October is one of our favorite times of year – the air turns crisp, the leaves change color and kids are eagerly counting down until the 31st. At the Meridee Winters School of Music, this means a few things – that our annual costumed Halloween Show is returning (we hope you can join us on October 26th!) and that it’s time to add Halloween magic to music lessons.
At our October teacher workshop, we presented teachers with games, materials and ideas for “Halloweenifying” lessons. These are fun and simple ways to engage students and incorporate some of the whimsy of this season. Here’s what those ideas look like in our music lessons, and some ideas for how you can apply that same approach to “Halloweenify” your own non-musical tasks with your children.
Our spooktacular October music lessons include:
- Costumed Fun: We encourage teachers and students to wear costumes during lessons! This not only adds fun but also helps create a relaxed environment where students feel more comfortable expressing themselves musically.
- Creative Spins: We challenge students to create their own enchanted, silly or spooky spins on familiar songs. This might mean making a major song minor, adding new sections or adding new lyrics. This has resulted in amazing student parodies like “Boo Boo Boo” (a parody of N’Sync’s “Bye Bye Bye”) and spooky minor versions of classics like “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Not only is this a fun activity, but it promotes creativity (something we encourage year-round as well).
- Halloween Videos: Videos are a great way for students to share what they’re learning, track their own progress and have fun creating something new. We host video showcases and contests year round, but our Halloween Video Showcase is extra fun with the addition of costumes, spooky scenes and other fun surprises.
- Trick and treats: Our October lessons are also a time where teachers bring extra tricks and treats to lessons – favorite music games, stickers, prizes, or special song selections.
Of course, the Halloween magic doesn’t have to stop at music lessons. Here are some ideas to add Halloween fun to everyday activities:
- Homework Assignments: Kick up the sorcery! Use candy corn counters for math problems, find spelling words in a haunted story or let a simple pencil become a magic wand this month.
- Chore Challenges: Turn mundane chores into fun challenges by creating a “spooky chore list.” Take inspiration from our Halloween song parodies and retitle the tasks. “Vampire vacuuming” sounds way cooler than “vacuuming.” (Bonus points if completed in costume or while listening to Halloween music!)
- Spooky Sports: Looking for something active to do? Instead of grabbing the basketball and playing “pig” or “horse” try “bat” or “ghost.” Soccer-loving kiddos can dribble the ball around pumpkins in the yard instead of orange cones. Don’t be afraid to be silly – even older kids tend to indulge in the magic when it comes to Halloween.
These are just a few ideas – we’re sure you can come up with even more ways to “Halloweenify” your day. By embracing the magic of October and incorporating Halloween themes into daily activities (and your music lessons), we all can create an engaging and memorable experience for children this season. So grab your broomsticks, dust off your capes, and let the magic begin. After all, who says learning can’t be a little spooky… and a lot of fun?
