My kids love all Halloween songs from Super Simple Learning, but “Can You Make a Happy Face?” and “Knock, Knock, Trick or Treat!” are their all-time favourite songs. Because Halloween is just around the corner, we have been practicing them both for the party.
We try to sing whenever the kids are in the mood and feel relaxed (or need to get in a better mood). You don’t have to sing only when you have morning circle or an activity, it can be while walking to the park, when asking them to do something, while making puzzles or drawing, or while waiting to go to the toilet.
We have sung “Can You Make a Happy Face?” no matter the season, but we replaced “jack o’lantern” with “my dear children”, “little … (name of the child)”. It’s a great way of teaching feelings to very young learners. In addition, they learn how to read, interpret, and express feelings through gestures and by changing their facial expression.
I bought a pumpkin for our science experiment, but before cutting and hulling it, we used it to make play dough faces. After the kids made a happy face they just removed the play dough and made a scared one. They really enjoyed it, and they got to learn more about pumpkins by touching the skin.
A couple of years ago, I made a large felt pumpkin and Velcro noses, eyes, and mouths. The kids had to change them according to the song. This year I was a bit too lazy to cut so much felt.
Another pumpkin-related activity that might be fun to play with the kids is Hot Pumpkin (similar to Hot Potato). They stand in a circle, passing a pumpkin (decorative pumpkins are smaller and not as heavy) from one to another, while the music plays. When it stops, the kid who has the pumpkin in his hand has to put one knee on the floor. If the same kid has the pumpkin again when the music stops, he needs to place the other knee on the ground too, then an elbow. You can play the game until the kids get bored.
Tomorrow we’ll cut the pumpkin and explore it! Can’t wait!
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