Barbara C. Wilson Preschool Transforms Into Fall Festival With Sensory Activities
The Barbara C. Wilson Preschool Parent Association (PA) contributed their time and talents to creating the perfect fall fun getaway for the students on Halloween.
Parents transformed school grounds into a festive Fall Festival by setting up a tent, photo booth, and autumnal decorations.
They also prepared activity stations with dry black beans, rainbow spaghetti, play sand, faux leaves and mini rakes, a kiddie pool full of hay, and a mini pumpkin patch. The parents even carved pumpkins to spell out “BCW.”
“We wanted to give the kids all the sights and sounds they’d see at a local Fall Festival, and give it to them at school, and also include games and activities they work on in the classroom,” said Dena DeGrande, the President of the Parent Association.
Embracing the Sensory Joys of Fall
When each class ventured outside, they were immediately drawn into the festivities. With their teachers and teacher’s assistants, the children ran to whichever activity station stood out to them.
The black beans and rainbow spaghetti were the two most popular stations, as the students enjoyed shoveling the beans into bowls and cutting the spaghetti with safety scissors.
What stood out most about this Fall Festival to staff and parents was the ability for the children to practice skills they learned in the classroom as they played with their family and friends. For example, one student proudly proclaimed the word “spider” as they searched for a toy spider in the hay. Another student played by counting mini pumpkins.
“We do sensory activities in our classrooms every day. It’s a way for the children to explore and work on skills,” said Barbara C. Wilson Preschool Director Diane Condy. “Curriculum coordinators approved all the activities set up here by the PA to ensure they are educationally appropriate, and the PA did an amazing job. They worked very hard on this.”
The Fall Festival was made possible through the dedicated efforts of the Parent Association and the school staff, as well as the generous donations from nurseries, grocers, and other donors. This wider community support was instrumental in bringing the festival to life.