Ghost Pops, Poems, and Pumpkin Missing Numbers!

White Chocolate and Marshmallow Ghost Pops

Materials/Ingredients:  Large Marshmallows, White Chocolate or Vanilla Bark, Craft or Popsicle sticks, and Milk Chocolate Chips for the eyes.

Have the kids put two marshmallows on a craft stick.  Melt the white chocolate or bark in the microwave – watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.  Older children and adults can dip the marshmallows (the coating is very hot when it comes out of the microwave.)  Younger children can dip the marshmallows with adult assistance.  After dipping, place the pops on waxed paper and let the kids add two chocolate chips for the eyes.  Allow the ghost pops to set (dry) completely before removing from the waxed paper.  Wrap the pops individually in plastic wrap, add the tag (linked here) Boo poem for Ghost Pops, and then tie an orange ribbon around the pop.

5 Little Ghosts Fingerplay (after making the ghost pops, use them as props for the poem below or have the children do as a fingerplay.)

Five little ghosts dressed all in white, (hold hand upright)

Were scaring each other on Halloween night.

“Boo,” said the first one, “I’ll catch you!” (hold up thumb)

“Boo,” said the second, “I don’t care if you do.” (hold up second finger)

The third ghost said, “You can’t run away from me.” (hold up third finger)

The fourth one said, “I’ll scare everyone I see.” (hold up fourth finger)

The last one said, “It’s time to disappear,  (hold up fifth finger)

I’ll see you again at Halloween next year.”  (move hand behind back)

~Author Unknown

Using Miniature Pumpkins to “Find the Missing Number!”

Number several sets of miniature pumpkins with a sequence of 3 numbers (in the picture we used 11, 12, and 13. Place random numerals on 2-3 different pumpkins (we used numbers 9 and 20 for our random ones.)   Remove one of the pumpkins in the set and place it among the random numbered pumpkins.  Have the children look at all the pumpkins to determine which number is needed to complete the set of three (in the picture, the child would need a pumpkin with the number 12.)  We placed several around our classroom and let the children play with the numbers.  At one point, the children gathered all the pumpkins to make one big number line on the floor.  It is amazing to watch creativity happen before our eyes!

For more Halloween, Fall, or Leaf ideas, see the Fall Thematic Unit at The Preschool Toolbox! Also see our Preschool and Kindergarten Themes for Active Learning and Play!