The last week of October is exciting for many children and families in Canada. I recall from my own childhood how slowly the hours would creep by when October 31 fell on a school day! We may have had a class party – juice and chips for a treat, indoor games and a craft project – but we didn’t get to wear our costumes until dinner was finished and it was dark outside! Our costumes were homemade, put together with whatever boxes and paint and old clothes we could scrounge in the days prior to Halloween. My brothers and I would join a band of other unaccompanied children from the neighbourhood, while adults stood ready at their doors with bowls of candy, giving us just one each! I have enjoyed sharing these memories and traditions with my own children. As an Educator, though, I recognize these are not everyone’s traditions. Each year our team gives a lot of thought as to how best to honour the spirit of Halloween within our school setting. How to be mindful of waste while enjoying making? How to balance treats with good nutrition? How to teach manners and expectations within our multicultural community? And how to allay fears while still enjoying a little shiver of excitement? Still, our practice of offering extended playtime using open-ended materials both indoors and out, remains the same. Enjoy these images of children problem solving, explaining, theorizing, describing, and especially, delighting in pumpkins, water, play dough, face paint, shapes, spiders, apples, music, and movement. Warmly, Kate
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