Working in a school setting bringing Halloween into the classroom can be challenging. Unfortunately, Halloween can symbolize evil and as a teacher you do not want to have the controversy in your classroom.
So what do you do? The kids will celebrate Halloween and they love the holiday. It is a great teaching tool because even the most stand-offish child will get excited when asked about costumes, festivals and plans. So how do you bring it in to your classroom without offending anyone and keeping the evil out? In the past, I have always focused on the season of fall and the pumpkins. Here are a few practical, easy crafts and songs to get your children excited about the season.
Pumpkin Tissue Craft
This is a great activity for even toddlers. Take orange tissue paper and allow toddlers to wad up in a ball. The great thing is they normally like to wad trash up so it will be easy for them. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Then allow them, or if it is a toddler, tie a green pipe cleaner at top and your have a pumpkin!
Painting Pumpkins
What preschooler does not like to paint? Purchase the small pumpkins for toddlers or the bigger ones for preschoolers and allow the kids to paint their own designs on the pumpkin.
Pumpkin Drama Center
You will need a baker (apron and baker’s hat), customers with purses or wallets and pies (these can be made our of an aluminum pie pan and whipped cream/shaving cream with raisins on top). The chant/drama is “5 Pumpkin Pies in the Baker’s Shop."
5 pumpkin pies in the baker’s shop
Nice and Round with raisins on top
Along came (insert child’s name) with a penny one day.
He/She bought a pie and took it away.
You can add to the cost of the pie and have the customer count out the number of pennies.
Big, Bigger, Biggest Center
Well this name explains itself pretty much. Get three different size pumpkins and have the children arrange them from big to biggest or small to smallest. Also provide a paper sack with three pumpkin die cuts of varying sizes to allow them to take home and do the activity for their parents. Here is a chant to say with the kids as well during the activity: A little pumpkin, a bigger pumpkin, A great big pumpkin I see. Now let’s count the pumpkins, one, two, three.
Pumpkin Songs
I’m A Little Pumpkin to the tune of I’m A Little Teapot
I’m a little pumpkin short and stout
Here are my eyes and here is my mouth
When it’s Halloween and you are out
Just lift my top and hear me shout Boo!
Picking Up Pumpkins to the tune of Skip to my Lou
Picking up pumpkins,
Put them in the wagon
Picking up pumpkins,
Put them in the wagon
Picking up pumpkins,
Put them in the wagon
Way down yonder in the pumpkin patch
Pumpkin Pie Snack
This activity is designed to use the sense of taste and smell. You might want to light a pumpkin candle since you most likely can’t cook a pie with the kids. As the kids enter and smell the pumpkin, they will begin to get curious. Tell them you have planned a special snack for the day to go along with the Pumpkin theme. Allow each child the opportunity to taste the pumpkin pie. Be sure and post signs informing parents so that you are prepared in case of allergies.
Carving a Pumpkin
This is a great activity. Of course, the teacher does all of the carving. But do allow your preschoolers to get messy and clean the pumpkin out. They love feeling the goo in their hands.
These are just a few activities. There are a ton more out there—just be creative. Remember with preschoolers, they love to have their five senses tantalized-so try to incorporate your lessons around the five senses.
tweet this!