Carnival Preschool Activities
With these easy, yet exciting carnival preschool activities, you can make learning a new adventure for your children.
Discover more of my exciting, fun summer activities for kids that will help spark your child’s imagination this summer.
Celebrate the spirit of Carnival in the comfort of your own home with fun and educational activities that bring out the happiest moments for every child.
Keep your child’s learning experience fresh with new ideas every week! From creating cotton popcorn and paper plate circus animals to recreating flaming hoops, there is a carnival-themed activity for everyone!
These carnival activities offer incredible possibilities for fun-filled homeschool days ahead. Plus, they’re low on cost, so you don’t have to break the bank doing all of them either!
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Carnival Facts for Kids
Before we begin hands-on learning, I enjoy sharing fun facts with my kids to spark a bit of curiosity. These carnival tidbits are perfect conversation starters during snack time or while setting up the next activity.
- The first modern carnival started in Italy. It was called “Carnevale” and featured colorful masks, parades, and music—some traditions still continue today.
- Carnival rides were inspired by farming equipment. The early Ferris wheel was influenced by a water wheel, and some carousels were powered by animals walking in circles.
- Cotton candy used to be called “fairy floss.” A dentist invented it in 1897—ironic, right?
Recommended Carnival Books
After doing all the fun carnival activities from my list, your children will have a great time adding these enjoyable carnival books to their reading list.
Molly Morningstar Carnival Girl: A Colorful Story of Culture and Friendship (Molly Morningstar Series)Daniel Goes to the Carnival (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood)Carnival (Team Umizoomi)At the Carnival! (Fluorescent Pop!)The Midnight Fairthe Carnival: Before Bed Children’s Book- Cute story – Easy reading Illustrations -Cute Educational Adventure .
How do we make learning engaging with carnival activities?
What I love most about using carnival themes is how easily they pull kids into learning without it feeling like school. I set up simple games, such as a “letter toss” using plastic rings and flashcards, and it naturally turns into a review of sounds and vocabulary.
There’s something about the colors, games, and pretend play that keeps preschoolers moving and focused at the same time. We’ve even used carnival music as a timer for quick sorting games or clean-up races. It’s low-prep but highly interactive, which works great when I’ve got other things going on at home.
These kinds of activities don’t just make my day easier—they give my kids something to look forward to and talk about long after we’ve packed up.
Recommended Carnival Toys
Summer is officially here, and many of us are scrambling to keep our children entertained with educational and engaging activities. Bring the fun of carnivals into your home with these cool toys.
Cute Carnival Circus Stickers 820 Count Party Goodie Gifts Bags Decor Red White Elephant Clown Adhesive Stickers for Girls Boys Birthday Invitations Art Craft Decorations School Game Class RewardsLEGO DUPLO Town Amusement Park Fairground Building ToyWhack A Mole Game, Learning Montessori Toddler Toy, Space Theme Birthday Toys for Age 3, 4, 5, 6 Years Old Kids, Educational Stem Toy for Boy Girl Autism Sensory Speech Therapy – 2 Pounding HammersCozyBomB Kids Pool Fishing Toys Games – Summer Magnetic Floating Toy Magnet Pole Rod Fish Net Water Table Bathtub Bath Game – Learning Education For age 3 4 5 Boys Girls Toddlers Carnival Party FavorsMelissa & Doug Wooden Snacks and Sweets Food Cart – 40+ Play Food pcs, Reversible Awning , Multi ColoredSensory Water Beads Toy for Kids 6 Pack, Shapes Learning Toy for Toddlers, Fidget Stress Toys for Autism/ Anxiety Relief for Adults,Bean Bags Great for Cornhole Tossing Carnival Backyard (Watermelon)
More Summer Activities
Looking for more fun ideas? Check out my favorite summer activities that keep learning going while still feeling like a break.
- Carnival STEM Activities
- Carnival Tracing Worksheets
- Carnival Books for Kindergarten
- Carnival Activities for Toddlers
- Popsicle Counting Clip Cards
- Summer Lacing Cards
- Ice Cream Math Printable on Fun-a-Day
- Printable Summer Charades Game on Darcy and Brian
I hope you found a fun carnival activity to do with your kids, which can be a lot of fun for the summer.
Thank you