More than donning fancy costumes and eating sweet treats, Halloween can be a fun learning time for toddlers and kids. The Celtic tradition can teach kids about culture, art, math, and so many more. Here’s how.
1. History
Halloween is more than just about ghosts “returning” to the land of the living or spooky nights. The holiday, which was first celebrated by the Celts who lived 2,000 years ago in parts of now Ireland and the United Kingdom, was observed by natives with the belief it could ward off ghosts. History.com explains that November 1 “marked the end of summer and harvest” and the onset of winter, which they associated with death.
Activity suggestion: Shadow play for pre-schoolers
Why not explain the origin of Halloween to children through a shadow play? You only need black cartolina, or spare folders, and some sticks.
You can explain Filipino Catholic traditions to your kids with diy tombstones and remember your departed loved ones by telling children your memorable experiences with grandma or grandpa when they were still alive.
2. Science and Art
Turn your Halloween decor into cool science lessons props! Use skeletons to teach children about body parts. Perfect for toddlers for basic identification (hand, skull, feet) and young school children (use names of parts of a bone: never too early to learn femur or scapula).
Activity suggestion: Paint parts differently for emphasis, or explain while singing the classic “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.”
If skeletons look scary for your little bub, teach them how to “create one” with cotton buds with this easy, mess-free art project.
Photo from Mom Brite
3. Pumpkins and emotions
Pumpkins are Halloween staples. If you have a plastic pumpkin basket from previous trick or treat parties, you can use those to teach emotions to your toddler. Let them express how they feel by allowing them to draw on Jack-O-Lantern.
Activity suggestion: Use washable markers to draw-erase on your pumpkin.
With this, you can teach a variety of emotions. Try this 8-color marker from Crayola or invest in this 65-piece set to add more details to your funny or scary lantern (and future art projects).
4. Opposites and more
Take advantage of bat or spider decors by explaining opposites. Big-small bat, rough-soft spider legs, awake-sleeping bat, you get the idea.
Activity suggestion: For school graders, you can teach animal kingdoms and scientific classifications. You might need some review momma, but it will surely engage your child and awaken his interest in science.
Photo from Early Learning Ideas
For toddlers, you can also teach simple mathematics by counting the bats or spiders in the room.
5. Art time
Halloween happenings call for costumes. But while parties are not allowed yet, kids can still play with and create their own outfits. Want to wear a funny hat or be a powerful witch, or go extra big with cardboards for the day?
Activity suggestion: Grab some scissors and try some DIY ideas like origami, cutesy paper doll cutouts, or even creepy long nails out of paper!
Photo from Red Ted Art
Halloween is more than just about ghosts “returning” to the land of the living, spooky nights, or trick or treat. It could be fun bonding time for parents and kids. Check out more items you can use for your Halloween quarantine here.
