As the vibrant hues of autumn deepen and the air turns crisper, October arrives with a sense of transformation. It is a month of harvest and celebration, where the cool breezes signal the true arrival of fall. With the golden light of shorter days and the festive spirit of Halloween, October invites us to fully embrace the change of season and all the wonders it brings.
October’s name comes from the Latin word “octo,” meaning “eight.” October was originally the eighth month in the ancient Roman calendar. The name remained even after the calendar was revised to start in January. This connection to the past gives October a unique sense of continuity as we enjoy its autumnal beauty and prepare for the coming winter months.
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Join us as we enter into the vibrant celebrations and traditions that make October a month of transformation, where autumn is in full swing and the “holiday season” is just around the corner. From harvest festivals to Halloween, October offers endless opportunities for creativity, learning, and connection. I hope the ideas shared here and in our resources inspire you to dig a little deeper into the holidays. I fill each holiday of the day with information to help your Happy Hive buzz with excitement!
Celebrate on or near these specific days:
October 6 – Mad Hatter Day
Mad Hatter Day (10/6) is a whimsical and lighthearted holiday inspired by the eccentric character, the Mad Hatter, from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” Embrace your inner quirkiness and creativity by wearing or making hats that defy convention. It’s a day to celebrate individuality, imagination, and a touch of silliness. Share some silliness with those you love with our FREE riddle cards. Remember, it’s perfectly okay to be a little bit “mad” in a world that sometimes takes itself too seriously.
October 14 – National Lowercase Day
National Lowercase Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the lowercase alphabet, the smaller and more commonly used form of letters in the written language. The name “lowercase” originated from the way print shops organized their typefaces. In these shops, the smaller, more frequently used letters were stored in the lower compartments of a typecase, while the larger, less frequently used capital letters were stored in the upper compartments. Hence, the terms “uppercase” and “lowercase” were born.
This day presents an excellent opportunity to practice letter formation and handwriting skills, particularly for children and those learning to write.
October 16 – National Dictionary Day
National Dictionary Day celebrates the birth anniversary of Noah Webster, often considered the “Father of the American Dictionary.” Here are a few skills to practice in honor of Mr. Webster.
- Alphabetical Order
- Using Guide Words
- Word Pronunciation
- Definitions and Usage
- Word Origins
These dictionary skills help kids become more independent learners, improve their vocabulary, and foster a love for language and literacy. Use our Vocabulary Word of the Day Resource to help!
October 28 – Statue of Liberty Dedication Day
Statue of Liberty Dedication Day commemorates the dedication of one of America’s most iconic symbols of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty, known as “Liberty Enlightening the World,” was a gift from the people of France to the United States. The statue’s copper exterior was a symbol of freedom and democracy, and the torch held high by Lady Liberty represented enlightenment and hope. Create your very own Lady Liberty with our Paper Plate Craft. The resource includes both color and ink-friendly patterns.
October 31 – All Hallows Eve / Halloween
All Hallows Eve, also called Halloween is primarily celebrated in countries with Western cultural influences, but it’s worth noting that other countries have Halloween customs worth exploring:
Halloween in Canada closely resembles American celebrations, with costume parties and children going door-to-door for candy.
Halloween has gained popularity in the UK in recent years, with children trick-or-treating and adults attending costume parties.
Often considered the birthplace of Halloween (known as Samhain), Ireland celebrates with traditional festivities, including bonfires and costumed parades.
In Mexico, Halloween is intertwined with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a multi-day holiday to honor deceased loved ones with colorful altars and parades.
Halloween is growing in popularity in Australia and New Zeland, with trick-or-treating and Halloween-themed events becoming more common.
Halloween has become trendy in Japan, with costume parties and themed decorations in cities like Tokyo
Enrich your Halloween traditions with this most spook-tacular set of Halloween Worksheets.
17 different Halloween Activities that include Math, Language Arts, critical thinking and Art. This pack is designed to meet the needs of a family with multi-aged children. There are activities suitable for grades K-6.
Another great addition to your All Hallows Eve celebration can be found in these Halloween themed poke art pictures:
More Holiday Activities for October
These products use each of the Holiday of the Days for October
COPYWORK
In each set of October copywork you get 31 topics, in 2 font styles. The first is with guides (arrows) and the second font is a simple version of the font. The trace over copywork contains simple sentences, Manuscript and Cursive sentences are longer and more advanced, but similar so family discussions or use as Memory Verse is still possible!
October LEGO CHALLENGE
Lego Challenge Cards are great for everyday use or even on days your kids can’t go outside because of the weather (Rain, Snow, Wind, Heat). They make excellent party games or Fun Friday activities.
There are 31 building challenges for October based on the holiday of the day.
October Holiday of the Day Poke Art Pictures
10 Exciting Holidays are highlighted in the POKE ART PACK
You get both the Color and Black & White patterns for:
- WORLD SPACE WEEK – FIRST WEEK IN OCTOBER
- INTERNATIONAL RACOON APPRECIATION DAY (October 1)
- MAD HATTER DAY (October 6)
- FIRE PREVENTION DAY (October 9)
- MYTHS AND LEGENDS DAY (October 11)
- NATIONAL GROUCH DAY (October 15)
- APPLE DAY (October 21)
- NATIONAL PUMPKIN DAY (October 26)
- STATUE OF LIBERTY DEDICATION DAY (October 28)
- ALL HALLOWS’ EVE (HALLOWEEN) (October 31) – Want a full set of HALLOWEEN Poke art? Grab that HERE
October Writing Activities
If you are looking for more October Holiday Fun…I have just the thing! My friend Suzanne over at Teacher Writer has curated a fantastic set of writing prompts and activities for October. In fact – these prompts are “non-spooky” and perfect for warmups, mini-writing workshops, and collaborative writing.
BEE sure to check out the Teacher Writer blog post with tips for implementing these National Day Writing Prompts. Your busy bees will find them especially engaging as they come with videos to help introduce the topic!
Some of the October writing prompts:
- National Rhode Island Day. (Learn about the great state of Rhode Island.)
- International Artists Day. (Write about you favorite piece of art.)
- National Fire Pup Day. (Write about working dogs with fire departments.)
- National Pasta Day. (Learn how and where pasta originated. Hint: it’s NOT Italy!)
- Animation Day. (Write about your favorite Walt Disney animation.)
- National Octopus Day (Meet Davy the Giant Pacific Octopus.)
Two Octoberr National Month journal prompts:
- Bullying Prevention Month
- International School Library Month
Thanks for checking out the many holidays for October!
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Content on Happy Hive Homeschooling is shared for educational and inspirational purposes. There’s no wrong way to homeschool. Please use your own judgment and provide appropriate supervision when adapting ideas for your family or classroom.