When emails from the room moms in Bailey’s class started circling about the Halloween party I decided against my better judgement to get involved. If you aren’t a photographer you might not understand my love-hate relationship with the fall, but that’s just what it is… my absolute favorite season leading up to my three favorite holidays while also the most intense time of the year for me work-wise. Between SO many sessions each week, trying to balance my job at KCCI and Kim stepping back this fall has already kicked my tush a few times. But I signed up to be a room mom and I decided it was important for me to be involved.
So I invented a game to play at the party.
I think I invented it at least. Honestly, there were about a million emails that went back and forth about that damn party so I could be mistaken but I THINK I came up with this idea.
Here was the basic premise…
First I created an empty pumpkin patch/farm on a large art board from Art Mart. I used scrapbook paper I had on hand and just freehand cut the paper. On the bunting I wrote “Eaton’s Pumpkins” because that’s her teacher’s name.
Then I stopped by her class one morning and took head shots of all the kids sticking out their tongues (I got smiles too!).
I sized them all 3×3 in PS and printed them in black/white on plain orange card stock, cut them into pumpkins and added stems+leaves with scrapbook paper.
The GAME.
We hid the pumpkins all around the classroom while the kids were still at recess and the idea was that the kids had to find themselves. I thought it would be a good game for the transition time… like as the main games ended we would say, “find your pumpkin, bring it to Mrs. Allen and then go sit down for snack.” And I guess it worked. I mean, it filled the transition! But I guess I thought the kids would think seeing themselves as pumpkins would be cool or something! Maybe they were too hopped up on candy but they totally didn’t care! Whatever.
As the kids found their pumpkins they brought them up to me and I glued them to the board.
They might not have been super impressed but it DID turn out cute right?
Next time I’m totally going to say I can bring the paper plates and leave it at that!
I thought the game was a great idea…and I think the kids liked it too. It was just a little chaotic the whole time and 1st graders can’t comprehend the amount of work it took for you to create the game. I, however, loved it
you bring the paper plates? yeah right! maybe if you hand cut each plate and modgepodged a collage of each kid’s entire life on the plate.
I think your game is awesome! Even if the kids weren’t overly impressed…. I bet the entire staff was in awe!!!!