I ran across this book on the shelf the other day so I’m posting about it. I wish I would have seen it during Halloween! Betty is teased by her friends for being the tiniest witch in the first grade and they constantly call her “Itty Bitty.” She thinks if she can possibly win the Halloween Dash, maybe they won’t tease her anymore.
Flannel Rhyme:
5 Little Ghosts
5 little ghosts, what a spooky sight,
One was so tired he slept through the night.
4 little ghosts flying so high,
One was so scared he started to cry.
3 little ghosts as happy as can be,
One flew so high he bumped into a tree.
2 little ghosts dancing in the air,
One did the Hokey-Pokey; he didn’t care.
The last little ghost all alone in the night,
He said, “Boo!” and gave himself a fright!
Credit: Boy Mama Teacher Mama
Song:
With this one I dangle a plastic spider on a string on the place mentioned in each verse. I start out dangling it on my leg, knee, etc., but then, of course, the kids want me to do it on them.
Song:
The Haunted House
Sung to: “The Wheels on the Bus”
The ghost in the house goes “Boo! Boo! Boo!”
“Boo! Boo! Boo!” “Boo! Boo! Boo!”
The ghost in the house goes “Boo! Boo! Boo!”
On Halloween.
The witch in the house goes “Hee! Hee! Hee”
“Hee! Hee! Hee” “Hee! Hee! Hee”
The witch in the house goes “Hee! Hee! Hee”
On Halloween.
The mummy in the house goes “shh! Shh! Shh!”
“shh! Shh! Shh!” “shh! Shh! Shh!”
The mummy in the house goes “shh! Shh! Shh!”
On Halloween.
The bats in the house go “Eee! Eee! Eee!”
“Eee! Eee! Eee!” “Eee! Eee! Eee!”
The bats in the house go “Eee! Eee! Eee!”
On Halloween.
The owls in the house go “Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!”
“Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!” “Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!”
The owls in the house go “Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!”
On Halloween.
The vampire in the house goes “Mwuhahaha!”
“Mwuhahaha!” “Mwuhahaha!”
The vampire in the house goes “Mwuhahaha!”
On Halloween.
Song:
Old McDonald Had a Haunted House
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a bat,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a flap flap here,
And a flap flap there,
Here a flap, there a flap,
Everywhere a flap flap,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a owl,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a hoot hoot here,
And a hoot hoot there,
Here a hoot, there a hoot,
Everywhere a hoot hoot,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a mouse,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a squeak squeak here,
And a squeak squeak there,
Here a squeak, there a squeak,
Everywhere a squeak squeak,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a spider,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a creep creep here,
And a creep creep there,
Here a creep, there a creep,
Everywhere a creep creep,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a cat,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a meow meow here,
And a meow meow there,
Here a meow, there a meow,
Everywhere a meow meow,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
Old MacDonald had a haunted house
E – I – E – I – Boo!
And in that houe there was a ghost,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
With a boo boo here,
And a boo boo there,
Here a boo, there a boo,
Everywhere a boo boo,
Old Mac Donald had a haunted house,
E – I – E – I – Boo!
I’ve been having a really hard time finding inclusive books for Halloween. This one has charming retro illustration of multicultural children.
Books:
Books:
Opening Songs and Activities
Dance Freeze
Tiny Tim
If You Want to Hear a Story
Book:
Not only is the book easy enough and entertaining enough for my sensory story time, but some kids with SPD can probably identify with Pug’s discomfort with his Halloween costume.
Song:
There’s a Spider on the Floor
Credit: The Bulletin Board Lady
I did this in all my story times this week! The kids LOVE it. I hung a plastic spider from the end of a dowel rod and started off putting the spider on the floor, on my leg, and then (as expected) the kids started begging, “me, me, me” and we took turns putting the spider on them and singing a verse! Just make sure in sensory story times the child realizes exactly what you are going to do.
Flannel Activity:
In this game, I let each child pick ONE piece and put it on the pumpkin. When the kids make a pumpkin together the results are silly and fun! I left it out after story time for those who wanted to play with it.
Book:
Super interactive book! I had each child pretend there was a big button in front of them and they LOVED it. Each page has fun instructions for the kids to follow.
Song:
Halloween Sounds
This is the way the witches fly, witches fly, witches fly,
This is the way the witches fly, swish, swish, swish.
This is the way the ghosts go by, ghosts go by, ghosts go by.
This is the way the ghosts go by oooooh, oooooh, ooooh.
This is the way the black cats howl, black cats howl, black cats howl,
This is the way the black cat’s howl, Meow! Meow! Meow!
This is the way the pumpkins laugh, pumpkins laugh, pumpkins laugh,
This is the way the pumpkins laugh. Hee! Hee! Hee!
This is the way the night owls cry, night owls cry, night owls cry.
This is the way the night owls cry. Hoo, hoo, hoo!
I do this song every year. The kids love making the noises and the second time through they have usually learned the words. I don’t remember where I found it to give proper credit. 🙁
Flannel Story:
5 Little Ghosts
5 little ghosts, what a spooky sight,
One was so tired he slept through the night.
4 little ghosts flying so high,
One was so scared he started to cry.
3 little ghosts as happy as can be,
One flew so high he bumped into a tree.
2 little ghosts dancing in the air,
One did the Hokey-Pokey; he didn’t care.
The last little ghost all alone in the night,
He said, “Boo!” and gave himself a fright!
Credit: Boy Mama Teacher Mama
I borrowed this flannel set from my colleague, Mary Ella, who does our wonderful toddler program. So often what works for the toddlers, works in sensory story time.
Sensory Play
I made this sensory bin last year for Halloween. The filler is recycled packaging material. I added pompoms and plastic eyeballs, spiders, and other Halloween toys from the dollar store!
Samurai Scarecrow: A very Ninja Halloween by Rubin Pingk stars two Japanese children on Halloween. Kashi gets sick and tired of little sister Yukio following him and copying him. Something every old brother or sister can identify with. But in the end Yukio one ups big brother–something younger siblings will love.
Another book to add some diversity to Halloween story times.
Books:
Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson
Don’t Push the Button! A Halloween Treat by Bill Cotter
Who Loves the Fall? by Bob Raczka
Diversity:
Monster Trouble by Lane Fredrickson is another rhyming story, which the kids always seem to love, starring an African American girl. Winifred Schnitzel comes up with plans night after night to get rid of the monsters that won’t let her sleep. Nothing works until She finally gets rid of them with something they all hate, kisses!
Flannel Game:
In this game, I let each child pick ONE piece and put it on the pumpkin. When the kids make a pumpkin together the results are silly and fun!
Puppet Story:
Printables: Sunflower Storytime
I read this story last year and the kids thought it was hilarious. It reminds me of Dotty the Dinosaur, which is always popular with my kiddos.
Story: Sandy Toes and Popsicles
I can’t wait to get out some of my toys spiders and do this one. And, of course, he won’t just be on my knee or head, but I’ll call out the kiddos, too. They love it when I do it with puppets!
Credit: The Bulletin Board Lady
Song:
Halloween Sounds
This is the way the witches fly, witches fly, witches fly,
This is the way the witches fly, swish, swish, swish.
This is the way the ghosts go by, ghosts go by, ghosts go by.
This is the way the ghosts go by oooooh, oooooh, ooooh.
This is the way the black cats howl, black cats howl, black cats howl,
This is the way the black cat’s howl, Meow! Meow! Meow!
This is the way the pumpkins laugh, pumpkins laugh, pumpkins laugh,
This is the way the pumpkins laugh. Hee! Hee! Hee!
This is the way the night owls cry, night owls cry, night owls cry.
This is the way the night owls cry. Hoo, hoo, hoo!
Song:
Fall
(Sung to the Tune of Are you Sleeping)
Leaves are falling.
Leaves are falling
to the ground
without a sound.
Days are getting shorter
Nights are growing longer.
Fall is here.
Fall is here.
Credit: The Classroom Creative
Craft:
Today we made paper plate jack o’lanterns. My volunteers cut out the face pieces ahead of time and the kids colored the plates, glued on the face pieces, and made a stem with pipe cleaners.