Finding a fun spooky Halloween game for kids to play that won’t scare the pants of little guys is not always a simple task. This game is simple, spooky but not at all frightening. As I was making it I wasn’t so sure of how we’d play but the rules evolved, and we’ve been playing it all weekend. The giggles were epic, and the only screams were when I forgot the spiders are fake and walked into the living room and saw them on the floor. This activity works on balance, problem-solving and can be adapted for various levels.
- Gather your materials. You will need some painters tape, plastic spiders, a prize for the end of a glow stick and if the simple version ( explained below) is too easy have some other obstacles like these ghosts ready to make it a challenge.
- Start by making a web with tape on your floor. You can do a full web or if like me space is limited just do a half.
- Make an obvious start and finish. We call our finish home base.
- Add some spiders around the web and the prize ( glowstick) in the center. After the first go I let my son scatter the spiders himself.
- Time to play.
So the object of this web walking game is to stay on the web and pick up all the spiders then the prize ( glow stick) without falling off the web. Now, this can be made very difficult by requiring tippy toes or much easier by only counting a fall onto the floor as a true fall. For us, he was out and had to start again if he took a step off the tape.
- It was not a big enough challenge, so we added ghosts! He could step over them, but if his foot touched one, he was out. Another way to make it much more of a challenge for older kids is to turn it into a timed challenge with a stop watch.
- When he did step off, I’d make a cackling witchy laugh and proclaim ” You fell into the goo, ew, ew, ew! ” He’d laugh and start again
Spooky … a little but definitely not scary! I think this game will be coming out every October for years to come.
Song
You may know the song ” One Elephant” This is a Halloween version that fits this activity perfectly. In my class, I used to sing this with me starting at one side of the circle time rug calling each child over. My assistant teacher would be last. I have had so many requests for songs; I couldn’t ignore this perfect match of song and activity.
One little ghost went out to play upon a spider’s web one day
He had such enormous fun that he called for another little ghost to come.
Two little ghosts went out to play upon a spider’s web one day
They had such enormous fun that they called for another little ghost to come.
And so on and so on…
Sylvie Créative says
I love your ideas so much! You are great!
Kristi says
This is brilliant! I think I’ll set this up so my son sees it when he wakes up on the morning we start our halloween theme!
shiloh says
Love this! I’m pinning to use someday:)
Josie says
What a great idea! We will totally be doing this.
Ashlyn says
SUPER cute! The kiddos will love this! Anderson will be so excited about the creepy crawly spiders and I’m off to the Dollar Store tonight to buy a bag of the little guys 🙂 Thanks for all the great ideas to give us something to do while the weather here in TN forces us to stay inside out of the cold! The kids and I are obsessed with your blog and we can’t wait to see your next post!
JDaniel4's Mom says
This is so cute! I think I am going to make a web for my son’s Halloween Party.
Toddler Approved says
We tried this last week and just posted about it. Every kid who comes to our house loves it! We also did a sight word activity with it. Thanks for the great idea http://toddlerapproved.blogspot.com/2011/10/sight-word-spider-web.html
Beckie says
What a cute game and so perfect for little kids! Thanks!
BeckyJA says
Hi, I just loved this idea when I spotted it on Pinterest and immediately created a larger version on my carpet which my children have loved. I have used the idea to help me write my very first blog(!), hope this is OK with you. I have sited your web page and will be adding more of my own masking tape ideas to my new blog soon. Thanks for the inspiration!
OneMommy says
Love this! Pinning it to my Halloween board –would be perfect for my daughter’s Halloween birthday party!
Kim @ The Educators' Spin On It says
Allie I love this ideas and shared it on a Spider roundup for After school Activities today. So many fun ways to include gross motor skills and learning ideas with the bigger kids and have fun at the same time.
Pat Hubbard says
Thanks for sharing. Great original ideas!
katherine says
For older kids (say 9 or 10) would you have them go in a back and forth pattern walking across every strand of the web? I’m wondering how you would modify this so it wouldn’t be too easy or fast for an older group. This acitivity would be for a party at my daughter’s school so there would be a wide age range of kids participating. Thank you!
Allison McDonald says
I would pop math problems down that they have to answer ( whatever they are working on right now) like 9×10 and they must answer to pass.
smith wesley says
thanks alot