Cooler days in Arizona give our Primary students the first taste of wonderful year-end traditions: a special day of searching for pumpkins and cuddling animals. The students had already been anticipating this day for a while now. Older, returning students are quick to remind everyone what a great time it is. Once the pumpkins were set up for each classroom, each class’s older students started hiding pumpkins in the primary backyard for the students of other classrooms. What a field day and workout they had with so much space! They took their responsibility with great enthusiasm, checking to make sure that no pumpkin was visible from the outer fence area of the lunch patio! Then each primary class walked hand-in-hand with eyes closed to the backyard for the annual pumpkin hunt. After the challenge of keeping eyes closed and walking blind to the backyard (with plenty of adult help!) they lined up against the fence for the annual “on your mark, get set….I didn’t say go yet (!)” game. This year each class had a specific signal – “One, two, three, Pumpkin! “Uno, dos, tres…. Vamanos!” and Red Light, Yellow Light, Green Light!”.
Each class listened intently to “One, two, three…” and some eager bodies shot out to the yard before I gave the magic word or thought I was saying “Uno, dos, tres, Dominoes”! After being reeled back to the wall a few times because they were having so much fun and I couldn’t resist trying this “trick” a few more times, they charged successfully out into the yard to locate their treasure! They lifted the pumpkins and headed to the front yard to cuddle and pet goats, chickens, chicks, ducks and rabbits.
Sunny skies and spirits were high throughout the day! As this article is being written, plans are underway for our Primary Animal Parade and Friday classes at Elementary full of fall arts and crafts day and the long awaited Upper Elementary Halloween carnival!
Wishes for a joy-filled Fall season!
