Halloween Party
October, November and December can feel like a hectic holiday hullabaloo, especially in the classroom. Just as Halloween wanes into Thanksgiving, little elves invade by stealth to make way for the big conglomerate of all holidays—the slightly nebulous “Winter Holiday” of Hanukah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. This overstuffed three-month stretch is daunting for room parents and classroom volunteers, all expected to be nothing short of the life of the school party. To help, KC Parent has your dunce-hat-proof classroom party planning guide, with tips and tricks to a hassle-free party.
KNOW THE RULES AND TOOLS
Review the rules of the room with the teacher before taking control of the class. Is there a special chant to call the kids’ attention? How is misbehavior handled, and who handles it? What are the food requirements? Work within the established classroom culture to keep confusion at bay.
DECORATIONS
Before you festoon the room in streamers and balloons, designate at least two volunteers for set up and tear down. To tote supplies from the minivan and avoid spills down the halls, bring along a wagon or laundry basket.
RECRUIT DADS AND GRANDPARENTS
Take initiative to recruit dads and grandparents as helpers. Many kids need these role models in their lives, and the party’s always more fun when they’re around.
FILLERS
It’s hard to predict how long crafts and games will last, and there’s nothing like awkward down time—both during transitions and after the gig’s up—to kill a party. Time fillers are your best bet to keep the kids engaged. Our favorites:
- Create a mixed CD of dance music and encourage the kids to bust a move.
- Stock up on several short stories or picture books from the library.
- Have index cards on hand for holiday charades.
DO THE SHUFFLE
Take a cue from the kindergarten room and break kids into smaller groups. Think “centers time” with crafts, activities and games. This way, volunteers can be more focused on directing kids and less distracted by crowd control chaos.
CREATE A MASTER SCHEDULE
Keep volunteers on the same page with a master schedule on display. For an hour-long party, consider the following format:
- 5 minutes: party pics (let the paparazzi capture a full-class photo)
- 40 minutes: game/craft/activity centers (10 minutes each with time to rotate groups)
- 10 minutes: make-your-own snack
- 5 minutes: dance party or story
DELEGATE AND COMMUNICATE
Parents can’t just roam the halls anymore, which means the good old-fashioned clipboard sign-up sheet is now a thing of the past, relegated to last century’s time capsule buried in the school yard. And don’t send out an inbox clogging “reply all” e-mail request. Proper, efficient communication and correspondence is key to motivating already busy parents to pitch in and help in the classroom. Try www.VolunteerSpot.com, a less invasive method of organizing classroom volunteers. This free website is your one-stop spot to request supplies, corral activity leaders and send reminders to maximize parental involvement and minimize information overload.
Wendy Connelly is a registered member of the School Party Paparazzi from Overland Park.