Fall Festival Fun: Disco Dancing, Decorated Pumpkins, & More

By terren in Virginia

Last week, I attended the Fall Festival at my daughter’s elementary school and had a great time.  The festival consisted of the children being able to dunk their principals into the tank filled with water.  Pony rides, hayrides, inflatables, and a maze were available outside, and tables were set up for tattoos and mini manicures on the inside of the building.  Throughout the two-hour event, a cakewalk and silent auction of themed-gift baskets took place.  However, two of my favorite areas were the disco room and the decorated pumpkins display.

The disco room was set-up in the music room.  The lights were turned off to create authenticity, and a colorful strobe light was the biggest illumination in the room, besides the glow necklaces and bracelets some children wore.  The music was fun and upbeat, so many children who were headed to the outdoor activities had to stop and wiggle their bodies first.   As soon as the children walked into the room, they were on the dance floor.  The disco room was the only room my daughter visited twice while we were there.

If I had gone to the event alone, I would have spent most of my time looking at the pumpkins.  They were phenomenal!  The pumpkins on display were decorated by the students and their teachers.  When seeing the pumpkins, however, I got the feeling that the teachers did most of the work.  My daughter’s class created Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head pumpkins.  They painted two pumpkins brown and added what seemed to be the actual parts from the toys:  eyes, eyebrows, mouths, ears, and so forth.  They were adorable.   Another class had created the monster from Where the Wild Things Are, and it looked exactly like him, fuzzy hair and all.  One class decorated about fifteen miniature pumpkins to look like students reading books in a classroom and a larger pumpkin to look like the teacher.  These pumpkins were not just decorated with paint, but with various accessories such as wigs, feathers, glasses, and clothes.  My favorite pumpkin creation was based on the book Recess Queen, according to my daughter.  The class used a huge pumpkin to make the head of Mean Jean and topped it off with black hair and a crown.  The pumpkin girl also wore a red jumper.

Both the disco room and pumpkin decorating can be used at celebrations other than a fall festival.  The disco room would be fun at a birthday party for young children or a pajama party.  Whereas decorating pumpkins at a fall birthday party or a fall celebration  would be a hit with guests of all ages be a hit.

October 31st, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Season Celebrations, Tips | (0)