Frugal Classroom Ideas

(by Majenica)

**Cookies**
Supplies: Prepackaged cookies, prepackaged icing, cookie decorations. Let the children ice the cookies, then decorate with various decorations. Candies such as candy corn and other fall themed candies, can be purchased relatively cheap this time of year.

**Candy Teeth**
Supplies:Bag of apples, candy corn, peanut butter (optional). Have the adult in the room cut the apples into eight sections. Each child gets two sections, which they can spread peanut butter on and push candy corn down into, making “teeth.”

**Masks**
Supplies: Paper plates or colored paper (found in the art room), string (possibly in the art room also), crayons and markers (have the children use their own). Cut the paper or plate into the shape of a pumpkin and make their own faces. Tie string at the sides and viola!

**Pumpkin Decorating**
This is only frugal if you can find someone to donate the pumpkins. I wouldn’t suggest buying them, as that would be very expensive. Ask your local grocer or farmer to donate enough mini pumpkins for each child to have one. Then let them decorate with stickers, crayons and markers

**Carry the Corn**
Supplies: corn, empty bowls or cups, spoons. Divide the class into two or three teams. Have each team take turns trying to “carry” the corn on a spoon to the other container. The first team to get all of their corn from the first container to the other wins.

**Fall Harvest Bingo**
Supplies: Bingo cards, which can be printed here: www.dltk-kids.com, and candy corn, real corn, or pumpkin seeds for marking numbers.

**Rewards**
A great idea for rewards is to ask the teacher if you can hand out “tickets” or “coupons” for prizes, instead of actual store bought prizes. The tickets or coupons, can be used to allow the “winner” to go first in line to lunch, or recess, or some other privilege that the teacher agrees upon.