Halloween Storytime
Scott Bahlmann
Opening: Shake My Sillies Out – Raffi
Book: Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin – Mary Serfozo
(A cute book that gradually introduces the Halloween theme. Fun words and rhyming.
Activity: Six Little Pumpkins
(inspired from the book Dragons Halloween by Dav Pilkey)
(This was quite fun, the kids were engaged, and the parents enjoyed the surprise ending too!)
I wanted to find a pumpkin as Big as a house to make a really scary jack-o'-lantern, but all I could find were a bunch of little pumpkins. (The kids help count as they get put on the flannel board.)
I decided I'd carve them anyway, and took them to my yard by the old dead tree.
(put tree on flannel board)Then I started to carve my scary pumpkins. (Pull off orange pieces, showing the glowing yellow!)
Do they look very scary? No?! Well, I guess I'll stack them all up against my tree anyway. So I stack 1-2-3-4-5-6 little pumpkins. AAaaaghhh! I guess six little pumpkins can be pretty scary after all!
Book: Just say Boo – Susan Hood
(A good interactive and empowering story, cute illustrations!)
Activity: If You’re a Ghost and You Know It
(tune: If You're Happy and You Know It)
If you're a ghost and you know it wave your arms! (Woooo)
If you're a ghost and you know it wave your arms! (Woooo)
If you're a ghost and you know then you really ought to show it,
If you're a ghost and you know it wave your arms! (Woooo)
(Also did: Witch ride a broom, skeleton shake your bones, wolf give a howl, Superhero strike a pose, jack-o'-lantern give a grin)
(A fun activity, covering a wider range of Halloween things. It's nice to take suggestions from the kids too.)
Book: Mouse’s First Halloween – Lauren Thompson
(Another good interactive book, the kids are pretty good as guessing what's scaring little mouse)
Shadow play: In the Dark Dark Woods
(Full version here)
(I ask the kid if they want to go in the house, open the box, etc. They enjoy doing it again and predicting the next step.)
Book: Little Old Lady was Not Afraid of Anything – jp Williams
(Super fun book to act out! A lot of the kids already knew the story and were excited for it.)
Craft: Lollypop Ghost
(We used tootsie pops, wrapped tissues around them, wrapped a bit of pipe cleaner to form the head, then drew the face! Simple and fun.)