“Exploration is really the Essence of the Human Spirit.”
—Frank Borman
’Tis the season for fall themes such as pumpkins, leaves, and turkeys. As I was planning programs for October and November, I decided it was time to go rogue and think of new themes. I started searching terms such as “funny fall celebrations” and “unusual holidays.” From National Mad Hatter Day to National Cake Decorating Day, my search helped me develop new program opportunities for families to enjoy including:
National Mad Hatter Day, October 6, 2019
Journey down the rabbit hole and make Wonderland come to life. This is a perfect opportunity to host a Mad Hatter tea party. For the tea party, use paper cups with handles, choose a simple tea flavor such as Constant Comment© decaf or make cold brew tea and let it sit to get to room temperature. For games, you can create a Mad Hatter hat, cut the top off, and have children throw playing cards into the hat. Visit Bridget Reading for more information about hosting a Mad Hatter tea party. This program is recommended for elementary children, 2nd through 4th grade.The following are my recommended books to use for this program:
National Reptile Awareness Day, October 21, 2019
Each year, reptile enthusiasts have an opportunity to celebrate these creatures and to share their love with others. This offers a good opportunity to work with a zoo, an extension office, or a pet store to bring reptiles offsite for children to see and learn. Reptile Magazine has excellent resources. This program is recommended for all ages. You might enjoy using these books for this program:
World Jellyfish Day, November 3, 2019:
Did you know that jellyfish are not actually fish? Do you know that a group of jellyfish can be called a smack? Celebrating World Jellyfish Day provides families an opportunity to learn about these amazing creatures and others living under the sea. You can provide an interactive experience with this program where children pretend to move like a jellyfish, enjoy viewing videos from NOAA’s Ocean and Exploration Research and/or enjoy a glow-in-the-dark jellyfish dance party. This program is recommended for all ages. The following are my recommended books to use for this program:
National Doughnut Day, November 5, 2019:
Families can enjoy a tasty program celebrating donuts. This is a perfect program for kids to explore their creative side. For this program, children will create their own doughnut using a paper plate and a selection of supplies including pom-poms, markers, crayons, construction paper, glue, and even sprinkles. This program is recommended for all ages. Visit The Spruce Crafts for craft ideas to celebrate National Doughnut Day. Visit with a local bakery or grocery store to see if they can provide doughnuts for all ages to enjoy. Here are a few good books to use for this program: