You were talking to a parent the other day who was stressing out about summer plans. You know the drill: trying to find something that isn’t just another week of staring at screens or doing the exact same sports drills they do all year. They wanted something different. You immediately told them to look into Circus Camp.
Yeah, you know. The reaction is usually a raised eyebrow. “Circus camp? Like, with clowns?”
No, not like with clowns. You’re talking about the kind of program they run over at Camp Pillsbury in Minnesota. It’s less about face paint and more about watching a kid who is usually shy suddenly realize they have the core strength to climb twenty feet up a silk ribbon. It’s about the kind of confidence you can only get when you realize you can literally fly.
Thing About the Trapeze
Let’s just get right to the main event: the flying trapeze. It’s the thing everyone wants to try, and it’s usually the thing they are most terrified of.
Here’s what happens. A kid climbs up that ladder. Their knees are probably shaking. They grab the bar, and they have to make a choice to just go. When they finally jump, the look on their face changes completely. It goes from sheer terror to absolute exhilaration in about two seconds.
At Camp Pillsbury, they don’t just throw you up there. The instructors are pros. They break it down so it’s actually safe and manageable. But the kid doesn’t care about the safety harness; they just care that they did something they thought was impossible. You can’t buy that kind of self-esteem. It bleeds into everything else they do. If you can swing from a trapeze and catch someone’s hands in midair, raising your hand in math class suddenly doesn’t seem so scary.
It’s Not All Up in the Air
But maybe your kid isn’t a thrill-seeker. That’s fine. The circus camp is a huge tent (pun intended).
Take juggling. It looks like a neat party trick, but it’s actually a massive brain workout. You are forcing your brain to track multiple objects, anticipate drops, and build a rhythm. I’ve seen kids who can’t sit still for five minutes spend an hour laser-focused on getting a three-ball cascade right. It teaches patience in a way that feels like a game, not a chore.
Then you’ve got the unicycles. I still don’t entirely understand the physics of how anyone rides one of those things, but the kids figure it out. It’s all about balance and persistence. You fall off, you get back on. Over and over. It’s the ultimate lesson in grit.
And for the kids who want a physical challenge, there’s the Spanish Web, which is basically climbing and doing acrobatics on a vertical rope, and the Lyra, which is that big metal hoop suspended in the air. It builds serious muscle. I’ve seen teenagers come back from a few weeks of this stronger than they would be from a season of football.
The Vibe at Camp Pillsbury
What I really appreciate about how Camp Pillsbury handles this is the structure. They don’t just force everyone into a rigid schedule. Kids get to pick three “majors” to focus on every day. So if your kid is obsessed with the aerial silks, they can really dig in and get good at it. But they also pick three “minors,” which means they are constantly trying new things.
It’s also just a really cool environment. It’s located in Owatonna, Minnesota, which is gorgeous in the summer. The weather is usually perfect: warm days and cool nights. It’s the kind of place where kids actually put their phones away because what’s happening right in front of them is way more interesting.
Final Thoughts
Look, summer is short. You only get so many of them before your kids are grown and doing their own thing. You can send them to the same old camps where they do the same old things, or you can give them a chance to do something genuinely extraordinary.
Circus camp isn’t just about learning tricks. It’s about teaching a kid that they are capable of way more than they think. It’s about resilience, creativity, and finding a weird, wonderful community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Where exactly is this place?
It’s in Owatonna, Minnesota. If you’re flying in, it’s about 45 minutes south of Minneapolis. Super easy to get to.
Q2. Wait, is it a camp or a school?
It’s actually both. During the summer, it’s full-on camp mode. But in the winter, it operates as a boarding school. So the facilities are top-notch because they are used year-round.
Q3. Where do the kids sleep?
They stay in actual dorm rooms, not drafty cabins. Usually, it’s two or three kids to a room, with a mix of bunk beds and single beds. It’s comfortable.
Q4. What’s the deal with “Performance Day”?
This is the best part. At the end of the session, they put on a massive show. From 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., the kids get to show off what they’ve been working on. It’s not just circus stuff either; it’s theater, music, and art. It’s a huge confidence booster to perform in front of a supportive crowd.
If you’re even slightly curious, you should look into it. The folks at Camp Pillsbury are great to talk to.
Give them a shout:
Phone: 507-214-2200
Email: info@camppillsbury.com
Trust me, it beats another summer of them complaining they’re bored.
