As we step into the month of October, we are excited to explore and celebrate a variety of festivals that highlight the beauty of cultural diversity. With Thanksgiving, Diwali, and Halloween approaching, we took turns introducing each festival to our preschoolers, sharing their significance in age-appropriate and engaging ways. Recognizing that some of our families celebrate Diwali and others do not, this created a wonderful opportunity to build connections with all families and foster a sense of community. Through art activities, storybooks, andinformative displays, we were able to communicate the meaning and traditions of each celebration. This inclusive approach not only honored different cultural backgrounds but also sparked curiosity and conversations among the children.
To help preschoolers gain a basic understanding of Diwali, we started by reading age-appropriate books that introduced them to the festival’s stories, symbols, and traditions.
After listen
ing to the story, Roohi shared that her mom lights candles at home and they decorate the house for Diwali. This sparked curiosity among the preschoolers, who asked questions about fireworks and admired the beautiful clothing shown in the book. Chloe excitedly added, “I saw fireworks near my house one time!”—a moment that created a strong sense of belonging, as she was able to connect the classroom discussion with her own personal experience.
We also made diyas with the preschoolers, symbolizing the Festival of Lights and helping them connect with the meaning of Diwali through hands-on creativity. In addition, we explored the theme of Thanksgiving and its importance, which encouraged the children to reflect and share their own experiences, many excitedly told us stories about eating turkey with their families.
The children created fun monsters through a sensory and process art experience using forks to paint. They explored textures, patterns, and creativity as they designed their own versions of monsters and added emotions to them.
During the 
process, Chloe commented, “Monsters are always scary, so I want to put a SCARY face on it.” The educator responded, “Sometimes they can be funny too and can make silly faces.” Chloe then giggled and made a silly 
face, saying, “Like this!” This interaction encouraged children to think beyond typical associations and explore new perspectives through art. This experience allowed children to engage in open-ended creativity while developing emotional awareness and confidence in expressing their thoughts.
As we began talking about Halloween, the preschoolers excitedly kept saying the word “spooky” To build on their interest, the educator set up a Potion Station where children could create their own magical “potions.” With support, the preschoolers combined baking soda, vinegar, and their chosen food coloring, watching in awe as the mixture fizzed and foamed. Their excitement grew as they observed the bubbly reaction and described it as “spooky magic!”
To extend the play, the educator added toy eyeballs and invited the children to look around the room for spoons, ladles, or other tools that could help them pour and mix their potions into vases. This open-ended experience encouraged curiosity, sensory exploration, and problem-solving, while fostering a fun and engaging Halloween atmosphere.
To make our Halloween experience both fun and educational, we explored the magic of magnets by creating our own magnetic flying and catching ghosts. The children used ghost cutouts and attached paper clips to them. Using larger magnets, they were able to make the ghosts “fly” and move around as if by magic!
The preschoolers were amazed to see the ghosts moving without being touched. The educator then explained that magnets attract certain metals, helping the children understand why the ghosts were moving toward the magnet.
Moving forward, to extend this learning, we will Invite families to share photos or small items that represent their own cultural celebrations. This helps children connect home and school experiences and fosters inclusivity. Share these displays with families and invite them to add comments or stories about similar activities at home.
