I’ve been having a really hard time finding inclusive books for Halloween. This one has charming retro illustration of multicultural children.
Halloween
Diverse Story Time – Fall/Halloween III
Books:
Halloween Day by Anne Rockwell
Apples and Pumpkins by Anne Rockwell
Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre
Diversity:
Halloween Day is an oldie but goodie. It takes place in an elementary school on Halloween Day and all the kids wear their costumes. There are Asian, African American, and Hispanic children in the class.
This is a perfect story time for this week as story time falls on Halloween Day and all the kids have been invited to wear their costumes to the library.
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
Flannel 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.
Flannel Friday – Haunted House
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.
Diverse Story Time – Fall/Halloween II
Books:
Samurai Scarecrow: A very Ninja Halloween by Rubin Pingk
In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes
There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro
Diversity:
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.
Flannel 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:
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
We did this one last week and it is a new favorite. I imagine I’ll add it to my yearly rotation. I strung a plastic spider from a dowel rod and started out with the spider on the floor and then on my leg. After that the kids begged to have the spider on their head, tummy, leg, etc. This song was the star of story time.
Halloween Social Story
Credit: Rhode Island Consortium for Autism Research and Treatment
I’ll be providing these social stories at all of my October sensory events.
Sensory Story Time – Halloween
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
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.
Diverse Story Time -Fall/Halloween
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.
I Recommend-Los Gatos Black on Halloween
A perfect book to add diversity to Halloween story times, El Gato Black on Halloween by #OwnVoices author Marisa Montes and illustrated by #OwnVoices Yuyi Morales (one of my all time favorite children’s book authors) is a double Pura Belpré award winner. The text is peppered with Spanish words that are easy to understand from context, and the rhyming text will have the kids enthralled.