Halloween Circle Play
Here is a circle play to enjoy around Halloween time! We did this circle for the month of October when my girls were 5 and 7 years old and it was one of our all-time favorites. I hope you enjoy it too! Movement indications are in italics below each verse. Click the play buttons to listen to the songs (recorded by Kelly Ehrman).
"Come little leaves," said the wind one day. "Come o'er the meadow with me and play. Put on your dresses of red and gold. Summer is gone and the days grow cold."
hands in the air, fingers are leaves, continue sweeping hands down to put on a dress, hug self and shiver
As soon as the leaves heard the wind's low call, Down they came fluttering, one and all. Over the brown fields they whirled and flew, Singing the soft little songs they knew.
hand to ear hands in air again, flutter down like leaves, whirl hands in the air, twirl hands
Dancing and whirling the little leaves went, Autumn had called them and they were content. Soon they will sleep in their soft earthly beds, Waiting for winter to cover their heads.
twirl whole body and dance around, start to sink to the ground, sleep on the ground in a sweet little leaf pile, take a few deep breaths
{Traditional Song}
Come Little Leaves
The leaves are falling; it's Halloween soon, Let's go to the pumpkin patch, you come along too!
hop up!
{KE}
Here we go to the pumpkin patch, the pumpkin patch, the pumpkin patch, Here we go to the pumpkin patch, so early in the morning!
skip around while you sing! repeat as many times as you like
{Sing to the traditional tune Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush}
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate, The first one said, “Oh my, it's getting late.” The second one said, “There are witches in the air,” The third one said, “But we don't care.” The fourth one said, “Let's run and run and run!” The fifth one said, “I'm ready for some fun!” “Oooooh” went the wind, and out went the lights, Then the five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!
hand shows five fingers, move from high to low change hand to fist with thumb up; a pumpkin hand to L shape; a witch flying in the air, three fingers up wave back and forth, four fingers up then turn down and fingers run, five fingers up, then both hands fly up high, wave hands in air, clap on “out”, roll hands around, roll around on the ground like pumpkins!
{Traditional song and finger play}
Five Little Pumpkins
A witch once went for a ride on her broom, Up through the frosty sky. She zoomed and zoomed, and she dipped and zipped, And she winked at the moon as she passed by, At the moon in the frosty sky. She wore a hat that was pointed tall, And a cape that was flowing wide, And a fierce black cat with a stand up tail, Rode merrily by her side, Rode merrily by her side.
sitting; first three lines, hand in L shape, zooming through the sky, next two lines, other hand makes fist (moon); L (witch) flies slowly past moon, hands make pointed hat shape motion like a flowing cape, on all fours wag that kitty cat tail!
{Unknown author}
A little witch in a pointed cap, On my door went rap, rap, rap. When I went to open it, She was not there; She was riding on a broomstick, High up in the air!
hop up; open and look out an imaginary door; point up
{Unknown author}
There was an old woman tossed up in a basket, Seventeen times as high as the moon. Where she was going, I couldn't but ask it, For in her hand she carried a broom. “Old woman, old woman, old woman,” quoth I, Where are you going to up so high? “To brush the cobwebs from the sky.” “May I go with you?” “Aye, by and by.”
gesture to indicate calling back and forth and sweeping the cobwebs from the sky
{Traditional Mother Goose song}
There Was An Old Woman
All around the patch we see the big round orange pumpkins. Let's pick some out and take them home and carve our jack-o'-lanterns.
{KE}
I am a pumpkin, big and round. Once upon a time I grew on the ground. Now I have a mouth, two eyes, and a nose. What are they for, do you suppose? When I have a candle inside shining bright, I'll be a jack-o'-lantern on Halloween night.
Squat down low, show big and round, with your arms Indicate mouth, eyes, nose, Gesture lighting a candle
{Traditional}
Jack-o'-lantern, Jack-o'-lantern, You are such a funny sight, Sitting up upon the window, Looking out at the night. You were once an orange pumpkin, Growing on a pumpkin vine, Now you are my jack-o'-lantern, And your light it does shine.
{Traditional song}
Jack O'Lantern
The End.
additional circle time resources on the blog:
Favorite Circle Time Resources