Pumpkin Patch

Builds on: hand strengthening, sensory development, vocabulary

 

What you'll need:

1 package of cream filled chocolate cookies- cream removed

1 package of candy pumpkins

A large spoon

Rectangular container

Small cultivator/ hand rake

Toy tractor

What to do:

Place just the chocolate cookies into the container and hand your Hoot the large spoon. Show them how to use the spoon to crack, smash and crumble the cookies into tiny pieces so that it looks like soil. Make sure you offer a helping hand so that they don't loose interest before the work is done. Place the tractor in the "soil" and the opened bag of candy pumpkins on the side with the small cultivator. You can bury the pumpkins and have your kids dig them out. You can read a story about farming or growing pumpkins or you can just set them loose and see what happens. Either way it's a fun activity that will help to strengthen little hands with all the smashing and provide a fun dramatic activity with multiple sensory elements. 

*Don't forget to talk about how it smells, feels and even tastes to help develop the senses and build descriptive vocabulary.

Decorating with spiders

Builds on: Hand eye coordination, fine motor skills and gross motor skills.  

I love how just decorating the house can  elicit so much laughter from kids. It's as simple as a bag of spiders, a bag of cotton webbing and double sided tape from the dollar store.

What you'll need:

1 bag of cotton webbing

1 bag of 100 black and orange spiders

Double sided tape

2 bowls

What to do:

I like to divide the spiders into two bowls equally and set one aside for later before we do anything. After hanging the webbing on the walls and corners of the house outside I place the double sided tape on to the bottom of the spiders.

Once they've all been taped we take to the front door sticking the spiders everywhere. I of course get the high parts while both Hoots and Roos get the middle and lower parts of the door. It doesn't take long for the kids to start giggling because it always seems that about half of the spiders like to pop off once they've been placed. While the kids continue to place spiders I scoop up the escapees and re-tape them for the kids to try again. The extra stubborn ones get set aside for the next part. 

When all of the spiders from the first bowl have been placed on the door it's time for the webs. I generally will place them about 5-6 feet up depending on throwing strength. I place the bowl of spiders on the floor and tell the kids that they have to get all of the spiders to stick. The plastic spiders legs are just thin enough and the webbing is just fine enough that even a weakly thrown spider can stick if it touches. The fun part is watching the spiders fall back down on the kids when they don't stick.

When you're done you have a spooky decorated house that the kids can be proud of.

Pumpkin Drawing and Cleaning

Builds on: creativity, life skills

What you'll need:

Small pumpkins

Washable markers

Wet wash cloth

What to do:

Set out the materials onto your activity table. Let your kids know that it's ok to use the markers to color on the pumpkins; show them how to do it if they seem unsure. After the pumpkins are completely covered you can show them how to use the wash cloth to wipe off all of the marks. 

Let them repeat this for as long as they seem interested and aren't wandering off to color on everything else in the house. 

Felt Board Monsters

Builds on: creativity and imagination  

I actually got this idea from And Next Comes L for a felt board activity and decided to make some of my own monsters. It was a total hit! Hoots, Roos and even older kids love seeing what kind of monsters they can create together.

What you'll need:

6 different colored sheets of felt

1 sheet of white felt

Black paint pen

Scissors

Felt board

What to do:

Cut out one large monster body shape with arms and legs from each of the colored felt sheets. It's best to have a different shape for each color to make it more interesting for the kids.

Using the white felt cut pairs of different sized shapes for the eyes. Color small solid circles to make the eyeballs as pictured. While those are drying use the left overs of the colored  and white felt sheets to cut out decorative pieces like hair, horns, clothes and teeth. What ever you can think of. 

Spread the pieces out on the felt board and show your little Hoot how to build on the monster by adding more pieces. Let them add pieces where ever they want.  Enjoy some quiet time!

Pumpkin Bowling

Builds on: Hand eye coordination, gross motor 

What you'll need:

8-10 Empty food cans

Acrylic paint

Paintbrushes

Card board

Drop cloth

2 small pumpkins

What to do:

Acrylic paint does stain so you should put down a drop cloth first and change everyone into clothes that can get dirty. Place the cans, paint and paint brushes out with a large enough piece of card board for all of the paint you are using. Place a dollop of each colored paint onto the cardboard and start painting your cans to resemble Halloween characters. 

Place your kids about 3 feet from the cans with a pumpkin and show them how to roll the pumpkins to knock down the wall. Since smaller pumpkins have bumps and aren't round they'll wander as they roll creating a fun challenge for the kids to overcome. 

*Don't let the kids throw the pumpkins since they could really hurt someone.

Q-tip Painting & Homemade Watercolors

Builds on: fine motor skills, color identification, life skills and creativity

This activity is so easy with very little mess and the kids get excited because they get to help by making the paint. Great for both Hoots and Roos!

What you'll need:

Neon and black food coloring
2 cups cold water

4 empty yogurt cups
thick rag towel

straws for mixing

10 large Q-tips

Jumbo Halloween coloring sheets 

What to do: 

Have the kids pour the water into the 4 empty yogurt cups as evenly as they can. Place the cups onto a thick towel that can get stained and let your Hoots pick out the colors. Say the colors clearly and repeatedly in sentences to help them remember the names. We chose electric green, purple, red and black because they are halloween colors.  Help your Hoots put between 4-10 drops into the water and stir with the straws. Make picture choices. Then place the pictures, q-tips and your newly made watercolors on to the activities table. Use the q-tip ends as the brush by dipping one end into a color and then making strokes on the picture to transfer the paint. Then just let the kids have fun!

*The more drops of food coloring you use the quicker it will stain surfaces making it less washable.