We love Halloween! There are SO many fun activities to do with kids. I mean you really can’t go wrong when all your choices included candy, costumes, and creepy creatures. We wanted to share one of our favorites with you today, our Geometric Jack-O-Lantern Math Activity with a snack!

These tasty treats are super simple and are a great way to practice learning 2 dimensional shapes. The handy thing is, if you are anything like us (quesadillas for dinner at least once a week) 😉 😉 , you should have everything you need on hand and ready to go.

Geometric Jack-o-Lantern Math Activity

For this activity you’ll need:

              *Flour Tortillas (large size work best)

              * Small knife (we like the ones in the dollar store pumpkin carving kits)

              * Toothpick

              * Cooking Oil

              * Frying Pan (stove top or electric)

              * Pre-cut geometric shapes

              * Cinnamon and Sugar ( Yum!!)

Begin designing your Geometric Jack-O-Lantern snack by placing the pre-cut geometric shapes on top of the tortilla. This is a great time to help your preschooler recognize the different shapes and practice calling them by name. Square, Circle, Rectangle, and Triangle are the most important for preschool aged kids. But if your child is ready for it, feel free to add in some more complicated shapes as well! (trapezoid, rhombus, etc.) Your child may want to even try a few different designs before picking a favorite. 

Once the face is in place, use the toothpick to poke holes around each shape. This will mark an outline around the shape and will make cutting out much easier, since the shapes tend to slip. Then using the small knife, cut each shape out. My 3 year old son was able to do this part all by himself, but younger kids might need a bit more help. Our favorite part was “cleaning up” the scraps as we went. (Tasty!!) 

When the cutting is complete, gently place the Geometric Jack-O-Lantern snack in the pan of oil. CAREFUL! It can spit hot oil, so make sure your child is standing back until it is in. Allow it to cook until it is crispy on one side. Then flip. 

When the Jack-O-Lantern is cooked to your liking, carefully remove it from the oil and allow it to drip. Place on a paper towel, and sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar on it immediately. If you have a bit of orange colored sugar crystals, even better. Wait to eat your treat until it has cooled for at least 1 minute. They are extremely HOT!

We hope you love this Geometric Jack-o-Lantern Math activity. This sugary treat with just a bit of spice, is perfect for a cool fall day, and your little ones will love gobbling up the creations they make.

 Steffani

Classroom Connection: 

     I did this activity with my sedond graders. I was able to do it with only 1 electric pan, but if you have a parent volunteer bring another one it would be easier. I had each student cut out their face, and then work on a some fun Halloween Printables (check out ours they are adorable 😉 😉 ), while they waited for their turn. I used paper plates and had them write their name on it so we knew whose was whose. The cinnamon and sugar was a bit messy, but nothing a quick vacuum couldn’t fix!