Bones Hide and Seek
Builds on: observation and logic
 

What you'll need:
1 large paper skeleton decoration
Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler

What to do:

I drew my skeleton because I'm a glutton for punishments but you can make your life so much easier by going down to the dollar store and just buying one of those large door skeleton decorations. Dismantle it at the joints then hide the pieces around the house. Make sure that they are totally visible for younger kids and partially visible for older kids.

We read Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler. When I was finished I told the kids that the skeleton had hiccuped himself to pieces and needed our help to put him back together. Together we found all of the pieces, naming each as we found them, and figured out how they all came together to make a full skeleton. Then kids usually ask to repeat it a few times until it's snack time or someone comes to stop us.

Pumpkin Bowling

Builds on: Hand eye coordination, gross motor and arts

What you'll need:

8-10 Empty food cans

Acrylic paint

Paintbrushes

Card board

Drop cloth

2 small pumpkins

What to do:

Acrylic paint does stain so you should put down a drop cloth first and change everyone into clothes that can get dirty. Place the cans, paint and paint brushes out with a large enough piece of card board for all of the paint you are using. Place a dollop of each colored paint onto the cardboard, hand your kids the paint brushes and let them at it. 

They can paint Halloween characters however they want on the cans but make sure they know that They will be hitting them with pumpkins later on. Roo was appalled when she found out her monster and fairy masterpieces would potentially be destroyed by an onslaught of pumpkins so we ended up using my monster cans instead. Once your cans are all dry, stack them in a pyramid formation or  wall to be knocked down . Place your kids about 6 feet from the cans with a pumpkin and let them roll the pumpkins to knock down the wall. Since smaller pumpkins have bumps and aren't round they'll wander as they roll creating a fun challenge for the kids to overcome. 

*Don't let the kids throw the pumpkins since they could really hurt someone.

Spot The Cow Game
Builds on: counting skills, number recognition, finger strengthening

What you'll need:
Large side view print of a plain cow
1 large Ziploc freezer bag
1 tub of black playdoh
number cards 1-30

What to do:

Place the picture of the cow inside the Ziploc bag and zip it up. Place everything on to the activity table and sit across from your little. Explain that you're going to pick a number out of the number cards and your little is going to decide what number it is and make the same number of spots on the cow using small pinches of playdoh.

If you're new to counting and number recognition your going show a number 1-10 to your kiddo. Give them a minute to remember and help if they can't. Then count out loud together as playdoh spots are added to the cow.