Halloween Song · Elementary Music · Grades K–4
Full lyrics, how to play the passing game, an Orff arrangement for barred instruments, and a complete teaching guide for grades K–4. Natural minor, ti, quarter rest, tim-ri. The perfect Halloween music class activity — and a wonderful addition to a fall assembly.
Complete lyrics
How to play
Children sit in a circle with one real mini pumpkin (or toy pumpkin). One child is chosen to be the guesser — they leave the circle or close their eyes.
While singing, children pass the pumpkin around the circle on the steady beat. On "fly and pass" — lift on "fly," pass on "pass." The beat slows naturally at the end.
On the last line, whoever has the pumpkin hides it behind their back. Everyone puts hands behind their backs so the guesser can't tell who has it.
The guesser comes back and tries to identify who is holding the pumpkin. They get one or two guesses. Whoever had it becomes the new guesser.
Use a real mini pumpkin from the market — it costs pennies and lasts all season. Leave it on your desk as a seasonal display. Urban children who have never seen a tiny pumpkin will be delighted.
The Orff instrumental arrangement makes this a wonderful addition to a Halloween assembly — especially as a transition between events or storytelling segments.
About this song
The "pass an object, one child hides it, one child guesses" game is a classic — but most versions have an inherent problem: there's no clear ending. Children often hold on to the object at the end instead of passing it, because the song doesn't tell them what to do. Pass the Flying Pumpkin solves this beautifully.
The "fly and pass" section slows the passing beat and gives each motion a word. On "fly" the pumpkin goes into the air; on "pass" it moves to the next child. The beat is unambiguous, the ending is clear, and there is no confusion about who gets the pumpkin last. That clarity is rarer than it sounds in passing games.
"What sets this version apart is that the passing beat slows down at the end. The words clearly tell the children what to do — and without that, you will often have one child hold on to the object at the end instead of passing it."
— Deborah Skydell Pasternack, The Singing ClassroomFrom a musical standpoint the song is in natural minor (Aeolian mode) — a genuine minor key that doesn't soften into something neutral. The minor tonality gives the song its slightly eerie, Halloween-appropriate character without being cartoonish about it. Ti appears in the context of la minor, making this a useful song for introducing that pitch in a clear harmonic context.
For rhythm, the first part of the song (before "hands behind your back") is excellent for teaching the quarter rest — use just that section if students don't yet know the syncopation of "hands behind your back." Tim-ri (dotted eighth-sixteenth) appears at the end, in "hands behind your back."
The melodic contour is worth exploring explicitly — the melody jumps up and then slowly descends, ending on a repeated note. That shape is simple enough for children to track with their hands, and interesting enough to be worth discussing.
Change F's to F#'s on metallophones and xylophones. Best for grades 3–4, though a simplified version works with 2nd grade.
Tell students which note to start on and let them figure out the melody. Explain they should play "we will see if can be found" — dropping a syllable. Students find this funny and immediately understand the concept.
The most challenging part — not the melody. Give this part extra attention.
Players will be tempted to play on the downbeat. Have them chant "fly and pass, fly and pass" — mallets are up on "fly," play on "pass." This fixes the timing immediately.
The full instrumental arrangement is a wonderful transition piece for a Halloween assembly — between storytelling segments or between performers.
What teachers say
"The 'fly and pass' ending is genius. I've tried other passing games and the ending is always a mess — someone holds on, someone passes too late. This song tells the children exactly what to do. Every single time it works perfectly."
"I used the real mini pumpkin and it was a hit. Children who had never seen a tiny pumpkin were fascinated before we even started singing. I leave it on my desk all October as part of the display — it becomes a conversation piece."
"The Orff arrangement at the Halloween assembly was the highlight of the program. We used it as a transition between acts and the audience loved it. The glockenspiel 'fly and pass' chant made the tricky offbeat entry completely clear for my 3rd graders."
Common questions
The lyrics are: "Pass the flying pumpkin 'round / We will see if it can be found / Fly and pass / Fly and pass / Fly and pass / Hands behind your back." The key to the game is in "fly and pass" — on "fly" the child lifts the pumpkin in the air, and on "pass" they pass it to the next child. This slowing of the beat at the end gives the game a completely clear and unambiguous ending.
The song works for Kindergarten through 4th grade. For K–2, focus on the passing game itself — the circle game, the guessing element, and the steady beat. For grades 3–4, add the Orff instrumental arrangement. A simplified version of the instrumental part is possible with 2nd graders. The musical concepts (natural minor, ti, quarter rest, tim-ri) can be introduced at whatever grade level is ready for them.
A real mini pumpkin from the market is ideal — it costs pennies, lasts the full season, and is far more engaging than a toy. Leave it on your desk as part of a seasonal display between classes. If you teach in an urban area, some children may never have seen a tiny pumpkin in person — the novelty is part of the magic. A toy pumpkin works fine if a real one isn't practical.
The quarter rest appears in the first part of the song — before "hands behind your back." If students are not yet ready for the syncopation of "hands behind your back" (which uses tim-ri), use just the first section for quarter rest teaching. The opening section is clean enough to isolate that rhythm concept without the added complexity of the syncopated ending.
Yes — the Orff instrumental arrangement is specifically suited for assembly use. It works beautifully as a transition piece between events or storytelling segments. The minor tonality gives it a Halloween-appropriate character, and the instrumental arrangement is impressive enough for a performance context while still being accessible for grades 3–4.
More songs for music class
Cumulative Irish folk song with partner clap. Tim-ri, low sol, do-based pentatonic.
See teaching guide →The upper-elementary hand clap game. Syncopa, low sol, do-based pentatonic.
See teaching guide →Longways set folk dance with barred instrument improvisation. Low sol, syncopa.
See teaching guide →Watch the complete passing game and Orff arrangement — Pass the Flying Pumpkin is just one of the 150+ songs waiting for you in the complete Singing Classroom library, every one with full video demonstration, teaching guide, and animated instructions.
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