Clowning Around in Kindergarten

The tightrope was a foot-wide plank. The magician’s shackles were made of paper. And one of the elephant’s tails fell off.

But for the child stars of the kindergarten production, the make-believe circus lived up to its billing as “The Greatest Show in Town.”

“It was great because it was fun,” said 5-year-old Rebecca Schubert, one of three dancing horses to parade before an audience of about 200 fellow students from Garden Grove Elementary School in Simi Valley.

The show, staged twice Thursday at Sequoia Junior High, culminated five months of learning centered on the theme of the circus.

True to their subject, the children dressed as lion tamers, magicians, elephants, tightrope walkers and clowns, while students from the Sequoia Junior High band provided the music for their routines.

Ryan and David Roberts, both 5, got the most laughs with an act that had the twins slip-sliding across the center ring in true slapstick fashion.

When it was time to douse the audience with make-believe water--confetti--Ryan accidentally tossed the bucket as well, reining in even more laughs from bemused onlookers.

“I think this is something they will always remember,” said Lisa Roberts, the boys’ mother. “They have learned so much and it’s been great for their self-esteem.”

Their teacher, Neelu Stafford, said that linking subjects like math and reading to a theme is one way to make learning more fun.

For instance, the pupils practiced their language skills by reading books about the circus. Math came in the form of make-believe sales of hot dogs and popcorn.

But preparing and staging the show also helped the children learn the value of teamwork and public speaking, Stafford said.

Five-year-old Kaitlyn Verrardo, one of four “mighty” elephants, said that participating in the circus helped her overcome her shyness. “I was a little embarrassed,” she said. “That was why I was covering my eyes.”

But for most of the kids, taking part in “Mrs. Stafford’s Circus, The Greatest Show in Town,” was plain, old fun.

“I liked being in the show,” said 6-year-old Alexandra Koch, one of the two ringmasters. “It meant a whole lot to me because it was fun.”