If you’re looking for more educational programming this year at your school, library, or camp, we offer not only educational shows (such as our science and bubble shows) but hands-on circus camps!
Circus camps with Kaleidoscope are 3 distinct classes that teach kids ages 7-teen some of our favorite types of entertainment here. All 3 are designed to get kids thinking, problem-solving, and moving during short waves of learning.
Our classes are taught primarily by Kenny the Clown, a public school educator and life-long circus entertainer. Kenny will help break down simple concepts into step-by-step instructions that will leave kids with practical skills after the class is over.
Here are some tips for making your circus camp classes a success:
Involve adults! Our entertainers and instructors aren’t able to take responsibility for watching the kids they’re teaching, although many of them are educators and parents themselves. The best run classes always happen when adults (whether they’re counselors, teachers, or parents) learn and play along with the class.
Budget less time and earlier tasks with younger kids. This will set them up to succeed with both their motor skills and attention spans. When you book one of our circus instructors, you’ll pay by the hour and can budget that time with different lengths of “waves” for different age levels or groups.
Consider take-home supplies. Our classes have a fixed hourly price no matter how you divide up the time. But if you have the budget, you can opt to give kids take-home bags of supplies to show their parents and continue the magic at home.
Add a show. If you’re familiar with the classroom “I do, we do, you do”, you’ll know how fundamental it is to give kids context and goals in learning. Before the kids jump into learning, we highly recommend booking Kenny for his hour-long variety show which includes juggling, magic, puppetry, and clowning. The stage show can be done once for your entire camp or school, and then Kenny can accommodate waves of kids in circus camp classes after.
Looking for country club event entertainment ideas? Kaleidoscope has been helping private clubs create perfect parties since 2013, and with our extensive list of entertainers for hire, your club can boost membership value and engagement all year long.
Here are some of our favorite ways to captivate your members and help you create events unlike anywhere else.
December is one of the busiest months in the events industry, and every year our artists entertain at dozens of Hannukah events in synagogues, homes, daycares, and Hebrew / Jewish day schools.
We’ve compiled some of our favorite entertainment ideas that we’ve helped clients dream up for their Hannukah party, and we hope this list can inspire you to come up with a truly unique event this holiday season!
Lean into the Festival of Lights
Our normal holiday menus for face painting and balloon twisting have Hanukkah, Christmas, and secular winter designs that they bring to large events all December long–so if you hire any of our artists they’ll have special designs for Hanukkah.
But for parties that are specifically for Jewish families, we love bringing in UV face painting and LED balloon twisting! Our artists can create all sorts of things that kids will love at your event that will literally glow throughout the night! (And you can either provide your own blacklights or rent them from us at a discounted rate whenever you order a UV or LED package.)
If you’re looking for something a little more elegant (and for all ages), glitter looks also add a special sparkle to any nighttime event. We’ve seen these paired with disco ball-like mirror decorations to transform an entire recreational room into a sea of glimmering magic!
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And if you want some classic party entertainment, we have plenty of other ideas that are great for any type of family event!
Caricatures are perfect for organizations that want to commemorate an occasion. Our artists can draw any couple or family and include “Hanukkah 2028” (or whichever year) right on the drawing.
If you’re on a budget, temporary tattoos are also really fun! Artists can get through around double the guests than they can with face painting or balloon twisting, so if you’re looking for something special that doesn’t break the bank, it’s a great budget entertainment idea. (Glitter tattoos and flash tattoos are especially fitting for The Holiday of Lights!)
Want to create Something Custom?
Just ask our office for a quote and check any boxes you want pricing for. We’d love to put together something special for you!
And if you’re looking for additional holiday entertainment, check out our line of holiday entertainment!
Summer camps looking for unique programming ideas face a few challenges: hundreds of kids needing to be entertained, running a complicated schedule, and having to do it all on a budget!
After a decade of working with YMCAs, town Parks & Recs departments, public schools, and private daycares, we have our summer camp entertainment packages down to a science to make sure all of your campers are thrilled, parents are impressed, and you stay within your budget.
Programming Theme: Splash Day
Alternative Theme Ideas: Luau Party, Beach Day
Entertainment Package: We throw a foam party where campers dance to kids bop, take tons of silly photos, and get out all of their energy–all in our amazing foam pit!
Bonus Ideas for Your Staff:
Round it out to be a full splash day with more water activities
Water play for younger kids
Water balloon fights for older kids
Water sponge dodgeball
Pool time
Ages: 2 – Teen
Great For:Outdoor camps, camps without pool access
Don’t Recommend For: Camps with only indoor space; daycares that are only for infants and toddlers.
Entertainment Package: We invite a mermaid or pirate of your choice for group shows and individual activities. Gather everyone around for mermaid story time or a pirate magic show, then bring by individual groups for mermaid glitter tattoos or pirate sword balloon twisting.
Bonus Ideas for Your Staff:
Have campers dress up as mermaids and pirates.
Hold a “talk like a pirate” contest all day–give each kid a sticker to start the day. If an adult catches them talking without a “pirate accent” they lose the sticker. Whoever can go the entire day talking like a pirate wins!
If your camp has occasional pool access, this is also perfect for a pool day to keep groups busy while they’re out of the pool.
Ages: Our mermaid story time is perfect for ages 2-6, and our pirate magic show is perfect for ages 4-9. Invite one or both of them for a mix-and-match day that fits your needs.
Great For: Camps with younger kids (for mermaids); camps looking to keep kids busy on pool days (both mermaids and pirates); camps who love dress-up days (both mermaids and pirates).
Don’t Recommend Mermaid Story Time For: Camps that are primarily elementary and middle school (mermaid story time is best for younger kids)
Don’t Recommend Pirate Magic Show For: Camps that are mostly toddlers or PreK (magic needs more attention span than that)
Entertainment Package:Kenny the Clown comes and entertains the whole group with a 30min magic show, then takes groups for a juggling lesson using easy-to-juggle clown scarves. Bonus: add a second clown for speedy face painting or simple balloon twisting.
Bonus Ideas for Your Staff:
Put on a talent show to create your own variety show as part of the camp circus!
If you have snack time, consider renting a popcorn or cotton candy machine.
Ages: 4-9 for the magic show, 7-teen for juggling class. Learn more here.
Great For: Camps with a stage; arts camps; camps that can program different activities for different ages.
Don’t Recommend For: Daycares that are only for infants and toddlers
Alternative Theme Ideas: Clown School, Circus Camp, “Balloons Over [Camp Name]”
Entertainment Package: One of our professional balloon twisters will come with enough supplies for groups of up to 15 kids to learn designs at once. Students will learn between 2-4 designs (depending on age and time alotted) and take home their creations.
Bonus Ideas for Your Staff:
Have staff come to the class to twist along (and have fun!), as well as keep things running smoothly
Include other balloon crafts like origami or paper mache hot air balloons
Consider balloon-themed sports like water balloon fights, balloon-popping relay races, or water balloon dodge ball!
Ages: 7-teen for balloon twisting class, but professional balloon twisting time can be added so younger kids aren’t excluded. Learn more here.
Great For: Small-group breakouts, library camps, arts or STEM camps
Don’t Recommend For:Daycares that are only for infants and toddlers
Alternative Theme Ideas: Picasso Day, Day at the Museum
Entertainment Package: We throw a kid-friendly paint party where we go step-by-step with a real art teacher to create masterpieces we can take home.
Bonus Ideas for Your Staff:
Bust out all of your favorite craft activities like tie dye, weaving, or jewelry making for an amazing art day.
Have a “painting costume contest” and assign each group a famous painting (Starry Night, Mona Lisa, The Scream, Andy Warhol’s Soup Cans, The Persistence of Memory) and give out a Best Costume award in each group.
Make it a “museum” day and bring science, dinosaurs, or history into your programming with crafts or a movie screeening.
Ages: 8 – Teen
Great For:Camps that like to schedule seated activities; arts camps; camps with families who value multi-disciplinary activities.
Don’t Recommend For: Camps with limited space; camps that are nervous about kids potentially getting paint on clothing or floors; camps on a tight budget.
Mascots + face painting and balloon twisting are HUGE of 2-5 year old parties in CT, MA, RI, and NH! Check out what we expect to be trending in 2017 for some great party ideas.
If you and your family have fallen head over heals for these happy, adorable, colorful creatures, and you’re looking to make your party head-to-toe Trolls inspired–we’ve got the designs and party entertainment that’s just right for you!
At Kaleidoscope, we’ve been doing Unicorn parties for almost a decade. We’ve seen the trend go from My Little Ponies to something so much more glittery, sparkly, and iridescent. In fact, the trend has grown so much that our office staff had a “Unicorn Meeting” so we could brainstorm all the great ways we can make your Unicorn party super original and memorable! Here they are–take a look, and when you think you’ve found some good choices, our booking specialist can help you with a quote:
So, did your kid ask you for a Baby Shark-themed party—and you’re thinking, “What could I even do with that?”
Baby Shark is not a new song—but when the entertainment brand Pinkfong released its new rendition of the old nursery song in 2016, Baby Shark rose to unprecedented popularity, and unlike absolutely everything else in the world, babies and children everywhere still love Baby Shark. So it’s no surprise you want to throw your child a Baby Shark themed party! At Kaleidoscope, we hear this request all the time, and as Professional Fun Makers, here are some of our suggestions as to how Kaleidoscope can help you throw the best Baby Shark themed party for your kid.
