Busy Hallowe'en Week

We have had an amazing week at StrongStart. So many more children than normal came in to play.

We spread pumpkin butter on pumpkin pancakes for snack this week.


We carved a pumpkin to check out what was inside.
















Then we made our own pumpkin showing on one side what the innards look like.











We made puffy ghosts using white glue and shaving cream. The paper was folded then opened, a blob of the puffy paint was put on one side then the paper refolded. The children smoothed down the paper (squishing the puffy paint inside). When they opened their paper they saw two ghosts. They added wiggly eyes.



We painted tuna cans to look like jack o'lanterns.








We shaved a pumpkin.












There was lots of hammering
being done to carve another
pumpkin.








Red lentils and black beans in with bats and jack o'lanterns in the sensory table.






And earth worms to find when digging in the sand box.






To top it off we had fun singing "Knock, Knock, Trick or Treat" from Super Simple Songs



Hope everyone has a safe and fun Hallowe'en.

October Family Project

Each month I give the families a project they do at home. After they finish they bring it back to school to share with the whole group. This may be the first time the child speaks in front of a group. They are supported by the grown up that is with them that day and the group thanks them for sharing with a round of applause.

This month's project was to design their own Jack O'lantern.

Here are a few that were shared with us.

Tape Painting

Today at the art table the supplies included paint, paper brushes and tape (lots of tape).

The idea is that you make an image using the tape on your paper. Then use paint to cover everything. When it's dry peel off the tape and your will see you image still there but in the original paper colour.













With parents attending the program it allows them to explore the crafts more and be very creative.












We'll definitely do this craft again.

Adventures in baking

We try to bake or make something to eat at least once a week and this month the main ingredient has been pumpkin.

We've made mini pumpkin pies,
and today we made pumpkin biscuits

We had fun using an old fashion beater to whip our pumpkin pie mix.

It was hard to turn and we found the whisk a lot easier.










The tarts were filled and ready to bake.
Making the biscuits included the children each having a turn using the flour sifter.

The rolling out and cutting was sticky.












But we worked together and got them ready to bake.

Delicious!

Fieldtrip to the Pumpkin Patch

It's that time of year to head out on my favourite fieldtrip - to the Pumpkin Patch.
We are lucky to have a wonderful farm that provides a fun experience for families to pick their pumpkins.














It was a beautiful sunny fall day.
Shannon our hostess gave a brief talk on the variety of pumpkins they grow on their farm. The families had time to explore in the barn which had displays of the pumpkin varieties plus a wonderfully scary Hallowe'en display including a moving witch stirring her cauldron.After heading out to the field to pick their pumpkins, Shannon provided apples to feed the goats.

And a cup of feed each for the chickens.
The eggs we found were still warm.

After cleaning their hands we had a snack and story. I love telling the story "The Little Old Lady that Wasn't Afraid of Anything". It's full of sounds and actions that encourages participation.

Can you tell this is my favourite season. That is my tie-dyed jack o'lantern shirt.

Hairdressing 101

Leading up to Hallowe'en and the costumes are out. Not just costumes but a hair salon.

We learned how to put in barrettes just like the ones in our hair.

We learned how to put in curlers.

How to open the curler.

How to pull the hair out straight and wrap the curler around it.

How to roll up the curler and hair and add the clip.

The results. Lots of finger muscle building happened today.





Of course we need some glam shots.