30th Annual Spooky Story Contest

The Wooden Horse Toy Store in Los Gatos is celebrating both its 45th year in business and its 30th year of inspiring local student authors to create their own unique Spooky Story for their Annual Spooky Story Contest.

Every year since 1986 The Wooden Horse has been hosting an Annual Spooky Story Writing Contest, which is a Halloween themed writing event geared for students grades 2-6 throughout the Bay Area. They find it to be a great opportunity for everyone to get into the Halloween spirit while encouraging kids to use their writing skills in a fun and imaginative way. They hope this year to get a record number of students to participate!

This is also a contest where every participant is a winner. Each writer receives a gift card for their submission and the top three writers at each grade level receive a gift certificate up to $25. Entries can be from individuals or from an entire class. Writers in the same class may wish to pool their prizes to purchase something for the classroom to use or spend their coupons separately on the numerous treasures at the award winning independent toy store. Stories are due on Monday October 31 by 6 pm.

Over the years they have found that teachers choose to participate in different ways. Many introduce the activity as an exercise within the class, while others announce the program and provide the handouts for the kids to take home as either extra credit or just as a fun community activity. Recently the staff aligned the judging with State of California Common Core standards (W3, W5, W6, L1, L2, L3, L4) to help meet those requirements in the classroom. The judges, who are select Wooden Horse staff members, focus on originality, mystery and vivid descriptions. Grammar, spelling and punctuation play an important role in the final judging process.

The staff also recommends that younger siblings participate by helping their older siblings come up with story ideas and by helping to illustrate the stories. Submissions have been anywhere from a very short story to well over 30 pages. A few have been in comic book format, others have arrived decorated in a 3D style with plastic creepy crawlies glued to the pages, and several come on art paper with burnt edges looking like long lost maps or historical documents. Each year the staff is amazed by the creative genius of the submissions.

Each entry must include the student's name, grade level and address where the story can be returned along with the school's and teacher's name. Official entry forms can be picked up at the store or downloaded from their website. Teachers wishing to participate are encouraged to fill out the classroom entry form to make it easier for the stories to get returned to the proper class at the beginning of December. Stories can also be submitted via email to spookystory@woodenhorsetoys.com

It does take the better part of a month to read all of the stories so participants must be patient and wait until after Thanksgiving for the winners to be announced. The entries are then sorted and either mailed back to individuals or dropped of by a staff member by mid-December.

Upcoming events at The Wooden Horse:
Tuesday October 25th After hours fundraiser shopping night for local Nursery School

Sunday October 30th 2 pm - 3 pm Halloween themed activities and storytime. Please come in costume and RSVP via email (customercare@WoodenHorseToys.com) or by phone (408-356-8821)

Monday October 31st Spooky Stories are due in person by 6 pm or via email (spookystory@WoodenHorseToys.com)

Saturday November 12th Neighborhood Toy Store Day
Sunday November 13th My Yellow Balloon reading by local author Tiffany Papageorge ahead of Grief Awareness Day (Nov. 17)
Thursday November 24th Store closed for Thanksgiving
Friday November 25th - Sunday December 10th Letters to Santa
Saturday November 26th Small Business Saturday - Spooky Story Winners Announced

Sunday December 4th Nutcracker Storytime
Friday December 9th Spooky Stories returned on or before this date
Sunday December 11th Santa visits the store 12 - 2 pm
Sunday December 25th Store closed for first night of Hanukkah and Christmas