At Halloween, faces are hidden by masks and make-up, but expressions are easier to read, especially scary ones. Reading faces is an important early learning, kindergarten readiness, and social skill.
In order to interact with other people, we all need to use clues about what they are feeling and thinking. We can see some of these clues in facial expressions. While children will learn this from experience, it’s quite a challenge. Adults can help kids by naming expressions and feelings and asking questions, such as, “Do you see your friend’s face? Your friend looks very happy that you shared your toy.” Or, “Does your sister look happy or upset that you stood on her chair? What is her mouth doing?” These give kids some information about where to look on a face to see how someone is feeling.
Making faces on a pumpkin is one way to have some fun and play with expressions. One year we used playdough for eyes, noses, and mouths. Just recently, a friend shared this photo of a pumpkin face made with Mr. Potato Head pieces along with the proud creator. The pirate pieces seem just right; after all, pumpkin, potato, proud, and pirate all start with the same ‘puh’ sound. So does playdough. That could be another Halloween fun and learning activity. What else starts with that sound? How about what the pirate is wearing on one eye? A patch. Play starts with that sound too. What are some other ways to play with pumpkin faces?