The cake walk, bouncy houses, face paint, and ring toss are all activities that are associated with the annual festivity of PA’s Fall Fun Fair. Due to COVID-19’s safety restrictions, the event held in the school gyms had to take on a new form this year- enter Fall Fun Days. Fall Fun Days was a week-long event, taking course over November 9th-13th. Each Lower School class- in grades Pre-Kindergarten through Fifth- gathered in the Performing Arts Center for a 30 minute slot of time to participate in some fun and games thanks to the help of parent volunteers.
The Fall Fun Fair chair Jessie Bollig said, “Because of COVID we could not do the Fall Fun Fair, but we really wanted to try to provide some sort of fun for the students representing the Fall Fun Fair and that was how the Fall Fun Days celebration was created.”
There were three stations located in the arts center: a ring toss, candy walk, and a candy corn relay. These replications of activities brought on a spirit similar to that of the Fall Fun Fair, all while implementing safe COVID protocol.
Kail Wiatrowski, a second grade student of Mrs. Dierberger, said, “The obstacle course was my favorite at the Fall Fun Days.” The obstacle course included a candy corn relay where students would guide a spoonful of candy corn through the course in an effort to not drop the candy.
Additionally, students participated in a ring toss where they could toss a large ring over a cone in hopes of winning a prize. The candy walk was a replacement for the traditional cake walk at the Fall Fun Fair- the winner receiving a candy prize. At the end of the time slot each student received a bag of candy and prizes.
Mrs. Rebecca Welch, a fifth grade teacher said, “The parents did a wonderful job organizing and bringing some of the Fall Fun Fair favorites with a twist, like the candy walk and candy prizes.”
Throughout the week of Fall Fun Days, students also participated in dress-up days with corresponding themes. These included silly hat/headband day, jersey day, silly socks day, bright-colored sweatshirt day, and a spirit day. Wiatrowski also enjoyed this part of the weekly festivities. He said, “Silly sock day was my favorite part of the week.”
At the beginning of the week each classroom had the opportunity to meet Lenny the Lion. Parent volunteers then passed out lion keychains to the students. “This was a big hit with the kids!” commented Welch.
From candy walking to meeting the school mascot, Fall Fun Days was certainly a success! The PA community found yet another way to cultivate school spirit and fun amidst the new challenges of this school year.
