"DIY Circus Lab for Kids" by Jackie Leigh Davis (Quarry Books / Quarto)

Fun, original, possibly a saviour of our sanity in the summer holidays? A great way of getting kids active? You bet we're up for this one...!
Did you ever want to run away with the circus as a kid? There's something so completely immersive and intoxicating about the atmosphere of the circus - and we're fans of Giffords Circus and try to make it to their performances ever year.

But if you've ever mused on what it would be like to be a clown or an acrobat, a juggler or a tightrope walker then this is the book for you!

"DIY Circus Lab" by Jackie Leigh Davis is an activity book with a difference.

With a ton of amazing things to do and make, it's definitely one of the most original ideas for an activity book that I think we've ever seen. So let's dive in and have a closer look...

Safety first, read the disclaimer closely - and beeeee careful!

The book sets out some of the risks involved in circus performances straight off the bat, which is quite a sensible move considering that some of the activities in here are actually physically demanding and quite risky and dangerous (don't worry though, each and every activity is described in detail so following the instructions to the letter should see you safely practicing some truly amazing feats!)

Learn how to juggle like a pro (we can still only manage to juggle two balls at a time though, pah!)

Juggling is fun, but there's also stilt walking and tightrope walking if you want to up the adrenalin levels.

Clowning around is a serious business!

Of course it goes without saying that (despite my fear of clowns) we loved the idea of a bit of knockabout fun. Dressing up as a clown, making your own clown hat and funny nose never gets old!

Grab some pals and go in for some partner acrobatics. You'll be amazed at the results!

Each of the activities comes with the orange "Safety First" box and for a lot of these you will need an adult's help or supervision (get off your phone mum / dad, you've gotta join in with these!)

It's an awesome book, a fantastic manual to help you learn some pretty amazing skills - and absolutely perfect for the summer when the weather is fine and you can go and practice some circus skills outside in the fresh air.

C's favourite circus act: Anything involving horses and ballet dresses

Daddy's favourite circus act: Gotta love a tight circus band who can play that ragtag awesome circus music!

"DIY Circus Lab for Kids" by Jackie Leigh Davis is out now, published by Quarry Books / Quarto (kindly supplied for review).