Kindergartners Are Circus Stars for Day

The playground at Woodland Hills Elementary was changed into a circus for tots Thursday, with about 75 kindergartners playing the roles of ringmasters, animal trainers and acrobats.

The circus comes at the end of the school year and the participants are all enrolled in the school’s Tiggertown program, an optional enrichment program that also serves as day care.

“I like the program because it’s not so structured,” Merideth Hasson said as she sat in the audience. Her son Justin Friedman, 6, performed as one of the magicians.

“We do an art project every day, sometimes drama,” said Lydia Lewis, Tiggertown day care director.

“We encourage the kids to be creative.”

The young performers practiced routines, stitched costumes and helped decorate the schoolyard during the last two weeks.

Signs of gold glitter read “See the Amazing Animals” alongside a mural of children’s faces.

In the audience of mostly parents, grandparents and teachers, there were almost as many video cameras as children, with many people standing on picnic tables to get a better view.

Hannah Klein, 5, performed as an animal trainer. She made a group of students dressed up as little lions jump through a hoop, but animal trainer wasn’t her first choice.

“I’d rather be an acrobat,” she said.