Witches Brew
Mix up a batch of lemonade from concentrate. Add green food coloring
to the lemonade to give it a spooky look. Get a plastic witch's cauldron
and place a piece of dry ice in it. Pour the brew over the dry ice
and watch your kid's delight.
Mummy Cookies
1 tube of refridgerated cookie dough (any flavor)
white chocolate candy coating, 1 container
chocolate chips
Pull off about two tbsp. of cold firm dough. Roll into a carrot shape,
with one end bigger than the other. Now pull off about one teaspoon
of dough, roll into a ball, and place against the largest end of the
carrot shape. You should have a mummy face. Bake at 350 for about 10
minutes or until done. PLace on a cooling rack and melt the white chocolate
coating according to package directions. Pour the coating over one
cookie at a time, as quickly as possible. Let the chocolate firm up
for a few seconds, and the carve lines all over the mummy to represent
bandages. Add two chocolate chip eyes and then move on to the next
cookie. Repeat until all the cookies are done. Sorry, I don't remember
how many this makes.
Pumpkin Ice Cream shakes/smoothies
Submitted by Maria
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream
1 can of pumpkin
cinnamon in shaker
Have children scoop out ice cream into large bowl. Then have
spoon pumpkin on top of the ice cream. Using small hand held
mixer combine the two. (Children can take turn helping you hold
the mixer). Pour into individual cups and let children sprinkle
cinnamon on top. Eat and enjoy!
Planting Pumpkin Seeds
Submitted by Sharon
After cutting a pumpkin and examining the seeds, give each child
a resealable plastic bag, a paper towel, and a handful of pumpkin
seeds. Then guide them in the following steps:
1. Dip the paper towel in water and wring out the excess.
2. Fold the damp paper towel to fit in bag.
3. Place pumpkin seeds on top of towel and seal bag.
Put each child's name on bag and have them use thumbtack to attach their pumpkin
seeds to a bulletin board to make a growing science display. Check the seeds
daily and discuss or chart changes.
Tip: To keep paper towels moist, add 1/2 inch water to the bottom of
each bag. The paper towel will wick up the water to the seeds.
Pumpkin pie
cut out a pie shape. Give children shakers with cinnamon, ginger
and nutmeg in them. Children spread glue over the paper pie shape and
then shake spices on.
DIRECTIONAL WORDS AND POSITIONAL WORDS
Submitted by Janis
Each child has five candy pumpkins. We made black fences on white
paper and laminated them to use as the work mats. Then you give directions
such as: Put one pumpkin on top of the fence. Put two pumpkins under
the fence, etc. Make up as many as you like to check for understanding.
The children get to eat their pumpkins when finished.
PUMPKIN BOOK
Submitted by Rebecca
Page 1 "Pumpkin, pumpkin big and round."
fingerpaint a pumpkin, cut and glue on page with words
Page 2 "I'm glad that you grow on the ground."
cut out 4 small pumpkins and add yarn vine on page with words
Page 3 "I'm glad that you don't grow in a tree."
trunk and fall leaves precut on die cut machine, glue on orange pumpkins
on page with words
Page 4 "'Cause then you might fall down on me."
they draw self with bump on head and pumpkin broken on the ground
on page with words
Not an original poem or idea, just one that was passed down to me.
Pumpkin hints
Submitted by Karen
You may already know this trick, but a few years ago, I saw someone
on t.v. suggest that you cut the hole in the pumpkin out of the BOTTOM
of the pumpkin instead of the top! This allows you to put the
pumpkin over the candle (which really helps with that lighting job!)
or flashlight, and keeps the top from falling in on you after
a few days! Just discard the cut out part, or use it for "painting".
We also like to use the cutouts themselves (eyes, nose, mouth) for pumpkin
prints--just insert a popsicle stick, dip them in paint, and use them as stamps. You
can do collages with the shapes, or have the kids actually make the class'
jack-o-lantern face on a sheet of paper pre-cut in pumpkin shape.
Also, to keep your jack-o-lanterns fresher a little longer, rinse the inside with
vinegar and store it in the refrigerator when class isn't it session--it
really helps! Our class always has the "least moldy, mushy jack-o-lantern!
:o)
PUMPKIN FACES
Submitted by Mary
When I was deadheading the last of the summer marigolds, I got an
idea. Why not cut the flowers I'm not using to glue on pumpkin shapes,
since the colors are the colors associated with Halloween. It was
a huge success. The sensory and tactile explorations were magic and
the flowers I have were edible in case some explored taste by accident.
Some children made faces,while others covered the entire shape with
petals.
Some drew there jack-o-lanterns and added flower heads as an extra for Mom.
Hope you can use this idea. (Be sure to check the safety of your flowers for
the age that's into tasting or just use it with older children.
PUMPKIN PATCH
Submitted by Carissa
1. Hard boil some eggs
2. Dye them orange (Like you do with Easter eggs)
3. Cut paper towel tubes [Not toilet paper tubes :O)] into
smaller rings about oneinch in diameter
4. Decorate the rings with green paper or Easter grass
5. Place the eggs on the decorated tubes
Another idea....
* Put cotton balls in a bag with powdered orange tempra paint and shake
around
* Glue these cotton balls onto paper with green yarn for a pumpkin patch
** Orange pom poms can be substituted for the cotton
Halloween Spider Poke Cake
Submitted by Cheri
Ingredients:1 box white cake mix, 1 pkg. green jello ,blue food coloring,
chocolate frosting, 4 back licorice strips, 2 big green gumballs,
6 little gumballs
Preparation Instructions:
Prepare cake and gelatin according to package directions. Except use the 9" round
cake pans for the cake. Cut a smaller circle out of one cake using it as the
head. Fill the hole left over with the gelatin. Place the other layer on top
and trip to shape. To prepare frosting, in a mixing bowl, add blue food coloring
to the chocolate frosting until black in color. Frost cake black. Then use
the black licorice as leggs and gumballs as eyes. NOTE: When cake is cut into,
it spurts green goop.
CAT OF MANY COLORS
By Bobbie Lee Wagman
Once there was a cat all white who wished that he were black as night.
He was thirsty as could be, and in the cupboard, what did he see? Grape
juice right before his eyes! He drank it. Then to his
surprise, he
turned from white to something new. Deep dark purple was his hue. He
peered into his little cup, saw tomato juice, and lapped it up. He soon
became the brightest red. He thought, "maybe I should go to bed." But
he wasn't tired, and so he looked for somewhere else to go. He spied
an
orange on the floor, and pounced on it, and played some more. As he
played this little game, orange was what he became. He played with some
blueberries, too. So suddenly the cat turned blue. A sour lime
sat on
the ground. The kitty licked it and he found that he felt strange and
not so keen, for he had turned the color green. Now he was a sad
little fellow. So he ate a banana and turned the color yellow. Just
then he saw a tasty treat, another food he had to eat. A long black
piece of licorice gave the little cat his wish. He ate it all, and soon
he was black from his head to his paws! Why did this happened? You
guessed it right if you blamed it on Halloween night.
HALLOWEEN IDEAS
Following cross curricular ideas submitted by TySharl
Identifying Holidays Game
Procedure: Teacher pretends not to know what Halloween is, and keeps
describing the wrong holiday; children correctly label the holiday
described. Example-"Oh, Halloween is when the bunny leaves candy
and you color eggs." Use Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Fourth
of July, etc.
The Pumpkins Are Here
Procedure: Give each child a pumpkin cutout that has been mounted on
a craft stick. Then as verse is recited, have children hold their
pumpkins as indicated by the words.
The pumpkins are here; the pumpkins are there. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are
everywhere.
The pumpkins are up; the pumpkins are down. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are
all around.
The pumpkins are in; the pumpkins are out. The pumpkins, the pumpkins are all
about.
The pumpkins are low; the pumpkins are high. The pumpkins, the pumpkins all
say,"Good-bye."
Game-Trick or Treat
Procedure: Place slips of paper in a brown lunch bag. On each write
down a different "trick" such as "hop on one foot" or "close your
eyes and touch your nose." Have each child in turn, say, "trick or
treat" and draw a paper from the bag. When she performs the "trick" say "treat" and
give her either a Halloween sticker or a couple pieces of candy corn.
Progressive Stories
Procedure: Teacher gives lead sentence; each child continues story
in turn. Difficult for younger children but good introduction to
critical and creative thinking skills.
Samples: "Joey Jack O Lantern wants to run away because he is afraid of Halloween Night,
so he.......""Gus the Ghost is very sad because everyone is afraid of him,
so he decides to..."
"Wanda the Witch has lost her broom and she can't fly without it, so she...."
Halloween Pantomime
Move as if you are:
Carrying a great big pumpkin.
A witch combing her long, stringy hair.
A little baby ghost.
Putting on your Halloween costume.
Carving a little tiny pumpkin.
Going up and down a porch's steps trick or treating.
Jumping up to say Boo-oo-oo.
A big black cat.
Witch, Witch, Ghost
(Play exactly like "Duck, duck, goose"--just change the names. I play
this game all the time but I change the names to fit my theme.
Old Witch and Her Black Cat Game
Procedure: Children sit on the floor in a half circle. One child, the
witch, stands a short distance away with her back to the cats. One
of the children is pointed to, by the teacher and the child "meows." The
witch turns around and tries to quess which child is the black cat.
Continue until everyone has a turn.
Black Cat Hunt
Procedure: Hide many paper black cats around the classroom so that
children do not have to move objects to find them. Have children
each hold hands with a partner. Each pair of children must find as
many black cats as they can without letting go of their partner's
hand. After the hunt, everybody meows, and receives cat food from
the teacher. (Candy corn.)
Halloween Hop
Procedure: Teacher is the Silly Witch with the broom.
"It is Halloween Night and it is very dark outside. I am a very silly
witch and I am going to cast a very silly spell on you. I am going to
wave my broom and turn all of you into frogs.Now, how do frogs move around?
They Jump. Everytime I wave my broom, you will all jump around. When
I put my broom down, you will all stop. "Great opportunity for teacher
to display her acting talents.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin
Procedure: Place paper pumpkins, all different colors, and without
stems, on floor. Give each child a stem that matches one of the pumpkins.
Then form a circle, and walk around the pumpkins as you chant:
Pumpkin, pumpkin without a stem, laying in the pumpkin patch.
Here comes (name a child) with a stem of(child names color) to match.
(Child then matches stem to correct pumpkin. Continue.)
Finger puppet ghosts
Procedure: Put white adhesive tape on each child's index finger(over
top) and add eyes with black permanent marker.
Have children recite and act out with ghost fingers.
Little ghost(2), flying through the air. Little ghost(2)tickling my hair.
Little ghost (2) flying way down low. Little ghost (2) tickling my toe.
Little ghost (2) circling all around. Little ghost (2) please sit down.
And--The ghosts fly in. The ghosts fly out. The ghosts are certainly all about.The
ghosts fly high and then dive low. They're always spooky whereever they go.
White Ghost, White Ghost
Procedure: Read Bill Martin Jr.'s "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do
You See?".
Then ad-lib a new stostory called "White Ghost, White Ghost, What Do You See?".
As you chant the story with the children, have children add Halloween characters
Spook-E-Do
Procedure: As teacher (Witch) reads verse to each child, her broom
turns him into Spook. He then performs any movement he chooses and
rest of class imitates.
Hello, (child's name), Spook-E-Do. What is the trick you are going
to do?
Will you hop or bend or spin around? Stretch or wiggle or touch the ground?
The Very Hungry Pumpkin
Procedure: Put paper pumpkins of different colors in the middle
of the circle.Begin a story by telling the children that an orange
pumpkin (hold up orange one) was very hungry, and so he ate a banana
and turned------. Children say "yellow" and one picks up the yellow
pumpkin and hands it to the teacher. Teacher holds it and continues
with other food items such as an apple, lime, chocolate ice cream,
the sky, peas, etc. etc. Continue the same way. At the end, ask children
to think of a food the pumpkin could eat, so he could turn orange again.
PUMPKINS
Submitted by Sue Smat@aol.com
I love to use pumpkins in a variety of ways for learning fun with
2's and 3's.
During the first part of October, we pick the mini pumpkins that grew in the
garden over the summer) are harvested and then the fun begins. We count
them, name them, draw faces on them, stack them, give them rides in the wagon,
and we have even taken them on our walks th
Fabric Softener Sheet Ghosts:
Submitted by Cherilyn
Ever wondered what to do with old fabric softener sheets? Why not make a spooky
little Ghost! And they
smell great too! Don't have enough sheets? Use white tissue paper instead.
You will need:
Three used fabric softener sheets; Some string or an elastic band; A black
marker.
Crumple two of the sheets into a ball. Put the other piece on the
table, spread out and flat. The put the ball of tissue paper in the
center of the flat peace. Pull up all the corners and squeeze the paper
just under the ball (it should look like a ghost shape now). Tie the
string or elastic band (just under the ball). Add eyes and a mouth
with the marker. Voila! A little Ghost!!
The Twelve Days of Halloween
Submitted by Heidi ~ IllinoisMalCam@aol.com
(Sung to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)
On the 1st day of Halloween, my true love sent to me, An owl in an
old dead tree.
On the 2nd day of Halloween, my true love sent to me, 2 Trick or Treaters...,
On the 3rd day of Halloween,...3 Black Cats…
On the 4th day of Halloween,...4 Skeletons…
On the 5th day of Halloween,...5 Googly ghosts...
On the 6th day of Halloween,...6 Goblins Gobbling…
On the seventh day of Halloween,...7 Pumpkins Glowing…
On the eighth day of Halloween,...8 Monsters Shrieking, …
On the ninth day of Halloween,...9 Ghosts a Booing…
On the tenth day of Halloween,...10 Ghouls a Groaning…
On the Eleventh day of Halloween...11 Masks a Leering….
On the Twelfth day of Halloween...12 bats a flying...
HALLOWEEN SONGS
Following submitted by Cherilyn
Title - Five little goblins
Dev. Area - Language - Song/ fingerplay
Five little goblins on a Halloween night
Made a very , very spooky sight.
First one danced on his toppy-tip-toes.
The next one tumbled and bumped his nose.
The next one Jumped high up in the air
The next one walked like a fuzzy bear. The next one sang a halloween
song.
Five goblins played the whole night long!
Title - One October Night
Dev. Area -Language - Fingerplay / Movement
A witch , she went shopping (Turn around, walk in place)
One October day, one October day
She bought some stew (Pretend to buy something)
And a new broom
One fine October day
A witch , she went sweeping (sweeping motion)
One cleaning day, one cleaning day
She dusted her house (dust)
And she chased out a mouse (shooing motion)
One busy cleaning day
A witch she set to stirring (Stirring motion)
At suppertime
At supprertime
She sat down to sup (all sit down)
And ate it all up (pretend to eat)
At witches suppertime
A witch she went to dressing (get dressed)
One midnight hour
One midnight hour
She straighted her hat (straighten hat)
Then she patted her cat (pat cat)
One late midnight hour
A witch she went a riding (hands together, held out)
One Halloween night
One Halloween night
She took up her broom (picking up motion)
And "ALK-KA-ZOOM" (all speak loudly, hands towards the sky, and zoom
away)
One moonlit Halloween night.
PUMPKIN PUDDING
Submitted by Amy
1 carton (8 ounces) light vanilla yogurt
1 cup cooked pumpkin or canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a bowl; stir until smooth. Refrigerate
until serving. Yeild 4 adult-sized servings.
PAPER BAG WIG
Submittted by Peg hmmngbded@aol.com
User large paper bag that fits over head. Cut a large rectangle from
front section of bag for face. Fringe bottom of bag.Curl fringe by
rolling tight around a pencil.
PUMPKIN and HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES
Following cross-curricular ideas submitted by Peg
Pumpkin facts: The pumpkin is a member of the squash family.
Pumpkins grow on vines and bushes. Most pumpkins are orange, but
some are white, yellow, or other colors.
ART
What's Inside a Pumpkin?
Materials: 2 paper plates per child, pumpkin seeds, colors, paints, or markers.
Paint or color one paper plate orange. On other glue pumpkin seeds. Attach
paper plates (orange one on top) with brad on top of plates.
Mr Pumpkin Head
Get a real pumpkin and supply washable markers, and props such as glasses,
paper mustache, hats, scarves, and wigs. Let each child have turn to decorate
and dress up pumpkin. When next child's turn - just wash the markers off!
Pumpkin Painting
After Halloween, use your carved jack-o-lantern for print making. Cut the pumpkin
into chunks and let children design pulp by using nails. Press on ink pads
then on construction paper.
Appearing Ghosts
Teacher draws ghost on white paper with white crayon. Children then paint paper
with dark water colors or diluted tempera paint wash. Encourage child to paint
entire page. Ghosts appear through paint.
Scrap Paper jack-O-Lantern
Draw a circle on black construction paper. Paint circle with glue. Tear scraps
of orange paper into small pieces. Arrange scraps on glue. Add torn scraps
of yellow paper for eyes, nose and mouth.
MATH
Felt Pumpkin
Cut pumpkin from orange felt. Have variety of black felt shapes in box for
features. Include, half circles, crescents, ovals, triangles, circles, and
squares. Teacher instructs child to make face of jack-o-lantern using particular
shapes. For ex. "Decorate jack-o-lantern using 2 triangles for eyes, square
for nose, and crescent for mouth." A variation is to draw several jack-o-laterns
models using outline of shapes for features. Child matches felt shapes to model.
Mr Skeleton
Display skeleton decoration which can be purchased or drawn. Count number of
ribs, bones in hand, leg bones, arm bones. Graph.
Ten Little Pumpkins
Cut 10 pumpkin shapes out of orange felt and place on flannel board. Remove
the shapes one at a time as you recite the poem.
Ten little pumpkins all in a line
One became a jack-o-lantern, then there were 9
9 little pumpkins peeking through the gate
An farmer cam and took one, then there were 8
8 little pumpkins (there never were 11)
A green goblin took one, then there were 7
7 little pumpkins full of jolly tricks,
A white ghost took one, now there are 6
6 little pumpkins glad to be alive,
A black cat took one and then there were 5
5 little pumpkins by the barn door
A hoot owl took one, then there were 4
$ little pumpkins (as you can plainly see)
One became a pumpkin pie then there were 3.
3 little pumpkins feeling very blue,
One rolled far away, then there were 2.
2 little pumpkins alone in the sun,
One said "S long", and then there was 1
1 little pumpkin left all one
A little boy chose him, then there were none.
10 little pumpkins in a patch so green made everyone happy on Halloween.
Pumkins in a Jar?
Put candy or eraser pumpkins in a jar. Each child takes a guess (teacher
should keep record of ea. guess). At the end of the day count pumpkins.
Jar of Pumpkin Seeds
Same as above with children guessing the number of pumpkin seeds.
Order by Size
Have several pumpkins for children to order from smallest to largest (paper
pumpkins can be used also)
Measurement
Write" How many pumpkins tall are you?" on the top of long strip of craft paper.
Glue paper pumpkins on the paper and number them from bottom up. Tape the chart
on wall so children can measure their height.
Graphing
Make a graph of what kind of face to carve on a class pumpkin----happy, sad,
or scary.
Pumpkin Patterning
Use stickers or stamps to make a pattern on a sentence strip or any strip of
paper.
FINGERPLAYS, POEMS, AND SONGS
Dress Up
A pretty princess wears a crown (form circle above head)
Bunny's ears flop up and down (place hands above head and move up & down)
A beautiful ballerina dances to and fro(dance)
A funny clown laughs "Ho, ho, ho".
2 green eyes shine from a cat(circle eyes)
A scary witch wears a pointy hat (form point with arms above head)
Jack-O-Laterns shine so bright (form circle with arms)
Happy children on Halloween night!
Tommy's Pumpkins
It was the biggest pumpkin that I had ever seen
It grew in Tommy's garden, until the night of Halloween
Mr. Pumpkin
tune: Frere Jacques
Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin,
Eyes so round, eyes so round,
Halloween is coming, Halloween is coming
To my town, to my town
Witch on Halloween
Tune: Farmer in the Dell
The witch on Halloween, the witch on Halloween, Heigh ho, let's trick
or treat, the witch on Halloween
2nd verse: The witch chooses a goblin
3rd verse: the goblin chooses a bat
4th verse: the bat chooses a cat
5th verse: the cat chooses a ghost.
6th verse: the ghosts says, "Boo!"
7th verse: they all screech and scream
Hooky Spooky
Tune: Hokey Pokey
Put your right arm in, put your right arm out,
Put your right arm in and shake it all about
Do the Hooky Spooky and everybody shout
"That's what it's all about! BOO!"
Jack-O-Latern
Jack-o-lantern, jack-o-lantern, you are such a funny sight (form circle
with fingers)
As you sit there by the window, looking out at the night (make square with
fingers and point to eyes)
You were once a sturdy pumpkin growing on a vine (move finger like following
vine)
Now you are a jack-o-lantern, see the light shine (form circle with fingers
of one hand, place finger of other hand in center of circle)
I Made A Jack-O-Lantern
I made a jack-o-lantern for Halloween night (form circle)
He has 3 crooked teeth but he wont bite (point to teeth and shake head)
He has 2 round eyes but cannot see (circle eyes)
He's a jolly jack-o-lantern as happy as can be
CREATIVE DRAMATICS AND MOVEMENT
Halloween walk
Form line on one side of room. Cross room in following ways:
1). Fly like a bat; 2) gallop like a cowboy on a horse; 3) hop like
a bunny; 4) roll like a pumpkin; 5) dance like a princess; 6) creep
like a cat; 7) walk like a skeleton; 8) float like a ghost; 9) stomp
like a monster
HALLOWEEN SONGS
Following songs submitted by Tammy
Deck the Patch
Deck the patch with orange and black
Fa La La La La La La La La
Take along your goody sack
Fa La La La La La La La La
Don we now our gay appareal
Fa La La La La La La La La
Toll the Ancient Pumpkin Carol
Fa La La La La La La La La
O Pumpkin Cards
O Pumpkin cards! O Pumpkin cards!
carry greetings to my friends.
Let them know the day is here
When Great Pumpkin will appear.
O Pumpkin cards! O Pumpkin cards!
Carry greetings to my friends.
Great Pumpkin is coming to Town
You better not shriek,
You better not groan,
You better not howl,
YOu better not moan,
Great Pumpkin is comin' to town!
He's going to find out
From folds that he meets
Who deserves tricks
And who deserves treats,
Great Pumpkin is comin' to town!
He'll search in every pumpkin patch,
Haunted houses far and near,
To see if you've been spreading gloom
Or bringing lot's of cheer.
So you better not shriek,
You better not groan,
You better not howl,
YOu better not moan,
Great Pumpkin is comin' to town!
PUMPKIN STEW
Submitted by Sissy
When fall arrives and all the talk is pumpkins we make pumpkin stew.
1. purchase a large pumpkin that will fit in your oven
2. clean it like you were going to carve it
3. brown your meat (either beef, lamb, or venison) put in pumpkin
4. add vegetables and canned tomatoes
5. I add beef broth but you can use water just don't over fill
6. put on cookie sheet and bake 60-75 minutes just until veggies
are done
Title; WITCH'S BREW (Orange-pineapple punch)
Submitted by Margie
1 (14oz) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (46oz) can pineapple juice, chilled
1 (2-liter) bottle orange soda, chilled
orange sherbet (optional)
1. In punch bowl, stir together Eagle Brand and pineapple juice; add
orange soda.
2. Top with sherbet and serve over ice if desired. Refrigerate
leftovers.
Title: Halloween Candy
Submitted by Cheryl craftycher@aol.com,
tune: Frere Jacques
Halloween candy,
Tasted dandy
Bubblegum too, fun to chew
I went trick or treating
Then I started eating.
Oooooooh, I'm sick.
Call the doctor quick.
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