October Preschool Activities

1. Holidays:
   Halloween
   Fire Prevention Week
   
   
2. October Preschool Activities: Science
   One of the letters of the month is X like in x-ray. Talk to the children about what an x-ray is and what we use them for. In arts and crafts, the children can make their own x-ray boxes. X-rays are used to look at our bones, teeth, and even luggage at the airport.
   
   Research and explain the life of a pumpkin from seed to pumpkin. When are they planted? How long does it take to grow? Where do they grow best? What are pumpkins used for? How big are most pumpkins? Are there different kinds of pumpkins? Cut open the inside of the pumpkin to show what is inside. Let the children touch the inside to see how it feels. Ask them to describe it.
   
   
3. October Preschool Activities: Social Studies
   Talk about the state you live in. Show the children and map and where the state is located. Is it in the north, south, east, or west. What is the state bird, state motto, state flag, etc.? Ask the children to share what states they know.
   
   
4. Imagination:
   Have the children dress-up in Halloween costumes. I probably wouldn’t allow any scary costumes because a lot of children have fears at this age. They can pretend to go trick-or-treating.
   
   During Fire Prevention Week, have the children practice stop, drop, and roll.
   
   
5. Arts and Crafts:
   If you are able to visit a local pumpkin patch, bring back enough small pumpkins for everyone. Let the children decorate their pumpkin as they wish. They can paint it all different colors or paint a face on it. If they make it into a face, use some yarn for hair.
   
   Fill a small paper lunch bag with a couple of balled up pieces of newspaper. Tie the top end of the paper bag closed with a piece of green ribbon or yarn. Let the child paint the bottom half of the bag orange like a pumpkin. The child can draw a pumpkin face or glue pre-cut eyes, nose, and mouth pieces.
   
   Make your own X-ray box. Have each child bring in a shoebox. Cut out an opening in the center of the lid. Give each child a piece of black construction paper and white chalk. Let them draw a picture of bones, teeth, or luggage. You make want to provide pictures for them to look at as examples. Then glue the picture from the inside of the box lid so that the “x-ray” shows through the cut out opening in the lid.
   
   Give each child a pumpkin shape to trace around. Let them color or paint inside the pumpkin shape. Then, use 10 pumpkin seeks to glue on for the eyes, nose, and mouth.
   
   
6. October Preschool Activities: Reading
   Read "The Runaway Pumpkin” by Kevin Lewis.
   
   Read "There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat” by Lucille Colandro.
   
   
7. Language:
   Introduce the letters and letter sounds for X and V. Have the children use sticks, Q-tips, or twigs to practice making the letters X and V. Explain how both letters are made of 2 straight lines, but the lines of letter X cross and the lines of letter V meet at the bottom.
   
   
8. Math, Thinking Skills:
   Print out a large picture of a pumpkin, black cat, ghost or something related to Halloween. Cut the picture into several pieces to make a puzzle. Let the children take turns putting the puzzle back together to see if they can figure out what is in the picture.
   
   
9. Math, Shapes:
   Use a Styrofoam ball to illustrate the concept of a sphere. What objects look like a sphere: the sun, a beach ball, the moon, a pumpkin. Does a sphere have any edges? Is it straight or round?
   
   
10. Math, Counting:
    Introduce the number 10 and show everyone how to hold up 10 fingers and count to 10. Use pumpkin seeds to help with counting.
    
    
11. Coordination and Movement:
    Let the children have some free time to practice kicking a soccer ball, bouncing a basketball, or throwing a soft ball. These activities work to improve coordination, teach them about spheres, and get them up and moving which is great exercise.
    
    
12. October Preschool Activities: Social Skills
    Have the children share ideas about how to prevent fires and what emergency protocols to take in the event of a fire.