As we welcomed the spooky season this month, the children in our program showed a strong interest in witches during one of our PD Days. They began drawing witches and engaging in conversations about potions, spells, and all things magical. Building on this emerging interest, educator Jess C introduced small cauldrons into our sensory bin to spark further curiosity and imaginative play. We filled the bin with a variety of Halloween-themed items such as bones, spiders, pumpkins, and monster fingers. These open-ended materials invited the children to explore textures, practice fine motor skills through scooping and filling, and engage in rich sensory play. The children eagerly collected items in their cauldrons and began walking around the classroom in character, pretending to cast spells and share their spooky "finds" with peers and educators. Many extended this play into social interactions at pick-up time, calling over their parents and trying to give them a little scare with the monster fingers — all in good fun!
As the children continue to engage deeply in imaginative spooky play, we wondering how we can further support and extend their interests while introducing new learning opportunities.
• How can we build on the children’s interest in witches, potions, and pretend magic?
• What might happen if we introduced real “potion-making” experiences using safe kitchen ingredients (e.g., baking soda, vinegar, coloured water)?
