A terrific way to combine the fun of trick-or-treating with academics is to hold a Character Book Parade. This is a great way to combine literacy with an opportunity for children to dress up as their favorite characters. Students are asked to read a favorite book. On the day of the parade, usually close to October 31st, students will dress up as a character in their book. Classes will parade around the school with students dressed up and holding the book which inspired them. For an additional level of fun following the parade, students will participate in various literacy and make-and-take craft activities based on favorite books.
Spiders are a very popular theme during the month of October. Schools offer themed units where children have the opportunity to learn about spiders. For the primary grades, using a variety of craft and food activities offers the perfect opportunity for students to learn about the number of legs and eyes that a spider has. A favorite food craft involves slightly overlapping two round crackers which have been iced with cream cheese. Students add 8 pretzel sticks to represent legs and 8 raisins to represent eyes. For the elementary grades, creative writing and research opportunities abound. Another fantastic activity is to have students compare and contrast nonfiction and fiction books written about spiders. Spider units have enough material to be spread throughout the entire month of October, culminating in a celebration of what students have learned about the spider, with plenty of spider treats.
A terrific way to raise money for a school while allowing students the opportunity to enjoy the concept of trick-or-treating in a safe environment is a fall carnival. Get the Parent Teacher Organization involved in making homemade booths and games for students to enjoy. There are many vendors on the Internet who carry inexpensive trinkets to be used as prizes. Ask the local community for donations and finish out the day with a fun-filled family costume party and dance.
One thing that is important to instill in children is the concept of giving back to those in need. In lieu of typical trick-or-treat activities at school, have a dress-up day, when students donate anywhere between $1 to $5 to dress up for the day, depending on the economic demographics of the school. Another idea is to have students bring canned goods to school in exchange for having a dress-up day. Donate funds from the school to a favorite local charity and canned goods to the local food bank. Of course, UNICEF is one of the most popular charities associated with trick-or-treat, but there are many charities that will be happy to take a donation from the local school children. In lieu of trick-or-treat and in keeping with the giving theme, allow students to participate in school activities where they create treats to be donated to a local children's hospital or nursing home.