Halloween ... acknowlege or not

**boxtree7** · 15-09-2011, 10:00 AM

What do you do for Halloween ... I now some partents don't allow their children to dress up etc ..

**Tink** · 15-09-2011, 10:09 AM

We do bats, pumpkins, spiders etc. We don't do witches or ghosts as we don't want to scare the children.
Last year we had a fancy dress day and the mindees loved it

**Roseolivia** · 15-09-2011, 11:42 AM

We do whatever the mindees want to do, we hang things up and sometimes have a Halloween Party.

**kindredspirits** · 15-09-2011, 11:56 AM

I don't acknowledge Halloween for my own personal reasons - I don't find it appropriate and so we don't do anything to do with it. I focus on November 5th which is just afterwards (obviously you know that! lol) if a parent wants to recognise Halloween they can do so at home.

I try to explain to children why we recognise certain events throughout the year, and Halloween is not one I want to explain to my own son or to other young children - my views may change if I cared for over 8's who already know about Halloween, but my son is 4, mindee's are 1 and 3 so I don't wish to explain it.

**Happy Bunny** · 15-09-2011, 12:10 PM

We do pumpkins as the children love getting their hands dirty pulling out all the seeds. We draw a smiley face on it though.
Doing a black sack spider this year.
I always ask parents what their views are on it, if a parent doesn't want me to do it then we do activities on the days that i don't have their child.

**rickysmiths** · 15-09-2011, 12:12 PM

I thought we were not supposed to let our own beliefs impact on the children we care for?

I have a friend who was a cm, a Jehovahs Witness who don't celebrate Birthdays or Christmas but she did with her mindees.

Surely doing something to do with Pumkins or Spiders wouldn't be too offensive?

**charleyfarley** · 15-09-2011, 12:25 PM

I have a set of parents who don't acknowledge Halloween at home but they have never stopped their children being involved in the activities or party we have here. I think they actually like to see the decorations that are put up, nothing scarry though.

Carol xx

**Beetlejuice** · 15-09-2011, 12:27 PM

I send out permission forms at the start of October - if all the parents agree then we mark it, if they don't then we don't as a setting as I don't like to exclude children. I had one family who were Christian and adamant we didn't mark the occasion so what I did was do Halloween craft on the days that child wasn't in the setting.

I have CM friends who are JWs and they don't acknowledge ANY other festivals, celebrations, birthdays etc.

**nikki thomson** · 15-09-2011, 12:41 PM

Hi, don't understand what the problem is, children love Halloween, it's a big thing in our area, usually get between 50 & 60 trick or treat knocks, I don't do loads but we do a pumpkin which we put outside and the kids love opening the door to all the trick or treat and giving the sweets, it's lots of fun. X

**chez** · 15-09-2011, 01:07 PM

I cant help but wonder if we take such care and concern over other religious events?
I bet most of us celebrate Diwli with the children, and pancake day without any need for premisison forms checking with parents etc.

**amanda1309** · 15-09-2011, 01:31 PM

We sort of do it. It's my DH birthday on Halloween so we always have a party and some sweets and the kids dress up if they want to. We always do a spider or bat craft or something similar but nothing OTT.

**sillybeans** · 15-09-2011, 01:54 PM

I'm going through the process of registering but maybe I have missed something

I thought that all/most 'special' days should be discussed/talked about/celebrated?? What do you do if a parent doesn't want you discussing Christmas or St Patricks day for example and you have the child 5 days a week? What if another mindee is Irish and they want to discuss it?

I was planning on telling parents (nicely of course) from the beginning that it is a legal requirement that I do not discriminate and that all religious holidays and 'special' days are discussed in the setting!? If they're really uncomfortable with it they may need to find alternative care with family on the days we are discussing these.

Isn't this the same as if a dad didn't want their little boy playing with dolls and asked us to take them off the child? We would (in as nice a way as possible) tell them that it is an inclusive setting and the toys are available to all.

I guess my point is I didn't think we could pick and choose the holidays and festivals we talked about? Sorry if I'm off the mark and missed something.

**miffy** · 15-09-2011, 05:13 PM

I don't ask for parent's permission and we do Halloween crafts (nothing scary) and usually have a party with other cm's and their children too. Not once has any parent objected and our house is usually the first port of call for the children out trick or treating

Miffy xx

**karensmart4** · 15-09-2011, 05:29 PM

We do spider/witch/black cat/ pumpkin etc decorations, we do a big pumpkin as a group activity and we use oranges instead of pumpkins for them all to take home.

We also decorate the hallway and the playroom.

Our story that week is a Halloween linked one and this year we are planning on a little fancydress party.

**sarah707** · 15-09-2011, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by miffy

I don't ask for parent's permission and we do Halloween crafts (nothing scary) and usually have a party with other cm's and their children too. Not once has any parent objected and our house is usually the first port of call for the children out trick or treating

Miffy xx

Exactly the same as Miffy.

We are an inclusive provision and we celebrate some festivals if they are directly relevant to the children... others we mark or note through books, chats, arts and crafts etc if they are not particularly relevant

**singingcactus** · 15-09-2011, 05:51 PM

I'm pagan, this day is a big deal to me. We celebrate it here. I've never had any parent complain about me celebrating any religious day. Can't imagine why anyone would feel the need to ask permission to acknowledge a religious day, and I can't imagine why anyone would think they have the right to tell someone not to acknowledge a religious event.

**clio0602** · 15-09-2011, 06:27 PM

We have Halloween party, fancy dress, and all the games also haloween crafts. Never asked permission just inform parents of what we'll be doing x

**Dragonfly** · 15-09-2011, 08:02 PM

Wouldnt dream of doing a permission form for halloween

spiders pumpkins etc no big deal if the children dont want to do it fair enough.

**Fraggle1** · 15-09-2011, 08:26 PM

I say we should celebrate anything and everything that has got lots of fun and lots of learning for a child...the world can be a pretty miserable place at times! Fun fun learn learn

I will celebrate a range of festivals with the children and Halloween can be lots of fun. Growing - Pumpkin Bats - animal that come out at night....doens't have to be all about 'spooks'

xx

**stardust** · 15-09-2011, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by singingcactus

I'm pagan, this day is a big deal to me. We celebrate it here. I've never had any parent complain about me celebrating any religious day. Can't imagine why anyone would feel the need to ask permission to acknowledge a religious day, and I can't imagine why anyone would think they have the right to tell someone not to acknowledge a religious event.

my manager at a nursery i worked at refused to let us celebrate it because it was pagen soon changed her tune when i gave her a list of other pagen traditions we celebrate! lol