The Night the Pumpkins Winked

For grown-ups

On Halloween night the pumpkins start to wink, and your child and their grown-up follow five of them round the block.

What your child practises

• Getting a costume ready: a tail that cannot trip, eyes that can see, shoes for walking, something that shines
• Crossing with a grown-up: stop at the curb, look all ways, listen, and keep looking as you cross
• Staying with the grown-up, and telling them when something happens
• Waiting for a grown-up to check every treat, and its ingredients against any allergy, before eating

Listen for

Your child saying why the pumpkins winked, or what the grown-up checked before a treat was eaten.

Your part

• Ask the tip on each page, and wait for an answer
• When your child chooses, ask what made them choose it
• If your family doesn't celebrate Halloween, read it as a make-believe adventure and practise on an evening walk

Take it off the screen

Before your next walk after dark, check the costume or coat together: can you see, can you walk, does it shine?

Where the facts come from

• Health Canada: Halloween safety
• Parachute: Halloween safety

It is Halloween night. Your child's name kneels by the window in a brand-new dragon costume. Outside on the step, the pumpkin glows. Then one triangle eye goes blink. The pumpkin winked!

"Look what came through the door," says the grown-up. "The Pumpkin Walk." Five little pumpkins are drawn on a crayon map of the street. Four sit on houses. One sits on no house at all. "They're meant to glow," says the grown-up. "Nobody said anything about winking." "Then we have to find out why," says your child's name.

"Ready!" says your child's name, and takes one big dragon step. The tail catches. The mask slips over both eyes. Wobble, wobble, bump! Their Pet tries the tail too, and tumbles right over. "Hmm," says the grown-up. "This dragon needs some fixing."