In October childcare, kids will be captivated! A collection of play ideas to fully enjoy autumn
October brings a stronger sense of autumn, and the playground is now filled with colorful fallen leaves and acorns.
Using these gifts from nature, along with Halloween-themed crafts and even pretend taste-harvesting play, we’re introducing October-only activities that stimulate children’s five senses.
As autumn deepens, look for ideas for fun activities that nurture children’s curiosity.
Please use this as a reference to enjoy seasonally rich play and spend time filled with children’s smiles.
Childcare activities in October that kids will love! A collection of play ideas to enjoy autumn (1–10)
playing camp
Speaking of autumn, many people probably head out for camping, right? And when it comes to camping, it’s all about tents, BBQs, and campfires.
This is a make-believe camping play set where you can create and enjoy all of those! There are plenty of fun ideas: a plastic tent decorated with drawings, handmade corn on the cob and yakisoba, BBQ ingredients made from construction paper, a campfire, roasted marshmallows, and more! It’s a play activity that will surely convey the fun of camping even to children who’ve never gone camping before.
[Halloween] Candy Hunt
![[Halloween] Candy Hunt](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/m4HZl4Bc0y0/sddefault.jpg)
On Halloween, children say “trick or treat” and get candy, but how about turning it into a candy-hunt game instead of just giving it out? Make chocolate, candy, and donuts out of construction paper—like a dad’s treats—and hide them around the playground and in the school building for the children to find.
It’ll feel like a treasure hunt, and they’re sure to love it.
If you prepare bags for the candy in advance, the kids might feel even more excited, sensing that something fun is about to begin!
[Halloween] Panel theater where you can play a silhouette quiz
![[Halloween] Panel theater where you can play a silhouette quiz](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FZEvXaEOYQw/sddefault.jpg)
This is a Halloween panel theater where you can enjoy a silhouette quiz.
Set to a cheerful Halloween song, various characters and autumn treats make an appearance.
They first show up as silhouettes, and on the lyric “Look over here!” you flip them over.
Since they’re only silhouettes, kids might get confused if something is upside down! The song is simple and repetitive, so it’s easy to remember.
Try preparing a variety of silhouettes like pumpkins, ghosts, skeletons, grapes, mushrooms, and more!
[Halloween] Maze Play
![[Halloween] Maze Play](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/iHhs4R87SWU/sddefault.jpg)
Speaking of autumn events, you can’t leave out Halloween, right? Here’s an introduction to a maze activity that incorporates Halloween elements! It features slightly spooky touches for kids, like spider webs made from elastic string, a dark tunnel made from cardboard, and a curtain of crepe streamers you can’t see through.
There are also water mats and sensory mats—no ghosts appear, but there are plenty of little thrills.
Make it in October and be sure to have everyone play together!
Play song ‘One Little Ghost’
In this action song “Ippiki Obake,” you move your body along with the music.
In the lyrics, the number of ghosts increases one by one, so each time you add a new movement in this order: left hand, right hand, left foot, right foot, and head.
At the end, become a ghost and shout “Wah!” to give a playful scare.
It’s a fun song where kids can use their bodies and even become their favorite ghosts.
It’s perfect for October activities, and dancing to it together at a Halloween party is sure to make for a great time!
Autumn Eurhythmics: Pretend-and-Play Music Time
Let’s play with eurhythmics, moving our bodies to music! We’ll move along to classic autumn children’s songs like ‘Under the Big Chestnut Tree,’ ‘Danguri Korokoro (Acorns Rolling),’ and ‘Dragonfly’s Glasses,’ as well as the perfect-for-Halloween ‘There’s No Such Thing as Ghosts.’ We’ll roll around like acorns, fly like dragonflies, and pretend to be ghosts.
There are tons of movements kids will love.
It’s a great way to get plenty of exercise indoors, so if you’re looking for indoor activities for October, give it a try!
Autumn Harvest Tasting Adventure
How about making sweet potatoes, grapes, and persimmons and enjoying an at-home autumn harvest? You can search for sweet potatoes under sheets of newspaper, pick persimmons from a “tree,” and harvest grapes hung up with twine and clothespins—it’s a play activity that lets you fully experience the flavors of fall.
It’s rare to harvest all these autumn treats together, so take this chance to enjoy it.
Carrying a paper bag around makes it feel like you’re shopping, which adds to the fun.
For children aged two and up, you can even start by making the fruit themselves.