Preschool Halloween Bash

If the party is to be held in the preschool where the children attend each day it would be great to allow them to assist with some of the decorating during daycare hours. This will give them some ownership and familiarity with it. Then when they come for the party they won't be too surprised by the changes in their preschool center!

Decorate your Halloween party with a personalized banner!


But no matter where the party is located, creating a kid-friendly Halloween atmosphere can be accomplished by using decorations that lean toward silliness and cartoon-like characters. Witches and Ghouls can be used as long as they have happy, smiling faces. Angry, frightening monsters and vampires are very scary to little kids. They will have nightmares and some may even be traumatized to a certain degree if they see scary imagery coming at them everywhere they look. Preschoolers are very impressionable. It will cause the child to fear returning to the preschool or home where the party was located when they have to return for their regular daycare sessions. Separation anxiety will surely return and goodbyes with the parents will be stressful and tear filled. Children know that Halloween is a spooky time and they look forward to it with anticipation but they still want to feel protected from the frightening things they don't know how to comprehend or process yet.

Young children cannot distinguish between what is real and what is not. If they don't feel 'safe' they will not be able to enjoy the party, may very likely cry and become clingy, and eventually have to leave as it overwhelms them. Parents and teachers of young children know that it does not take much to set them off and that it takes a lot of effort to calm them back down !

Using colored streamers (black, orange, yellow, purple, white) and balloons is great because kids recognize these types of decorations as safe and fun from birthday celebrations that they may have been to. Using lots of happy pumpkins and an autumnal theme is also very appropriate for this age group. A few cobwebs in the corners should help set the not-too-scary mood. If parents are invited to dress in costume remind them to be as non-threatening as possible because although their own child may know that mommy is the scary witch or daddy is the ugly monster - some of the others may be overwhelmed.

The music in the background should also be age appropriate - upbeat and silly. There are many Halloween soundtracks available on and off-line that are geared for the pre-k set. They have silly lyrics and catchy, easy to learn repetitive songs. The appropriate music will set the tone and the children will be likely to dance along freely and uninhibited and enjoy the party.

Avoid candles for any decorations and Jack-o-lanterns or centerpieces as preschoolers are curious and also clumsy. They fall down a lot ! A child can easily trip in a bulky costume or knock into things as they run and dance around. Candles are best left for the adults Halloween party. There is a huge variety of electric light up decorations that will be safer and just as effective at setting the Halloween mood.

Decorate your Halloween party with a personalized banner!

There is nothing more fun for the preschool set than playing games and dancing around to silly music. Music is an integral part of any preschool or early childhood curriculum so adding it to the Halloween Bash is par for the course. During the early childhood years are when the greatest developmental milestones take place.

Children learn through play. Playing games are not only great fun but very educational in many ways. For example, a game of Musical Chairs involves, large motor skills and balance, taking turns and peer cooperation, listening skills, body awareness, good sportsmanship and counting skills. A game of Bingo teaches: eye-hand coordination, small motor skills, number/color/shape/letter recognition (beginning literacy) , concentration skills, patience, anticipation, etc.

Adding music/ songs to any game adds a sensory component that enhances rhythm, listening skills, memory, and body awareness as well as fosters an appreciation of music. Young children will begin to clap and march and jump around and sway with the beat as soon as they hear music.

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Music for preschoolers and toddlers can be found everywhere - online, the library, toy stores, book stores, teacher education stores, etc. The key to successful game playing with the little ones is to have very simple, easy to follow rules and not too much preparation required.

For a Halloween Bash, the first game to play should be the Masquerade Parade! This gets the party started with the music and the kids are so excited and happy to show off their costumes and march around to the music. ('Monster Mash' is a great song for the parade.) This also allows the adults the photo opportunity they want before the masks, hats, pirate eye patches, and various accessories begin to come off and the food and snacks and juice starts to get spilled on. Lots of applause is in order at the end of the Masquerade Parade!

Then time for some games! It's best to have more games planned than you think you'll need. There is nothing worse than a bunch of hyper-excited preschoolers in an unstructured setting. It does not bode well! Keep them busy. Here is a list of games that are easy and fun for the children with minimal mess and props. Any needed supplies will be listed. You can take almost any traditional game and put a Halloween theme on it - the ideas are endless !



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The Candy Corn Relay:
Divide group into teams. You'll need bowls, tablespoons and candy corn pieces. The object is to transfer the candy corn from one bowl to another bowl at the other side of the room. There is no need to declare a winning team - just cheer everyone on! The fun is in laughing as they spill corn all over the place.

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Halloween Bowling

You'll need small pumpkins (grocery store or farm market) or tennis balls and 10 toilet paper tubes that are painted orange and black or decorated with Halloween stickers. You could even use 16 oz. plastic soda bottles decorated with white tissue paper as ghosts.

The children can take turns setting up and knocking down the 'pins'.
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Halloween FREEZE-GO Game:

For this fun musical game you will need music that you will be stopping and starting throughout. The kids will dance around while the music plays and then each time the music stops the children must freeze and try not to move. Be dramatic and encourage them not to move - say things like "Don't even bat an eyelash' or 'Don't even wiggle your big toe' or 'Don't twitch your pinky finger, etc... They love the challenge!

If anyone moves they are out. But to keep everyone happy and eliminate competition, the child or children who were out get to go right back in after waiting just one round. This keeps the frustration level down. Some children this age cannot handle being out or being losers. When you decide it will be the last round have the 'frozen' children do a silly wiggle dance to get warm again ! Move on to the next activity.
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Halloween STOP-GO Game:

This is a variation of the above musical game and encourages cooperation. For this game you will need music and ten Halloween shapes cut out of construction paper or even store bought. They could be all ghosts or pumpkins or a variety of different things and also a variety of different sizes (make sure a few are large) . Scatter the shapes around the dance floor area. Tell the children to dance around the shapes as the music plays and when it stops they must put only one foot on one of the shapes on the floor.

They can share and put their foot on the same shape as someone else - that's OK. Then you remove the smallest shape. After each round you remove another shape (the smallest again) and start the music up. By the 8th and 9th round everyone is trying to get their foot on the last 2-3 shapes and laughing and holding on to each other so they don't fall over. Keep challenging them enthusiastically 'Do you think we can do it? Can we all fit a toe on the very last shape??" Build up the anticipation ! When the music finally stops all the children try to fit on the last shape. (So make sure that it is the largest shape left) Big round of applause!

Everybody gets a prize! (Sticker, candy, spider ring, etc...)


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Halloween Boo-Bag Toss

All you need are some bean bags and a target. The target could be 3 plastic witch cauldrons that the kids try to toss bags into (or and containers with wide openings) or the target could be on the floor (made with tape). You could make some circles with masking tape or painters tape (not that sticky) and the bulls eye is the target.

Bean bags are very easy to make. All you need is colored felt and beans or rice to fill them with. Cut out two squares for each bag, stitch up 3 sides, fill with rice or beans and stitch up the 4th side. No time to sew? Use zip-loc bags and fill with beans. Also, orange or white ping-pong balls could also be used.

Another variation with the bean bags is Tic-Tac-Toe. Make a large tic-tac-toe board out of tape on the floor and use two different colors with the bean bags and try to get 3 in a row!
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The MUMMY Wrap

Kids love this one! You'll need rolls of toilet paper and a trash bag for cleanup. Divide the group into teams of 2 or 3. Give each team a roll of tissue and tell them they are going to make a real mummy by wrapping the paper all around the selected child's body. Wrap the arms and legs and head. Get the cameras ready because this one looks great ! Then they can switch and wrap someone else. The younger kids will need assistance.
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The SPIDER WEB Game

All you need for this game is a ball of yarn and a rubber spider ( about the size of a saucer). Have children form a circle (they can sit or stand to do this). The first child holds the end of the string securely (tell then to wrap it around their hand once so they have a better grip) then tosses it to another child across the circle. Each child does the same thing and zig-zags the ball of yarn so everyone in the circle has had a turn. It should create a giant web-like structure. When the web is complete toss in the spider and have the kids bounce it up and down. (Adults may have to assist to keep the circle shape as well as help younger kids hold onto their string.
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Halloween PINATA

A classic - no explanation needed.

Well just in case someone has never had a pinata I'll explain. A piñata is brightly colored papier-mâché covering a cardboard shape such as a pumpkin or ghost or spider. It has an opening in the top and that is where it gets filled with treats: candy, coins, little toys, etc. They can be purchased at many retail outlets or homemade by you.

The piñata is hung and suspended on a rope, which is tied to a fixed tree branch, roof, or sturdy, (a swing set works great outside too) and held by a person on the opposite side. This person creates a moving target by pulling on the string. One at a time, blindfolded kids swing a stick or bat at the piñata, in an attempt to break it open and spill the contents so all the kids can gather it up. It's best to let the smallest children go first because the larger ones have a better shot at breaking it as they are stronger. The younger ones may also resist wearing the blindfold so should be allowed to swing without it.
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Little kids love little finger foods. So, it's best to have a variety of hors d'oevre
type treats that the kiddies can just eat with their hands (rather than typical adult party fare such as salads and crock pots full of yummy entrees). If possible have them wash their hands first and also be very aware if any of the little ghosts and goblins have any allergies to certain foods. Also be aware of certain foods that can cause choking in preschoolers such as whole grapes, thick peanut butter or hot dogs.

Consumer Reports has a great article about choking and preschoolers at this link. Please go there and read it because it could save the life of a young child and all parents and caregivers should be aware of this potential hazard.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/child-safety/food/choking/food-choking-hazards-and-children-1-07/overview/0701_choking-hazards.htm

Ok now lets get into some yummy goodies for the little witches and ghouls !

BOOGERS ON A STICK

8 oz Jar cheez whiz
Green food coloring
25-30 Pretzel Sticks
Waxed paper

Carefully stir about three drops of green food coloring into the warm cheese, to turn the cheese a delicate snot green.

To form the Boogers: Dip and twist the tip of each prtezel stick into the cheese, lift out, wait 20-30 seconds, then dip again.

Set on a piece of waxed paper and allow finished boogers on a stick to cool for ten minutes or until cheese is firm.

Gently pull booger sticks off waxed paper and arrange on a serving platter.

Optional: Place a bowl of chunky red salsa in the center of the platter so that guests can turn plain buggers into bloody ones.
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JELLO JIGGLERS SHAPES:

Follow the directions on the box of Jello to make a tray of Jigglers. Use Halloween colors such as orange, purple, red, etc. Once the Jello is set and hardened, use Halloween shape cookies cutters to press out the Jigglers. They can be left plain or you can decorate them using black licorice to make faces or accents.

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MONSTER MASH TRAIL MIX

* 10 cups popped popcorn
* 16 ounce bag of regular M&M's
* 14 ounce bag of chocolate covered peanut M&M's
* 1 cup candy corn
* 1 cup of Raisins
* 1 cup peanut butter chips

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl - that's it! Done ! No cooking for this one!

You can leave it in the bowl and let everyone just grab handfuls or you can put it into little paper cups already measured out so little hands can carry it around and not spill so much on the floor.



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Here is a nice party favor to give the children when they leave.

GHOSTLY LOLLIPOPS

Supplies:
Tootsie Pop Lollipops (or similar)
Facial Tissues
Orange or Black Yarn
Black Marker

Wrap a white tissue around a Tootsie Pop Lollipop (any large lollipop will do but it is best to stay away from the ones with gum in the center as gum is on the choking hazards list for preschoolers.)

Tie a piece of yarn around the head of the pop the draw a silly ghost face on the tissue. This is a very cute treat!
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WITCH'S POPCORN HANDS

Supplies:

* Plastic food gloves (found at food services stores, not the latex type with powder in them)
* Popcorn
* Candy Corn (5 pieces for each hand)
* Novelty Plastic Halloween Rings
* Black/Orange yarn or ribbon

Place 1 candy corn into each thumb/finger in the gloves. Fill each glove with popcorn then tie it closed with the yarn. Then place a plastic ring on the ring finger of each popcorn hand.

You can scatter these around the room as part of the decorations and tell each child to take one home when the party is over.
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Some other easy finger foods are deviled eggs, spiderweb cupcakes (just draw a web on top with black gel frosting), fruit kabobs, mini pizza bites, mini peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (use cookie cutters to make Halloween shapes), mini hot dogs rolled and baked in crescent rolls, caramel apples with nuts, etc.

Recipes abound on the internet - just do a quick search and you are sure to find the perfect recipe ideas for your special Preschool Halloween Bash.

Rhyming and counting things are a big part of a preschoolers learning style and they enjoy all types of finger plays. Teachers love to use them because they help with memory skills, small motor skills and coordination, and building vocabulary in a fun sing-song way.
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Five little Pumpkins (One hand up)
sitting on a gate.

The first one said (Point to thumb)
"Oh my, it's getting late."

The second one said, (Pointer finger)
"There are witches in the air"

The third one said, (Middle finger)
"But we don't care"

The forth one said, (Ring finger)
"Let's run and run and run"

The fifth one said, (Little finger)
"It's Halloween fun."

"Whooooo" went the wind (say slowly)
And OUT went the light (Clap hands and shout the word "out"))
And the five little pumpkins rolled out of site.
(Roll arms)

Author: Unknown

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Two Little Ghosts fingerplay

2 little ghosts - show 2 fingers

Looking at you - point

One named "Who" - put right hand on right shoulderOne named

"Boo" - put left hand on left shoulder

Fly away Who - fly rigtht hand behind back

Fly away Boo - fly left hand behind back

Come back Who - bring right hand back to right shoulder

Come back.....BOO!!!!! - say loudly and try to startle

This is most requested fingerplay I do with my 3 and 4 year olds - probably because I always let them startle me!