, in recent years, people's ideas about animal acts have changed a lot. Many now believe it's not fair or kind to make wild animals perform tricks that are unnatural for them. Sadly, some trainers used harsh methods to teach these animals, like hitting them or causing pain. Also, these animals often spent their lives traveling and living in very small cages. Because of these concerns, many countries now do not allow wild animals to be part of circus shows.
History of the Circus
The word "circus" actually comes from Ancient Rome! Back then, a "circus" was a big, round or oval building. It was used for exciting events like horse and chariot races, horse shows, pretend battles, and performances by jugglers and acrobats. The Roman circuses had tiered seats, just like some modern circuses, with important people sitting closest to the action. The Latin word circus comes from the Greek word kirkos, which means "circle" or "ring."
The very first circus in Rome was called the Circus Maximus. It was built in a valley between two hills. At first, it was made of wood, but it was rebuilt many times. The last version of the Circus Maximus was huge and could hold an amazing 250,000 people!
After the Roman Empire, the idea of a circus faded in Europe for a while. However, in China, there were always shows with incredible acrobatic performances. The modern circus, as we know it, started to become popular in the late 18th century. In London, England, a man named Philip Astley started horse-riding shows in 1768. Another person, John Hughes, set up a "Royal Circus" in London.
Circuses then grew bigger and started to include many animals, almost like a traveling zoo. They featured wild animals like lions and elephants. In 1793, the first circus building opened in Philadelphia, USA. Circuses became very popular in the USA, especially the shows put on by Dan Rice.
In 1840, Thomas Cooke brought his circus with horses from the USA to England, and circuses began to spread all over the world. A very famous one was the Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show On Earth, which toured from 1897 to 1902. It featured both animal acts and human performers. For most of the 20th century, this was what many circuses were like.
In 1919, Vladimir Lenin, who was the leader of the Soviet Union, wanted the circus to be seen as a serious art form, just like opera or ballet. The Moscow Circus School, which started in 1927, is still known as one of the best circuses today. Its artists are incredibly skilled acrobats and gymnasts. Chinese circuses also have artists who are among the world's top gymnasts.
Images for kids
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Sells Brothers Circus with Great Danes
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Astley's Amphitheatre in London, c.1808
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Trapeze artists, in lithograph by Calvert Litho. Co., 1890
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Lion tamer, in lithograph by Gibson & Co., 1873
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Painting by Venezuelan Arturo Michelena, c. 1891, depicting a backstage area at the circus
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Cirque du Soleil performing Dralion in Vienna, 2004
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Ticket Sale of Sirkus Finlandia in Jyväskylä, Finland
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Fire breathers risk burns, both internal and external, as well as poisoning in the pursuit of their art
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Elephants from Cole Brothers Circus parade through downtown Los Angeles, 1953
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Circus horse act
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A petiton from RSPCA Cymru urging the Welsh Government to ensure an outright ban on the use of wild animals in circuses; October 2015
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Tigers in a transport cage in a travelling circus
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Circus building
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Paper postcard of the Old Kharkiv Wood Circus
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A tent of Sirkus Finlandia
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The Circus (1891), by Georges Seurat
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Circus seals
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See also
In Spanish: Circo para niños
