We can’t guarantee that by the end of the day you’ll be running across high wires, forming a human pyramid with the other members of your family or flying through the air with the greatest of ease (as a daring young man on a circus trapeze) but you’ll certainly have a lot of fun trying. Circus skills workshops can teach you a whole range of skills including juggling, the diabolo (a spool that is spun and tossed on a rope held between two sticks) stilts, unicycling, tightrope walking and plate spinning.

So, if you’ve ever watched a circus and thought “I can do that” then this is the chance to find out if that really is true. There are courses aimed at all ages and abilities (although the riskier disciplines may not be available to children under the age of 14) with courses of a day or half-day available at workshops all over the country.

At the very least you are likely to see some success with the diabolo or juggling, and the acrobatic balancing will have you in giggles even if you don’t produce a recognisable shape. In fact, more important than learning to run across wires or walk on stilts is learning to fall over properly so you don’t hurt yourself if you take a tumble.

Show too much of an aptitude for this, though, and you may have found your perfect circus skill - clowning around. Many of the skills you learn can be practiced at home: lock away the crockery if plate spinning turns out to be everybody’s favourite!

The Circus Arts Forum promotes circuses as an activity and has lists of circus skills workshops on its website at www.circusarts.org.uk.

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