Halloween can be a fun and engaging celebration in Early Childhood Education and Care. Beyond costumes and treats, it offers plenty of opportunities to build creativity, connection, and learning experiences for children in ways that align with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF v2.0).
Here are 15 experience ideas you can use to celebrate Halloween in your service.
1. Pumpkin Art
Instead of carving, provide paint, collage materials, or drawing prompts to explore pumpkins.
EYLF Link: Outcome 4 – Children develop creativity and problem-solving.
2. Spooky Storytime
Choose age-appropriate Halloween-themed books and invite children to act them out with puppets or props.
EYLF Link: Outcome 5 – Children engage with literacy and storytelling.
3. Dress-Up and Dramatic Play
Set up a dramatic play area with costumes like friendly witches, animals, or superheroes.
EYLF Link: Outcome 1 – Identity, as children explore roles and build confidence.
4. Monster Fruit Platters
Create healthy snack plates shaped like monsters, pumpkins, or ghosts using fruit and veggies.
EYLF Link: Outcome 3 – Wellbeing, developing healthy food choices.
5. Shadow Play
Use torches and cut-out Halloween shapes to explore shadows and light in a darkened space.
EYLF Link: Outcome 2 – Connectedness, investigating natural phenomena.
6. Halloween Sensory Bin
Fill a tub with dried rice, pasta, foam or slime, and add toy spiders, bats, or pumpkins for children to discover.
EYLF Link: Outcome 4 – Learning through exploration and investigation.
7. Potion Mixing Station
Provide jars, coloured water, glitter, and natural items for potion play. Encourage imaginative storytelling.
EYLF Link: Outcome 5 – Communication through shared language and creativity.
8. Costume Parade
Host a fun parade where children can show their costumes to peers and educators, celebrating diversity and self-expression.
EYLF Link: Outcome 1 – Identity, fostering belonging and pride.
9. Halloween Music and Dance
Play themed songs and invite children to dance like skeletons, bats, or ghosts.
EYLF Link: Outcome 3 – Wellbeing, encouraging movement and physical activity.
10. Spooky Craft Corner
Create spider webs from yarn, paper bats, or ghost mobiles. Display them in your service for a festive environment.
EYLF Link: Outcome 4 – Children develop creativity and persistence in tasks.
11. Trick-or-Treat Role Play
Set up baskets and play spaces where children can practise trick-or-treating.
EYLF Link: Outcome 2 – Connectedness, learning social norms and community practices.
12. Glow-in-the-Dark Art
Use neon paints or glow sticks in a dim room to explore colour and light.
EYLF Link: Outcome 4 – Children use technologies and materials to investigate ideas.
13. Monster Movement Game
Create an obstacle course where children crawl like spiders, flap like bats, or stomp like monsters.
EYLF Link: Outcome 3 – Wellbeing, developing gross motor skills.
14. Halloween Language Play
Introduce Halloween-themed vocabulary through rhymes, chants, and fingerplays.
EYLF Link: Outcome 5 – Communication, developing rich language.
15. Family Involvement Project
Invite families to share Halloween traditions, recipes, or costumes from their culture. This helps children see Halloween in diverse ways.
EYLF Link: Outcome 2 – Connectedness, valuing diversity and family input.
Wrapping Up
Halloween in ECEC doesn’t have to be about lollies — it’s a chance to spark creativity, foster imagination, and celebrate cultural traditions. By linking your experiences back to the EYLF v2.0, you create meaningful learning opportunities while still embracing the fun of the season.
Which of these ideas will your service try this year? 🎃
Looking for more spooky experiences? Here are Halloween STEM experiences for early learning.
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