7 Fun Circus Sensory Activities for Kids – Easy To Set Up

🎪 1. DIY Circus Sensory Bin

Let’s kick things off with a crowd-pleaser—the sensory bin. It’s like a tiny carnival in a box. PS.: Here are many Circus Sensory Bin Ideas to love.

You’ll need:

• Colored rice or hard beans (red, yellow, blue—because circus vibes)
• Mini animal figurines (lions, elephants, maybe a daring penguin?)
• Small bowls, scoops, and pom-poms
• A mini circus tent (Google a quick paper craft tutorial, trust me, it’s easier than it sounds)

Or better yet: Here is a video:

How to make it:

1. Dye the rice with food coloring and vinegar. Or use beans. Shake it in a baggie and let it dry (Pro tip: Don’t skip the drying step unless sticky rice is your thing).
2. Fill in the rice in a bin. Add the animals, pom-poms, and the cutest little tent you can find.
3. Hand it to your toddler and watch them scoop, sort, and maybe throw rice everywhere. It’s fine. Vacuum later.

Why it’s awesome: Fine motor skills, imagination, and color recognition. Plus, it’s oddly satisfying to play with yourself.

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🤡 2. Clown Face Playdough Fun

Playdough + clowns = instant giggles.

You’ll need:

• Playdough (store-bought or homemade playdough if you’re feeling ambitious)
• Googly eyes, buttons, pom-poms, pipe cleaners (optional)
• A healthy sense of humor

How to make it:

1. Shape a playdough face. Let your toddler go wild adding clown noses, hats, or even wacky hair.
2. Challenge them to make the funniest clown face (spoiler: it’ll always be funny).

Why it’s awesome: Builds creativity, fine motor skills, and might even be the start of a clown obsession. Or fear.

Download Free Clown Playdough Mats

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🎩 3. Tightrope Walking Balance Game

Ready for a mini acrobat in your house?

You’ll need:

• Masking tape (your new best friend)
• Bean bags or soft toys

How to make it:

1. Tape a line on the floor—straight, zig-zag, or squiggly if you’re feeling rebellious.
2. Have your toddler walk the “tightrope” while balancing a beanbag on their head.
3. Add challenges like hopping or walking backward (cue adorable wobbles).

Why it’s awesome: Improves balance, coordination, and will make you laugh when they topple over and yell, “Again!”

For more balancing activities check this post.

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🍿 4. Popcorn Circus Sensory Play

This one’s edible (sort of), so you know it’s a hit.

You’ll need:

• Air-popped popcorn (no salt or butter—boring but healthier)
• A big bin, small buckets, and scoops

How to make it:

1. Fill a bin with popcorn.
2. Add small toys or figurines for your toddler to dig out like a carnival treasure hunt.
3. Bonus challenge: Sort the “treasures” by color or size.

Why it’s awesome: Stimulates touch and encourages imaginative play. Also, popcorn makes everything better.

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🥁 5. Circus-Themed Sound Sensory Bottles

Time to make some noise (controlled noise, I promise).

You’ll need:

• Empty plastic bottles
• Bells, dried beans, beads, small toys

How to make it:

1. Fill bottles with different items to create unique sounds.
2. Decorate with circus stickers or ribbons if you’re feeling fancy.
3. Shake, guess, and repeat.

Why it’s awesome: Boosts auditory skills and sensory exploration. Plus, it’s way less annoying than real drums.

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🦁 6. Lion Taming Gross Motor Activity

Let the wild roaring begin!

You’ll need:

• Hula hoops
• Streamers
• Animal masks

How to make it:

1. Turn a hula hoop into a circus ring by decorating it with streamers.
2. Have your toddler “jump” through it like a lion. Crawling or roaring is optional but highly encouraged.

Why it’s awesome: Encourages movement and gives you hilarious photo ops.

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🎈 7. Juggling Balloon Toss

Who doesn’t love balloons?

You’ll need:

• Balloons or soft scarves

How to make it:

1. Blow up a couple of balloons and practice tossing and catching them.
2. Add more balloons to see how many they can “juggle.” Spoiler: It’s probably one.

Why it’s awesome: Builds hand-eye coordination and burns some of that endless toddler energy.