Halloween

One of these days, I will actually post these things when they happen. So, even though it's now Thanksgiving, I hope you enjoy my Halloween post!

Last week for Halloween I tried to keep things fun. 9 of my kids know all their letters and can identify numbers up to 31 (thanks to calendar time). 1 is almost reading. And 1, my youngest, well... She'll catch up. Because they are already so far ahead, I've been focusing a lot on fine motor development, visual discrimination, and critical thinking skills. And since the kids were hyped up on the impending holiday, I figured i'd make it fun. Here are a few high lights:

On my day off, they did this Fizzy Eyeball project from B Inspired Mama. I pinned it last fall but wasn't able to find the Ping Pong balls until this past August, Because I wasn't working, I don't have photos, but the kids all LOVED it. Instead of using tongs for the kids to pick up their eyeballs, I put 4 cups of colored vinegar at each table  and gave them an eye dropper. Their eyeball was in a bowl to keep the mess down. I really wish I had been working this day because I wanted to see their reaction as they discovered the eyeballs underneath.
This whole project cost me a dollar. I got the baking soda and vinegar from my stash that parents brought and I found the eyeballs at Dollar Tree in a package of 12.

Speaking of baking soda and vinegar, we also did the fizzing pumpkin. After some sensory fun with the pumpkin guts, I carved his face at naptime one day then we took him out back. I put the baking soda in a cup, dyed the vinegar bright green, and went to town. I love how easily preschoolers are amused by the simple chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar.

We have a trunk or treat on Halloween each year. I do a small party in the morning, asking for fruit, chips, juice, and mini cupcakes (I actually save the cupcakes for our afternoon snack). They. Were. Amped. But they love are so we did several art projects focusing on using that pincer grip: Torn paper candy corn, masking tape mummies... Ripping the masking tape was still tough for even my most advanced fine motor kiddos to do, so I ended up tearing it into piece for them, but they turned out so cute. Of course I forgot to take photos, so you'll have to take my word for it.

  

Half of my kids left before our trunk or treat, but the remaining kids were excited to get into their costumes. I had 2 Bumblebees (from Transformers), Batman, Elsa, Minnie Mouse, and a Nurse. I just wore a fun head band. I'm holding out on finding the perfect Ms. Frizzle dress; I will find one one of these days.

 

Hope you had a great Halloween!