We are well aware of the enthusiasm that students have for Halloween. During the last two weeks of October, we immerse ourselves in Halloween-themed learning activities. One of my student’s absolute favorite activities is the collaborative creation of snacks right in our classroom. This Halloween snack activity serves as an opportunity to develop skills in sequencing, writing, math, and more. Not only is the activity a fun learning experience, but Monster in a Cup can easily be integrated into our learning day, presented as a delightful “Foodie Friday” treat, or featured as a hands-on activity at our Halloween party.
Gathering Supplies
Approximately a week before the activity, I send out a donation request to families. However, even without extensive family support, acquiring the necessary items won’t strain the budget. I’ve included a list for families to reference, followed by an assignment sheet to return to me.
“Monster in a Cup” Halloween Snack Activity
Before we dive into the Halloween snack activity, we first review the ingredients and encourage predictions. We engage in some math exercises involving prediction, surveys, and graphs. I always distribute these worksheets beforehand, and we make our predictions before beginning the snack-making process.
Then, I provide my students with a mini booklet containing step-by-step instructions for crafting the snack. While I dismiss one table at a time for handwashing, they familiarize themselves with the booklet’s contents. At the front of the room, I have all the necessary ingredients, supplies, and the recipe laid out and ready to go.
This recipe begins a little differently than other snack activities. Students start by designing their own monster on the cup using a Sharpie marker. I offer several examples to inspire their creativity.
Then, we move on to the mixing phase. I invite a few students at a time to participate. The filling is concocted from pudding, cool whip, milk, and green food coloring.
While the pudding sets, students create a cookie crumb topping for the monster’s hair. They achieve this by crushing some Oreos – this part of the activity they particularly enjoy!
Finally, it’s time to assemble the treat. The bottom layer consists of the filling mixture, while the cookie crumbs serve as the top layer. If there’s no immediate plan to consume it, I recommend refrigerating and adding the toppings later.
Upon completing the treat, there are several extension activities to explore. Students can craft their own “Monster in a Cup” craft. We usually display these crafts and create a large graph on my door, using provided posters for them to indicate whether they liked the treat with a “yes” or “no.” We also revisit the prediction, survey, and graphing activities after finishing the snack.
For further learning, there are sequencing activities to challenge students’ recall of the steps, with the mini booklet serving as a helpful reference. Additionally, there are various writing extensions to complete.
More Halloween Snack Activities
In addition to Monster in a Cup, we also delve into the creation of Witch’s Brew during our two weeks of Halloween activities.
This activity is part of a comprehensive bundle of Snack-in-a-Cup activities to prepare in your classroom throughout the year.
Here is what a few buyers had to say about Monster in a Cup:
“What a great resource! The book was great to use with my PreK students to read and follow the steps of Making Monster Mash. We also really like the sequencing sheet. We did it with the children in small groups. The children LOVED making Monster Mash and were so excited that they could “read” the instructional book.”
“This is such a good idea for a Halloween party. It was fun to make, and I love all the resources that come with it!”
“My teaching partner and I used this on Halloween with our students. It was so much fun for them and us!”
Read about more fun Halloween learning activities here:
