Make a Splash......Without Making a Mess

Paul has been busy this summer entertaining families from Alabama to Connecticut with his antics. His 2010 Summer Reading Program performance encourages kids (and adults too!) to learn new skills so that they can Make a Splash and get recognized in a positive way. Paul starts the show with the story about how he jumped in a huge puddle one summer day because no one was paying attention to him. He gets his whole family wet and they are not very happy!

His grandmother is about to leave on a trip to Asia and makes a deal with him......learn to do something that will make people smile and she will bring him a gift from her travels. Paul spends the summer learning to juggle, perform magic, and discovers other toys that require practice. He and his friends put on circus shows in his front yard and he realizes that he likes the applause! When his grandmother finally comes home, she brings him a new skill toy for him to learn - the Japanese kendama. Paul can't wait to see what new tricks he can learn and perform for more applause!

If you have been at one of the 90+ Flow Circus library shows this summer, feel free to comment here. To see more photos visit our Photo Gallery.

Flow Circus Returns to Cary Academy Summer Quest

Flow Circus took time off from performing this week to teach two Beginning Juggling, Magic, & Balloon Sculpting camps at the Cary Academy Summer Quest Program. We have been amazed by the skills these 9-14 year olds have developed in such a short time!

Visit our photo gallery to see images of campers sculpting giant palm trees, mastering a variety of skill toys, and performing magic tricks like the cup and ball routine!

We look forward to returning to Summer Quest again next summer.

If  your child was a camper, we would love to hear what you enjoyed most about the camp. Feel free to post your comments here.

July 2010 Newsletter

Greetings from Flow Circus!

Pepsi Refresh Project Update

Play Fundama Posted to Instructables.com

Fall Programming for Schools

Make a Splash/Make Waves with Fundama!

The Flow Circus 2010 Summer Reading Performance Make A Splash…Without Making a Mess focuses on how with a little skill, we can all make a positive impact in our world. Below is a brief description of the show:

As a kid, performer Paul Miller was always getting in trouble. Then one summer all that changed with the gift a Japanese kendama. That popular toy and a trip to the library led him to discover juggling and other skill toys from around the world. Instead of getting grounded, he started to get applause.

As the performance took shape, we realized that we wanted to provide librarians with the opportunity to provide the same discovery of  new toys and skills for their patrons. We know that budgets are limited, so we sat down with string, masking tape, sticks, paper cups & PlayFundama.com was born!

PlayFundama.com provides instructional videos on how to make and play with the different versions of fundama that we have created. You can also find photos of similar toys from around the world and suggested activity ideas for how fundama might be incorporated into your Summer Reading Program.

We hope to inspire kids to be creative and playful with whatever materials they might have laying around!

June 2010 Newsletter

Flow Circus Needs Your Help

New Free & Fun Resources for Teachers

May 2010 Newsletter

Greetings from Flow Circus
Make Waves/Make Money - Winners Announced
Summer Reading Program Promotional Materials Available
Skill Toy Workshops Customized for Global Studies Project
First Friday Chamber Networking Event
Start Your Fall Planning

Skill Toy Residency at Newcomer Center

This year we returned to the Chapel Hill High School’s Newcomer Center to conduct a Skill Toy residency. The center provides middle school ESL students with a smaller classroom environment to help with the transition to US language and culture. The majority of the students are refugees from Burma and have spent time in Thai refugee camps before coming to the US. The residency is coordinated by the Durham Arts Council.

Over the course of six visits we introduced juggling, flower sticks, Japanese kendama, spinning plates, diabolo, yo-yo, jitter ring, and footbag. Visit the Flow Circus photo gallery to see more pictures of the students using the different skill toys.

The students also introduced us to two common games from their cultures. The first involved a wicker ball called the chelo that gets kicked. The other is a rope game that involves a variety of intricate jumps over an ever-rising rope. We always  enjoy learning about new games!