So after the UK went into lockdown in March, we thought a week with the little’s would never phase us again, but they grow, they want to explore more, experience different things and can leave us thinking ‘well……. What can they do now?’, especially as there are still restrictions in place.
So here are some super simple Halloween play and craft ideas for the October half term, using items you can find around the home.
1. Halloween Garland
Grab 4-6 paper plates
Paint, colour, mosaic in orange, green, white or black
Orange – Add black paper shapes, a green stalk to make pumpkins
Green – Add black paper shapes, googley eyes to make monsters or Frankenstien
Black – Add black paper wings, googley eyes and white paper fangs for bats
Place 2 small holes at the top of each of the plates and thread some string/wool to create and then hang your garland.
2. Bowling
Grab some paper cups and some felt tip pens
Draw faces on the cups to resemble ghosts
(Optional) To mix them up wrap coloured paper around some of the cups to create pumpkins/monsters
Stack the cups in a pyramid either on top of each other or like 10 pin bowling and roll a ball or pumpkin knocking to cups over
3. Edible witches hats
This is an idea from @huggleschildcare on Instagram
Take some ice cream cones and turn them upside down (point facing up)
Add food colouring to 3 bowls of icing sugar mixed with water
Decorate the cones with the icing and sprinkles
Or Cover in Melted Chocolate and sprinkles.
4. Spider print painting
Take a toilet roll tube and cut into 8 strips to halfway down
Turn the tube over and flatten out the cut strips onto a flat surface
Dip the strips into paint and then print onto paper
Once dry add googley eyes and draw web, or cut out to hang as decorations
5. Halloween Match
Cut a sheet of paper into 8
Draw pairs of Halloween pictures
Lay the images face down and mix them up
Children then have to find the Halloween pairs
For children who are a bit older you can create more cards
6. Sensory bin
Add Halloween themed loose parts to a tray/box along with dried pasta, rice or lentils
Add spoons, scoops and bowls and let them play, dig and pour to their hearts contents
7. Pumpkin decomposition activity
This is an activity particularly good for 3-5 year olds that you can find over at www.arthurwears.com
Its great for observational skills, exploring the world, social skills plus much more.
8. Insect rescue
Set some plastic insects or Halloween themed items in jelly
The littles then have to set them free using their hands, spoons, potato mashers etc.
You could also do this with ice, and melt the insects free with warm water and salt.
9. Pumpkin chalk board
Paint a pumpkin with black paint
Use chalk to decorate or write on the pumpkin
10. Pumpkin potions
Hollow out a pumpkin to use as a cauldron
Mix lemon or white vinegar with food colouring (mix a few colours for more choice)
Add some of the acid mixture to the pumpkin
Then add some bicarbonate of soda and watch it fizz
Keep adding to keep the fizziness going.
For added fun stir in glitter, sequins, plastic Halloween themed toys.
Hopefully, these will give you some fun things to do over the next week, get creative, modify the ideas above to fit with what you have at home, what your children enjoy. The most important thing is to have fun!!!!
If you would like ideas this week Make sure you give Leigh a follow on her Instgram Page
https://www.instagram.com/raisingafairyandaknight/