We might not be able to go Trick or Treating but there’s lots of fun to be had at home!
Its been a strange year and our kids have had to give up so much of what they love in 2020. Halloween is just around the corner and although our world looks very different to how it looked last year, we can still have lots of fun this Halloween!
Use things you already have laying around at home and keep it simple!
At Stepping Stones we believe in engaging children in child centered activities that let them lead the way.
For us, that means sometimes we ditch the traditional trick or treating and Halloween parades in favor of more simple activities. Here are five fun and spooky Halloween themed activities I’ve seen in our classrooms that you can replicate at home.
- Scavenger hunt – hide candy or other treats around your home and create clues to help your little ones find the candy. If you’re creatively challenged (like me!) there are some fantastic examples on Pinterest. Such as this one and this one.
- Pumpkin play – bring home lots of big and small pumpkins and let your little ones explore them. We have been hammering golf tees into pumpkins, washing pumpkins in soapy water, cutting them open and exploring pumpkin guts, and roasting pumpkin seeds!
- Pumpkin bowling – paint empty cardboard rolls to look like monsters. Then use small pumpkins to roll and knock them over. Our two year olds had a lot of fun with this one!!
- Sensory play – kids love getting yucky and sticky and sensory play is so important for their developing bodies. Some fun examples we have seen in class this week are monster slime: push googly eyes, straws, pipe cleaners or anything you can find around the house into slime to make it look like blobby monsters. For the babies and toddlers who might still be putting everything in their mouths this edible play dough recipe was a big hit!
- Spooky potions – empty out those closets and kitchen pantries and let your kids go wild mixing spooky potions. A mix of vinegar and baking soda work best. Our little ones love it when we add glitter for a little sparkle magic!
Most importantly, stay safe!
Stay home, stay warm and safe, and have fun! What’s most important is that you follow your child’s lead and create Halloween experiences that are meaningful to them. Want to know more about Stepping Stones? Click here to find out more about our child centered philosophy.
Enjoy a spookiful Halloween and stay safe!