Introduction

Using our shapes & character  templates with activity directions [below], have children explore forming ghostly shapes, and lead the group in creating their own! 

Using finger-paints or stamp pads, have children form fingerprints to match the amount of ghosts in the house. Let dry to add eyes to each ghost! [Template below]

The Little Ghosts all changed to the color matching the food or drink they tasted. What happens when we dip pieces of white sheet in different colored water? A great way to introduce watercoloring! [See watercoloring demo video under "resources."]

Using our template [below], children create patterns using halloween images. We find singing the pattern helps when creating and reviewing the patterns formed.

Present the ABCs in spooky ways! Try singing in the dark with a flashlight beam bouncing on each child's lap, sing "spooky", try substituting "BOO" for every other letter!

Touch Math is a multi-sensory approach to teaching counting, numeral recognition, and number representation. Try our preschool and kindergarten Ghost Math for FREE! [See below]

At the beginning of each story we introduce, we like to create a "story basket." This basket contains manipulatives that pair with the story. We use the story basket to help with re-tell, and make it available for children to explore independently. 

So many ghosts...so many foods....means so many colors! Are you able to match each colored ghost to their corresponding food? We've added more colored ghosts, and you just need to find the foods. (Check your kitchen center, or real refrigerator!)

Using our template [below], have children place their five ghosts on according to your directions! We all want ghosts that know their prepositional concepts!

Practice makes perfect, right? Maybe not, but we find  it helps alleviate anxiety & pre-teaches skills needed for mastery. Practicing trick or treating is a great activity with kids - even using a real door! 

Listen to Papa! Follow directions given by Papa Ghost as his directives get progressively more challenging. Begin with 1-step directives, and see if you can get to 3-step directives!

Ghosts don't have ears? Of course they do! Put on your listening ears and thinking cap to figure out whoooo I am: "I have four legs, black fur, and say 'Meow!'" [A black cat!]

Who's that ghost under the sheet? Class hides their eyes while one peer is quietly turned into a ghost. Children have to put on their thinking caps to deduce who is missing from the group. Did you guess correctly? "BOO!"

How could we possibly make a scary drawing? Let's draw ghost! ("I don't know how!" "It's too hard...!")  We love introducing drawing through group draws, where the teacher demonstrates how anything can be drawn through shapes.  [See our Resources tab]

BINGO is a fabulous way to reinforce characters and events from the story.  For tokens, we used small spider rings with the ring part cut off! [Free Printable below]

We know what a ghost sounds like, but what does a ghost look like? How 'bout a skeleton, or a witch?  Have children take turns acting out each Halloween character to see if you can guess what they're being, and have them guess what you're acting out! [Use cards from our BINGO game pdf, below]

Similar to parachute play, children use a ghost's sheet to "fling" Halloween items into the air. (Orange ball for a pumpkin, cardboard tubes for bones, etc..)  For a challenge, cut a sheet smaller for two peers to play together.

Using a flashlight or an overhead projector, use ghosts, bats, or other Halloween shapes for presenting skills development. Count the bats, have children see if they can "fly" the ghost in a circle, or a triangle...                     [See printable below]

Wrap a tennis ball inside a white piece of cloth, secure the "head" with a rubber band or string: now you have a ghost to toss in the air by swinging the loose fabric. Better yet, place pumpkin buckets or targets out!

Using a real pumpkin with the top cut off, have kids search for halloween items hidden inside the pumpkin: plastic spider, ghost eraser, vampire teeth...A squishy, gross activity!

The template is below, all you need is a paper towel roll, and few extra crafty items! Hang outside from a branch, or indoors from a lamp!

Sensory defensive? Pumpkin goop is the best! We enjoy having children choose shapes for the face, to help push out the pieces as we do the cutting. Cleaning, candle, and BOO!

Using our Ghost Template [below], have children decorate ghosts by first cutting out the ghost, and then dip 'n place cotton balls onto the ghost.

Okay, maybe not lifting 50-lb pumpkins, but how about rolling, carrying, pushing on a scooter, passing, and even doing sit ups with small pumpkins or gourds?