Sunday, September 4, 2016

Getting Ready for Halloween

Summer is by far my favorite season. I love going to the beach, relaxing, and spending time doing things that are otherwise overlooked during the school year.  However, summer is winding down and I am coming to terms with it. I have to admit, now that school is starting on Tuesday and I have purchased my pumpkin pie spice creamer from Shop Rite... I am getting pretty excited for fall to roll around.

I am definitely someone who likes to plan ahead-- so here I am, thinking about my Halloween party! If you teach elementary school like I do, then you KNOW how big of a deal the classroom Halloween party is! It can be a stressful time for teachers, especially if you don't have any room parents. Whether you have room parents or not though, Oriental Trading is WHERE IT'S AT for AMAZING halloween prizes, decorations, games, and costumes! 

What am I getting from Oriental Trading for my party? Check it out!

1.) Candy Corn Owl Magnet Craft Kit: 12 for 5.99: I always do several crafts for fall/Halloween with my kindergartners and this one was just so cute and simple that I couldn't resist! The nice thing is that no glue is involved-- the pieces are self-adhesive which makes for no sticky fingers! This is a perfect little project for the kids to take home and parents to hold on to. I am SO excited to do this with my students! I am planning to use it as a station during our class party since it is so easy to do! I am going to make one myself and leave it as a model. Click HERE to take you to this adorable product!
2.  Color Your Own Halloween Masks 12 for 5.25-  This is another PERFECT and simple Halloween activity that I plan to use as a station during the party! You can have students color in their masks with markers, or choose to use water color paint like I am going to do! After the masks are completed, I wanted to have a monster mash dance party! I love that this is another activity that my kindergartners will be able to do independently. Click  HERE to take you to the masks!



3. Fall Bowling Set- 9.99 I couldn't resist this adorable candy corn bowling set. It is something that I can keep for years to come and I KNOW it will be a big hit! This will be another station at the classroom party and it is something that the kids will be able to self-monitor (or I can have a parent volunteer stationed there!) I also want to tie it into math by having the kids count how many candy corn pins they knocked down! Click HERE to go to the bowling set!

4. Ghost Dartboard- 7.99 This is another super cute station game that I am so excited about! It comes with orange and black balls to throw-- it will be a ton of fun to use! The dartboard comes totally put together and is really great quality. I am planning on using this for years to come. I am going to make little numbers to stick on the board for the kids to earn points towards a prize! Click HERE to take you to the ghost dartboard.
5. Jack-O'-Lantern Beanbag Toss- 14.99 Another AMAZING Halloween station! It comes with the  beanbag toss board and adorable little candy corn beanbags that are perfect for my kids to throw! I love that it has points on the board in order to make it a game and I plan on having kids earn a prize at this station! This game, like everything else, really great quality and something you can keep for a long time! Click HERE to take you to the beanbag toss game!
6. Monster Beanbag Toss Game- 11.99 This is my final station and a game that I totally couldn't resist getting! The monster theme is adorable and it comes with beanbags too-- I know it will be another huge hit. I'm sure I will be using this for years to come! Click HERE to take you to the monster beanbag toss game!

7. "Boo Boo Bunch" Mini Halloween Yo-Yos 2.75/dozen: I have some Halloween prizes left over from last year, but I knew that I would need more. Yo-Yos were a big hit with last years Kindergartners and I am sure that this year they will love them too! If you aren't giving out "prizes" for games, you can also include them in Halloween/ fall treat bags or hand them out as a little gift from you! Click HERE to take you to the yo-yos!
8. Construction Worker Vest 4.25- This last item on my list serves two purposes. The first is as an extra Halloween costume. I have a tool belt in my classroom and some boots that we use for dress up already, so this went perfectly. I always worry that someone will come in without a costume so to avoid tears I keep a few extra on hand. When we are done with Halloween it is going to go right into my dress up bin for the kids to use during play time! Click HERE to take you to the vest!

1.) Head over to Oriental Trading and check out their AWESOME Halloween costumes, decorations, and prizes. Add lots of stuff to your wish list! Post your list on your class website or include the link in the newsletter you send home! I know that parents of my students are always asking what I need for class parties, and this is really easy and convenient for everyone! If you need some inspiration, check out my wish list!

2.) Keep an extra costume on hand, especially if you teach little ones! Sometimes parents get busy and forget, or simply cannot afford to buy a costume for their child. Regardless, every child should have the chance to wear a Halloween costume-- especially if your school has a Halloween Parade like mine! Oriental Trading has lots of different options at lots of price points. 

3.) Keep kids busy by using "stations" instead of whole class activities. Halloween is SUCH an exciting day for kids and teachers want their parties to run as smoothly as possible. I have found that having kids rotate through stations keeps them engaged and having a great time! 

4.) If you are like me and cannot give out any food, head to Oriental Trading to check out some really adorable and super affordable food alternatives. 


Disclaimer: This post may contain sponsored content, affiliate links or review products. Regardless of this these are 100% my own opinion. 

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