The most important thing I've learned as a daycare provider: keep it simple. Kids don't need elaborate, although sometimes it's more fun for me. Kids like the little things. They like jumping around. They like laughing, and eating sugar, and getting messy (or at least, most kids do). They like fun. I like fun too. I like that my house is the "fun house." I like that (most) things are a yes at my house. I like to make each day a yes day.
That's how I came up with this year's Halloween party for daycare. I took simple, combined it with fun, and we were all laughing and smiling all party long. First, let's talk the food of the day. The kids had pumpkin shaped pancakes for breakfast with donuts, followed by cupcakes with BLACK frosting, pumpkin shaped grilled cheese (with green beans and cookies) for lunch, and finally more donuts and Halloween pretzels for afternoon snack. What can I say? It was a special, sugar filled day.
Black frosting was a highlight for the kids. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it also wasn't my best idea.
Our games and activities portion of the day was the highlight. The kids dressed up in costumes and played hide n' seek, did a pumpkin ring toss, jumped over a pumpkin, danced the Monster Mash, played with pumpkin guts, did one last reading of Room On The Broom, and calmed down with a showing of Boofest before nap time.
Zeus got hit no less than a dozen times by the ring as it was being tossed. He didn't seem to care because he was just in it for the pumpkin, which he eventually stole once everyone had a turn. Just another day in the life of Zeus at daycare.
Our jumping pumpkin game was the biggest hit. I put a pumpkin on the ground, the kids had to jump on the trampoline, and then jump over the pumpkin. They could have done this activity all day long.
Does that seem like a busy day? Yeah, it was. 9,000 steps done in my daycare room only! Whew!