Balancing Circus Performers can be used in a variety of settings and as a complement to lessons in art and science. Use them in your classroom or library to spark discussions about balance, bilateral symmetry and center of gravity.
Start by balancing a completed performer on your finger. Have the kids guess how it’s able to balance and sway on your finger without falling off. You can let one or two kids touch it gently so they can feel the weight of the pennies hidden inside.
Here’s how to make one::
- Cut carefully around both copies of the performer.
- Color both sides with markers.
- Lay one figure face down. Tape a penny onto each hand.
- Put the second cut out figure on top, so the pennies are hidden.
- Tape around the sandwiched copies so you don’t have any buckling or big gaps.
- Test how well your figure balances.
Our favorite part of this project, is when the kids experiment with all the places that they can balance the circus performer. Before you know it, all of them will have a balancing circus performer on their noses!