Eco-Circus on the 40-acre land trust of The Sanctuary in East Haddam is a fun way to explore yoga, circus, ecological lessons and games in nature. Swing from trees, visit beaver ponds, play hide & seek in a sunflower patch.

Exercise happens naturally in play. Play is a backdoor to discipline. There is a place for everybody under the big top.

Circus covers a myriad of talents, from storytellers to trapeze artists. Uncovering our individual gifts benefits the community. Exploring our bodies in the great outdoors is rewilding medicine for domesticated times. Less screens, more sky. Run away to join the circus and be home in time for dinner.

The Summer Eco-Circus engages children in hands-on activities fusing circus arts (juggling, partner acrobatics, hooping, aerials), yoga, and ecology—e.g., forest play, beaver pond visits, eco-games, and sustainability lessons on watershed health and climate mitigation. Led by certified instructors (Jen Taylor, Jenny Love Leigh, Marguerite Santos), the project promotes environmental awareness and stewardship, with youth contributing to minor habitat restoration (e.g., native planting).

LOCATION // The Sanctuary meadow, yurt, gardens, forest and wetlands, instilling future regenerative practices in the next generation and emphasizing nature-based play through yoga and circus arts.

In addition to eco-literacy, a key goal of the camp is to help children develop affective concern and emotional connection to the natural environment through holistic mind-body creative, interactive group play within a beautiful natural setting. This serves as a therapeutic practice to address post-pandemic social deficits and excessive screen time.