We also have a fall festival. We call it the Freaky Friday Family Festival. We give every family a mini-pumpkin and have a pumpkin painting table. There are Halloween themed games set up (we buy them from Oriental Trading like throw the ring around the octopus legs or bean bag throw against the scarecrow). Kids wear their costumes for the costume contest. Families bring their carved pumpkins for the Pumpkin Decorating Contest. There is a DJ playing music like the Monster Mash, and food, and it always a lot of fun for everyone.
We use a classroom. One that can meet in another place like Music or a resource room. I cannot remember how much of that black plastic I picked up but there was a bunch. The plastic is hung from the ceilings to "rooms." Our counselor is in charge of this and she goes all out. One year I got my head chopped off. I laid my head over on the table and a psycho teacher would hit the table and I would drop a maniquin head at the kids feet. She missed a couple of times and actually hit my head!! We have black lights and fog machines through out the thing. One year we had a grave yard scene where the volunteers would grab the kids. We had a "The Ring" room. We have cobwebs everywhere. One year she got a bunch of glow in the dark masks. It was neat. You need someone to guide. We allow about 6 kids in at a time. The leader usually gives the next group a "warning" while everyone has time to get back in their places. Ours is pretty graphic. It can be toned down. I am also so shocked at these little kids actually knowing who Jason, Freddie, and Michael are. I was a teenager when those guys had their glory and my mother did not approve of me watching those movies. Our alternitive to the Haunted House is the Disco Room. Kids get a set time to dance to music with disco lights. They love it! That isn't fall related but it is popular and they do get exercise (just don't tell them that).
I am looking for advice on a "Fall Festival." Has anyone done something that includes pumpkin painting, scarecrow making, and other fall like activities?
