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Dawn – June 6, 2010
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!
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Dawn – May 1, 2010
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!
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Dawn – March 15, 2010
To celebrate the 2010 Teen Tech Week, Flow Circus conducted workshops and kicked off a new video contest to fit this year’s theme: Learn, Create, Share.
Teen Tech Week was established in 2007 by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) to encourage teens to be “competent and ethical users of technologies” especially those offered at the library. They encourage teens to use school and community libraries’ nonprint resources for education and recreation. Teen Tech Week 2010 was held March 7-13.
The theme was a perfect fit for our latest video contest: Learn to juggle or use other skill toys, Create a video, and Share the video with family and friends on FlowCircus.tv. For more information about the video contest visit the Flow Circus TV Blog.
Video contests are offered throughout the year as part of the Skill Toy Program. Libraries and afterschool programs can organize Skill Toy Clubs to engage teens in a unique, playful way. For more information on Skill Toy Clubs visit our website.
To see more pictures from our Teen Tech Week workshops visit the Flow Circus Photo Gallery.
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Dawn – October 30, 2009
When visiting New York City in October, we saw a listing for an exhibition about toys and knew we had to go! The exhibition at the Brooklyn Public Library included yo-yo’s, kites, and other toys made from recycled materials by children in the Dominican Republic. Along side the toys were beautiful images taken by Jaime Jimenez capturing the curiosity, determination, and joy of children at play. This project Juguetes was inspired by the creativity of traditional toys and games made by children. In the book with the same title, Jimenez writes:
Over the past decade and a half, the lives of the people in the Dominican Republic have changed drastically. This has much to do with globalization. It has transformed and will continue to transform everyday life. The creativity in the children has changed due to the fact that now there are more mass produced toys available. This is why I find it necessary to document the children as much as possible while making their creations.
Visit the Juguetes website to see images and learn more about Jimenez’s project.
We were excited to see that many of the toys were variations of the skill toys that we teach as part of our programs. Toys that we selected because they do engage kids for hours yet are so simple in design. They do not need electricity or internet access, they can be used inside or out, and most importantly there is no limit to what can be done with them!
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Dawn – September 15, 2009
Dear Mr. President,
I’m sure you have received many gifts during your campaign and presidency, but I bet this personalized kendama is unique! This toy is popular in Japan and one of the many skill toys that I teach to children. During your presidential campaign, I realized that “Obama Kendama” had a nice ring to it. I sent it to artist Christopher Bordenca to paint your face on it and thus the Obama Kendama was born. To my knowledge it is the only one like it. During your campaign it traveled to Washington, D.C. and to one of your campaign rallies in North Carolina (there are videos of its travels on YouTube).
I have decided to send the Obama Kendama to you now because playing with the kendama exercises and develops the important 21st century skills that you outlined in your September 8th Back to School speech to students. At the same time, it draws attention to an important aspect of education that should not be overlooked – the critical hours between 3-6pm. More…
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Dawn – June 24, 2009
Flow Circus kicked off Skill Toy Programs at 3 locations in Rowan County & the North Regional Branch of Durham County Libraries this month. We were excited to introduce tweens & teens to a variety of Skill Toys such as the Japanese kendama, diabolo, spinning plates, and flower sticks. We also taught a juggling workshop to teens in Elkin, NC. All of these props are so simple, yet provide hours & hours of entertainment (without needing to be plugged in!)
To see pictures from the workshops, visit our photo gallery.
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Dawn – May 25, 2009
We just wrapped up a 6 session residency at the Chapel Hill High School’s Newcomer Center. The center provides high school and 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.
Over the six weeks we introduced juggling, flower sticks, Japanese kendama, spinning plates, diabolo, yo-yo, jitter ring, and footbag. Visit our photo gallery to see more pictures of the students using the different skill toys.
We look forward to returning again next year.
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Dawn – May 10, 2009
Flow Circus recently particpated in two North Carolina conferences to share juggling and skill toys with adult and student participants. The Synergy Conference hosted by North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs was attended by staff from YMCA’s, 4H’s, Boys & Girls Clubs and other afterschool providers. There was a wonderful energy and the schedule offered a variety of high quality key note speakers, breakout sessions, and vendor exhibitions.
At the MEGA Conference held at NC State’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, we highlighted the use of our Skill Toy Program video sharing site to develop 21st Century skills such as innovation, collaboration, and communication. Conference attendees tried their hand at learning new hands-on skills such as juggling and diabolo and then viewed student created videos showcasing these skills. To learn more about our Skill Toy Club or to see student videos, click here.
We look forward to participating in both of these conferences again next year.
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Dawn – April 18, 2009
Flow Circus is currently conducting a six visit residency at the Chapel Hill High School’s Newcomer Student Center. The center provides 21 high school and 15 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 English language skills of the students range, but they all understand the language of play!
So far we have introduced juggling, flower sticks, diabolo, and yo-yo. It has been wonderful to see the expression of joy and accomplishment as students get the basic flow of the prop or master new tricks. The objective of our residency which was arranged by the Durham Arts Council is to provide the students with a hands-on activity that will allow them to be creative, build self-esteem, and provide a new tool to create cross-cultural interaction with other students at the school. We are looking forward to an upcoming session when the students are going to introduce us to the Burmese game of Chinlon - a game in which a woven rattan ball must be kept off the ground at all times and hit over a net using only ones head, legs, and feet.
Skill toys provide a fun, playful way to engage all students in a discussion about history and culture. For more information about skill toys visit our
website.
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Paul – July 12, 2008
The Flow Circus Skill Toy Club Program launched at the Wake Forest, NC Boys & Girls Club in January 08 was profiled in Making Every Moment Count: An Achievement Report From The Boys & Girls Clubs, Summer 08. The description mentions some of the skill toys we use and some of their benefits beyond encouraging active learning. Benefits such as patience, perseverance, dedication and teamwork. The report then goes on to mention the impact on our program had in the community by club members participating in Talent Shows and volunteering at a town festival.
Special thanks to the Koinonia Foundation, Graham Johnson Cultural Arts Endowment, and Wal-Mart for their support of this program.
The profiled member in this report is an 11 year old boy from the Wake Forest Club. He is the recipient of the STAR Award and is described as “the one kid who does it all”. Not surprisingly, he was also an active member of our Skill Toy Club. Congratulations Faison!
Making Every Moment Count: An Achievement Report From The Boys & Girls Clubs – Summer 2008
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:
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.