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There's more to do on All Hallow's Eve then just trick-or-treating. Once everyone's in their costumes, bring out the games and watch as spooky smiles and ghoulish grins take shape. Here are a few suggestions to keep everyone entertained.
- Plan ahead. To help things run smoothly organize the order of events beforehand, and have initial time limits set for each activity.
- Use stickers face pieces to decorate paper pumpkins - less messy then carving, but just as fun!
- Candy apple craft-time is sure to be a big hit. Don't forget to set aside enough time to let the tiny tricksters eat their treats.
Activities:
Direct children who have just arrived to head over to the Costume Station where they can pick out a Little Einsteins' inspired costume with the help of an adult.
What you need:
- Download templates for Trick or Treat bags here
- Download templates for Halloween Picture Frame here
- Cut out in advance the templates and have them ready to go for the party
- A variety of craft materials, including markers, crayons, foam craft stickers, glitter glue, etc.
Instructions:
- At a craft table, have an adult stationed who can help children with decorating their crafts.
Games:
The Little Einsteins are well aware of a ghostly presence during their Halloween mission. Who are these ghosts? Where do they come from? Let's go on a ghost hunt to find out!
What you need:
- Stereo
- Edvard Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (taken from Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Opus 46)
- Large furniture (indoor or outdoor) items, boxes, floor pillows, etc. to use as a simple obstacle course
- An adult to lead the actions
Instructions:
- The game takes its cue from Follow the Leader and has children following an adult's actions on the "hunt." As the kids get more familiar with the game and sing-song verses, they can sing along and help make up the actions
- Have household objects on hand or placed throughout the room to use as your "obstacle course"
- Feel free to make up your own words, gestures, or "obstacles" based on children's ages, interests, room limitations, etc.
- Gather children in a group
- Cue up "In the Hall of the Mountain King" and have the kids pay close attention to the "refrain"
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Tell them that the Little Einsteins want to find out where their ghostly friends live and to do so, they need to sing this refrain (to the tune of "In the Hall of the Mountain King"):
"We're going on a ghost hunt, ghost hunt, ghost hunt, We're going on a ghost hunt, and we are not afraid!"
Then an adult repeats the verse with words (not singing) and adds
We're going to catch us a BIG ghost!
(Spread arms to demonstrate the word "big" as you say the word)
But look! What's that ahead?
(Raise your hand to your forehead, as though you were looking far away.)
Uh-oh.
There's a swampy palace moat ahead!
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
We better go through it!
(Make sloshing sounds and move hands and feet as if wading through thick water. You can place pillows, a pile of clothes/blankets, or other safe household objects on the floor in which to "wade")
<Sing Refrain>
Uh-oh.
There's a lake ahead.
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
We better go through it!
(Make swimming motions.)
<Sing Refrain>
Uh-oh.
There's a gate ahead.
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
We better go through it!
(Gesture as if you open a gate, walk through, and close it)
<Sing Refrain>
Uh-oh.
There's tall grass ahead.
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
We better go through it!
(If room permits, children can crawl around)
<Sing Refrain>
Uh-oh.
There's spooky castle gate ahead.
We can't go over it.
We can't go under it.
We better go through it!
Guess we'll have to climb the ladder to get in.
(Pretend to step up a ladder and climb in the window)
It's dark in here!
I hear bats flying over our heads. Duck!
(have children duck and pretend to swat at bats)
I feel something c-c-c-cold and clammy.....
I see two big black eyes.
I hear a m-o-a- n!
It's a ghost!
(Shiver and make terrified faces.)
Run!
Find the ladder and climb down fast. (use fast motions of climbing down a ladder)
Crawl through the grass! (fast motions of running through tall grass)
Open the gate! (fast motions of swinging open a gate)
Wade through the swamp! (fast motions of sloshing through a swamp)
Run into the house and close the door! (fast motions)
Run up the front stairs! (fast motions of climbing stairs)
Crawl under your bed! (have kids hide under a pillow, blanket, etc)
If time allows, repeat the game using new actions that the kids come up with.
What you need:
- An area large enough to have the kids sit in a circle
- An adult to lead the "list"
- A plastic, hollow pumpkin container, the kind kids use for trick-or-treating
Instructions:
- An adult explains that each child needs to think of something they'd like to bring to a Little Einsteins Halloween party. It can be festive food, a decoration, a costume - whatever! The adult starts off by saying, in a chant-like or sing-song manner, "For the Halloween party, I went to the store and bought (candy corn)."
- The adult hands off the plastic pumpkin to the adjacent child and asks them to repeat what the adult said, and then add one more item. The child then needs to say "For the Halloween party, I went to the store and bought candy corn and (item of child's choice)."
- The game gets more and more fun as the children try to remember everything that's been "bought" before their turn. The adult should be ready to jump in and help out when a participant gets stuck.
- Optional: For slightly older children, the object of the game can be to recite all the items or the player is eliminated. That is, the game continues until there is only one child left who can correctly recite all the items in order. The last one is the winner.
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