How Many “Mini Pumpkins” Tall Are You? 

October is one of the most exciting months of the year—pumpkins, spiders, candies, and Halloween fun! Pumpkins, especially, are often woven into our curriculum and lesson plans across different learning areas.

One day, I used mini pumpkin pictures to create a height-measuring scale, and the little friends were instantly engaged. We talked about how many “mini pumpkins” tall each of them was and compared their heights with one another.

After circle time, I left the “mini pumpkin scale” on the wall. During playtime, some children began “measuring” themselves again. However, since the pumpkins were only taped to the wall, they kept falling off. After fixing them several times, I decided to take them down.

That’s when Child W said, “But I didn’t get my turn.”
I replied, “We may find another time to do it again.”

However, his words lingered in my mind. I felt sad and guilty to cut off their interest. Then, I  wondered how I could respond to their interest more thoughtfully.

The next day, I gathered everyone for circle time and put the “mini pumpkins” back on the wall. I demonstrated how one friend could stand beside the pumpkins while another friend could count the “pumpkins” for the height. I could see understanding and excitement light up their faces. Soon, they began taking turns and helping one another measure.

The accuracy of their counting wasn’t the goal—the joy of discovery was. Watching them collaborate, compare, and laugh reminded me that meaningful learning happens when children’s curiosity leads the way.

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