From the Classroom

“Click or Treat!” An afternoon of remote Halloween fun for kids

By October 2, 2020March 29th, 2023No Comments

Halloween activities may look different this year, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be fun! Would your kids like to learn a new spooky story to tell their friends? Become a potions master? Or design and build a “Spider’s Lair” Lamp?

On October 31 from 1:00-3:00pm, the Acera School is hosting “Click or Treat!” – an all-remote afternoon of hands-on Halloween-themed STEAM activities. The cost to participate is $70, and proceeds will benefit Acera’s Reed Hollett Enrichment Scholarship Fund. Families can register online at aceraschool.org/click-or-treat.

In “Click or Treat!” kids ages 5-12 move through a series of three Zoom-based stations, each offering different Halloween activities. Feel free to wear your costumes!

REGISTER FOR CLICK OR TREAT

The separate age-appropriate tracks are:

Ages 5-8: 

  • Scary Story Adventure: BOO! Listen to spooky stories, share one of your own, and take part in a “choose your own adventure” tale where YOU play the characters!
  • Paint Your Own Pumpkin: Design and decorate the perfect pumpkin! No sharp tools needed, just paint and your imagination.
  • Spooktacular Snacks: Can you create art without art materials? We’ll trade paper for plates and drawing supplies for food as we create scary Halloween snacks to share with the family!

Ages 7-10:

  • The Sorcerer’s Wand: Expelliarmus! Design and build your own wand, complete with LED illumination.
  • Potion Masters: We’ll bring Hogwarts to you! Explore creepy potions and chemistry for 21st century wizardry.
  • Frightening Fruits: Together we will transform our favorite fruity snacks into a frightening edible display with the help of some paper, toothpicks, melted chocolate. Spooky and delicious!

Ages 9-12:

  • The Spider’s Lair: Design and build a unique lamp inspired by animal architecture! You will explore different material properties and experiment with tension, and compression forces in making a structure that can be illuminated.
  • It’s a Blood Bath!: Learn how to make your own (edible) fake blood with a mad scientist. Use it for special effects, Halloween costumes, or just a good scare! While you’re creating your gory goo, learn about the science of blood in humans and animals.
  • Skull Bath Bombs: Level up bath time with a creepy, fizzy, skull-shaped bath bomb of your own creation and learn about the chemical reaction behind it.

Registration is open until October 31, space permitting. Families will be asked to provide some common household items for the activities (a full list will be provided upon registration). All specialty materials will be provided in a Click or Treat Kit, which is included in the event cost. Kits are available for pickup at Acera School – located at 5 Lowell Avenue in Winchester – and for a $9 shipping fee, the kits will be mailed directly to families who register online by October 22.

In addition to “Click or Treat!” Acera offers virtual after school classes in science, technology, and the arts, February and April Vacation camps, and 12 weeks of Summer STEAM Camp. These programs are open to all kids ages 5 and up. Find out more at aceraschool.org/enrichment-programs.

Reed Hollett shares a moment of laughter with Acera students

Established in 2016, the Reed Hollett Enrichment Scholarship Fund ensures that lower-income students can participate in Acera’s after school and summer STEAM enrichment programs. Reed Hollett was a beloved Acera teacher who passed away unexpectedly in 2015; he believed passionately in the importance of getting children outdoors to experience nature, and possessed an exceptional gift for authentically engaging students in learning.