[Before the start of the project, put up a display in the classroom all about clowns.
Images of clowns can be found on cards, wrapping paper, books, posters,
promotional material and Web sites.]

• Who has seen a clown?
• How did you know it was a clown? What did they look like? What did they do?

[If possible, watch a video or a live performance involving clowns.]

• Which parts made you laugh the most?
• Which clowns did you like the best? Why?
• What were their characters like? Were they happy/grumpy/sad/mischievous?
• What do clowns do to make themselves look funny?

Ask the children to reflect upon their own experiences of clowns and if you have a display, refer to the images of clowns.

• Do they wear ordinary clothes? What do their costumes look like?
• What colours are their costumes? Are they bright colours or pale colours?
• Are there patterns on the costumes? What sorts of patterns are they?
• What else is special about their costumes?
• How could we make ourselves look like clowns?

Show the children the Playsuits, paints, markers and other materials, such as brightly coloured fabric, shiny foil and
ribbon, available for their clown costumes. Ask them to think about how they would like their own clown costume to look.

• What colours will you use?
• Will you paint a pattern? What will the pattern be like?
• What will be special about your clown costume?

[The children might want to add their own extras from home such as a funny hat or fun glasses.]

Ask the children to draw a design of their clown costume showing the colours and patterns and any special features
before they set to work.

When the Playsuits are dry, ask the children to dress up in their clown costumes. Ask the children to work in pairs to
consider different possibilities for their act as clowns.

• What sort of character could you be? How could you make your face look happy, grumpy, sad, mischievous?
• What sort of funny walk could you have? Could you walk with huge strides or tiny steps or walk in a wavy line?
• What else could you do as clowns to make us laugh? Could you learn and tell some jokes or sing a funny song?
  Could you pretend to play a trick on your partner?
  

Ask the children to make decisions about their act and to rehearse it, planning a beginning, middle and an end. Encourage
them to practise and improve their performance. Organise a comedy show when each pair can entertain the rest of the class.

Children could design and make funny hats or props for their act in design and technology.
Children could develop simple gymnastics sequences in P.E.
Children could develop their clown costumes and comedy acts as part of a charity fund-raising event at school
or in the local community.

Meeting curriculum requirements:

Children will be learning to act in role and to use language, costume and movement to develop their character. Children
will be using and developing their art, design and craft skills through designing their own costumes. They will be working
collaboratively in creating and performing a comedy act. There are also opportunities for children to develop their
gymnastic skills.

Tips for Painting:

Playsuits must be kept flat when they are being painted and not worn until they are dry
Paint could be applied to large areas with a small sponge and/or brushes
Try to keep one set of sponges and brushes for each colour
Have different size brushes available and encourage the children to find out what marks each brush will make.
Encourage the children to paint boldly
If things go wrong wipe out with a damp cloth
Pieces of fabric or foil can be glued on to the suit using water-based glue. However, remember that the children will be
moving around so any decoration added on needs to be robust!

Useful Reference:

Cards, wrapping paper, posters, promotional material with images of clowns. Fiction and non-fiction books with stories,
images and information about clowns. Television or video programmes of performances involving clowns. Joke books.
Web sites about clowns and comedy. Your local theatre or drama in education group might run workshops for children
or be prepared to visit the school. Your regional arts board Drama officer will have details.

What you will need:

Images of clowns, Playsuits, paint, water jugs, paper towels, brushes, sponges, small trays or plates, scissors, pieces
of brightly coloured fabric or foil, water-based glue, paper and pencils, extras for their clown costumes.

Activity 0081 Clowns and comedy