Monster Mash

While you might not want to do an entire "Monster" theme for your preschool or kindergarten class, this is the time of the year when many youngsters might begin discussing monsters, bats and other scary things. Here are a few monster ideas you can use in your classroom from A to Z Teacher Stuff and Pre-Kinders.




So here are a few books that young children might enjoy:

• There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
• The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone
• In a Dark Dark Wood: A New Twist on an Old Tale by David A Carter

Monster-Related Classroom Activities:

• Real or Not Real File Folder Game: Get a pocket folder and collect various pictures. Title and decorate the front of the folder (You can name it Real or Pretend?) and write "Real" on one pocket and "Pretend" on the other pocket. Laminate the pictures and the folder (use an exacto knife to cut the lamination over the pockets in the folder so that that the pockets are usable). The object is for children to sort the pictures appropriately. For examples, pictures of monsters, unicorns, superheroes, etc would go in the "not real" pocket. While apples, pumpkins, fire trucks, etc would go in the "real" pocket.
• Paper Plate Monsters: Give children paper plates and collage materials (yarn, wiggle eyes, confetti, construction paper, buttons, etc) and allow them to create their own monsters.
• Monster Math: Make monster cut-outs out of felt. In small groups do simple math problems with the children. Example: One monster had a party and invited 2 friends, how many monsters were at the party?
• Monster Hunt: Change the words to old favorite, "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" and instead go on a monster hunt!
• Monster Sequence: Cut out monsters from smallest to largest and have students put them in order.
• Cyber Monsters: Use a program like Kid Pix and have children create a monster. Put the monsters into a Power Point Slide show!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!