As Halloween approaches, many moms and school teachers alike opt to celebrate the holiday with their elementary school-age students. You will find an assortment of educational and engaging activities are possible for Halloween fun. By integrating these activities into your curriculum, or presenting them to your kids at home, you can turn Halloween into an effective learning experience.

Ghost Story Problem Challenge

Challenge your elementary age kids to solve some ghostly story problems. To prepare for this activity, create enough ghost cut-outs for each planned player to have 10. Compose an assortment of simple math problems pertaining to ghosts. Each should have a solution of 10 or less. When creating problems, consider the skills that the child and his friends are currently learning in math class.

When you are ready to play this math game, give each player 10 of your prepared cut-outs. Read the story problems one at a time, and instruct the players to scratch out the solution on scratch paper, or determine the solutions in their heads, and then hold up the correct number of ghosts to indicate the solution to the problem. Reward a point to the first player who holds up the correct number, or any player who holds up the correct number before time is called.

Ping Pong Pumpkin Toss

Get you kids up and moving with a ping pong pumpkin toss. To prepare for this activity, purchase several plastic pumpkins as well as an assortment of ping pong balls. Divide your players into teams of two, arming one player with a pumpkin and the other with an assortment of ping pong balls. Place each team a set distance apart from each other, and challenge the ping pong ball holder to toss the balls into the pumpkin being held by the other teammate. Declare the team that successfully passes the most ping pong balls the winners.

Build a Witch Hunt

Challenge your elementary age students to locate the pieces necessary to construct a witch. To prepare for this game, create cut-outs of elements that go into the creation of a witch. For example, you could create a cut out of a witch’s hat, a broom, a pair of black shoes, a green nose, etc. Hide these cut-outs around your house or classroom.

When game time arrives, challenge your players to run about gathering the requisite parts and reassembling the scattered witch. Reward the players with a Halloween-themed prize upon completion of the challenge.