Pumpkins - Preschool & Kindergarten
Pumpkins
Fingerplays/Songs
I Am A Pumpkin
I am a pumpkin big and round
Once upon a time I grew on the ground
But now I have mouth, two eyes and a nose
What are they for, do you suppose?
When I have a candle inside, shining bright
I'll be a jack-o-lantern on Halloween night!
Five Little Pumpkins
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate
The first one said, "My it's getting late"
The second one said, "There are witches in the air"
The third one said, "But we don't care"
The fourth one said, "Let's run, let's run"
The fifth one said, "Oh it's only Halloween fun"
The Puff went the wind and out went the lights
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight.
Fingerplays/Songs
Mr. Pumpkin
Tune: Frere Jacques
Mr. Pumpkin, Mr. Pumpkin
Eyes so round, eyes so round
Halloween is coming,
Halloween is coming,
To my town, to my town.
Once There Was a Pumpkin
Once there was a pumpkin (Make small pumpkin with hands)
And it grew (Make bigger pumpkin)
And grew (Bigger)And grew (Bigger
Now it's a jack-o-lanternAnd it smiles at you (Point to smile<
br>And you (Point to child)And you! (Point to next child)
I usually speed up and point to all the children.
And they point at each other and me!)
Art
Pumpkin Pies
Cut round pie shapes out of orange construction paper. Set out small containers of powdered cinnamon and ginger in cups for each child. Have the children brush glue on their pie shapes. Then let them sprinkle the spices over the glue to create fragrant "pumpkin pies."
Pumpkin Patch
Have children fill paper lunch sacks with pieces of crumpled newspaper. Secure each bag with a twist tie, leaving about 1 inch of the bag gathered at the top.
Then have the children paint the bottom parts to their bags orange and the gathered parts green to create pumpkins with stems. When the pumpkins have dried, string them all together with green yarn to make a "pumpkin patch."
Fingerpaint Pumpkins
Cut fingerpaint paper into pumkin shapes. Give each child two colors of fingerpaint (red and yellow) to discover what new color will be made.
No Mess Pumpkin Art with free printable.
Group Time
Pass the Pumpkin Game
Put on a record. Use a small pumpkin. Have children sit in a circle and pass the pumpkin until the music stops. Child with the pumpkin gets a pumpkin sticker. Last child without a sticker gets to choose the next game and gets two stickers.
Paper Pumpkin Hunt
Hide paper pumpkins around the room and have children search for them.
Pumpkin, Pumpkin Round and Fat
Pumpkin, pumpkin, round and fat(Make big pumpkin with arms in front of body
Turned into a jack-o-lantern(Turn all the way around)
Just like that!(Clap hands)
Halloween Dance Freeze Video
Science
Personalized Pumpkins
Grow pumpkins in a garden. When the pumpkins are small and green (about the size of grapefruits) help the children scratch their names on the outsides with a nail (be sure to break the skin). As the pumpkins grow, scars will form over the scratches and the names will get bigger.
