Halloween is a day characterized by spooky creations, costume fun, haunted houses, trick or treating and fun day at school.
The children at Picayune’s Early Head Start and First Baptist Church’s Heritage Christian Academy spent their day playing games, dressing up and having an all-around good time on the spookiest day of the year.
On Friday, Picayune’s Early Head Start the center hosted its 13th annual Fall Festival.
“This is one of many events that we host to incorporate parent involvement in our programs,” program director Dr. Pamela Thomas said. “Yesterday, the children dressed in their Halloween costumes and went trick or treating to each classroom.”
Friday’s event was held on the school’s playground and a variety of booths were set up including face painting, games and food.
Three-year-old McKenzie Reese wanted her face painted like a “kitty cat.”
“I’m having fun,” Reese said. “My favorite part about Halloween is Doc McStuffins and candy.”
Reese planned to dress up as Mickey Mouse for an evening of trick or treating.
Ranyra Flowers is 4-years-old and said she enjoyed riding bikes in her cowgirl costume at the festival.
“I’m dressing up as Doc McStuffins for trick or treating,” Flowers said. “I like playing outside and getting candy.”
Two-year-old Ansley McGowan said she likes candy and planned on spending her Halloween evening dressed as Elsa from the Disney movie “Frozen.”
Three-year-old Bradley Laneaux is a self-proclaimed Spiderman super fan.
“I’m going to dress up like Spiderman and put candy in my bucket,” Laneaux said. “I liked playing games with my friends today.”
Kristen Devore, a first and second grade teacher at Heritage Christian Academy, said that their students celebrated ‘‘Book Day’’ on Halloween.
Devore said the children are learning about books, authors, plots and characters and staff thought dressing up would be a way to combine learning with fun.
“The students were encouraged to dress up as their favorite character from a book and give a presentation about the story and author,” Devore said. “After the presentations, the children walked across Goodyear Boulevard to meet their parents at Jack Read park for picnic.”
Seven-year-old Claire Quave dressed as her favorite character Junie B. Jones and said that she likes to read.
“My book was about Junie and her friend Boo,” Quave said. “They were fighting about who was going to be the flower girl at the wedding.”
Presley Wells is five-years-old and she dressed up as Pinkalicious.
“Pinkalicious turned pink because she ate too many cupcakes,” Wells said. “She had to go to the doctor. When she ate lots of vegetables she turned back into her regular color.”
Dalton Whitfield, 6, dressed as Jonah from “Jesus Story Book Bible.”
“Jonah turns away from God, gets on a ship and then swallowed by a fish,” Whitfield said. “He spent three days and nights inside. Then the fish spit him out.”