Homeschool Ideas

for a Lively Halloween

Select among the homeschool ideas below for fun, festive Halloween activities. They are wholesome, simple and inexpensive.

These suggestions are helpful for a support group get-together. They are just as appropriate for your own family entertainment. (Copy and use the holiday checklist.)

• Homeschool Ideas for Crafts:
  Pumpkins and Spiders

  • Styrofoam ball--3" diameter

  • pipe cleaners, cut to about 6" length (orange for a pumpkin, black for a spider)

  • 1 green cleaner for a pumpkin

  • black felt for the pumpkin, optional

  • google eyes for the spider

  • glue

  --Pick out a point on the ball and call that the center.

  --At that point, stick in an end of a pipe cleaner. (Be sure to push in securely.)

  --On the opposite side of the ball, stick in the other end of the cleaner.

  --If the ends won't stick, dip them in a bit of glue before inserting in the Styrofoam.

  --Continue attaching pipe cleaners at the same points until the white foam is covered with colored pipe cleaners. (Toward the end, the fit will be tight. Just do the best you can. the discrepancy is not noticeable.)

  For the pumpkin, add a short piece of green pipe cleaner to the top center as a stem. Optional: From the black felt, you can cut out eyes and other features.

  For the spider, add more black pipe cleaners for legs. Attach them to the center, 4 on each side. Bend the "legs" in the middle to make a 90 degree angle so it will stand. Glue on the eyes.

  *****
  Halloween Wall Covering

  To create a holiday scene:

  • heavy wrapping paper or butcher paper

  • masking tape

  • newspaper

  • poster paints

  • paintbrushes

  --Tape a long piece of the wrapping paper on the wall.

  --Spread the newspapers on the floor beneath it.

  --Paint your Halloween story.

  If there are a number of children, divide the paper into sections--one for each child. See if they can coordinate an illustration!
  
  

  

• Homeschool Ideas for Activities:

  --Carve pumpkins

  --Play games.

  --Make an appointment to visit a nursing home. Take your above crafts and wear costumes.

  --Watch a "scary" movie. (These following movies are fine for our family. Check them out beforehand to see if they meet your standards.) For the younger set--Harry and the Hendersons, The Wizard of Oz. For teens--The Burbs, Signs, The Village. There are several version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. See if one is appropriate for your group.

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  --Make sugar cookies (you can buy the slice and bake.), popcorn balls or caramel apples.

• Home School Ideas for Refreshments: Use Halloween plates, napkins, cups

  --apple cider or juice

  --popcorn

  --candy miniatures

  --sugar cookies

  --caramel apples

• Homeschool Ideas if you want a serious discussion...

  Some take this occasion to address the fact that actual devils and witches are not friendly, funny or cuddly. If you wish to discuss the truths that hell and Satan are real, here are several Bible and classic quotes to use as starting points:

  --Isaias 66: 24 "And they shall go out, and see the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me. Their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched; and they shall be a loathsome sight to all flesh."

  --Psalms 20:10 "Place them as in a burning furnace when thy face appears. May the Lord consume them."

  --Luke 13:28 "There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves cast forth outside."

  --Matthew 7:13 "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:"

  --Virgil, Aeneid, VI "The descent to hell is easy."

  --John Webster, Duchess of Malfi, IV, 1
  "That's the greatest torture souls feel in hell:
  In hell, that they must live and cannot die.

  You might also teach them how to protect themselves...and--another homeschool idea--ask St. Michael for aid.

  "St. Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander through the world seeking the ruin of souls".

Autumn Activities

Halloween--or Not!

All Saints Day Celebration

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