12 awesome Halloween ideas for your family
The month of October would not be complete without the smell of apple cider and pumpkin spice. Bringing these things as well as many others into your home can be an easy and (fun) way to get into the fall craze.
Try just a few of these suggestions or go down the list and do all of them with your kiddos. Chances are, you will have just as much fun carving those pumpkins as they will.
1. PUMPKINS. Grab your kids and head to your local pumpkin patch. (See the Naples and SW Florida list here). Once you pick out the perfect pumpkin, carve it up into a spooky face for your front forch or patio. Set up your jack-o-lanterns once they are all done and light them up with battery operated tea lights for a fun and glowing-filled night.
2. APPLE CIDER. Take a couple of spice sticks and toss them in a pot of apple cider. Bring that to a low boil/slow simmer and let the aroma of Autumn waft through your house. When you’re ready to drink the cider, take the spice sticks out and pour into special tea cups for your kids to enjoy.
3. CARAMEL APPLES. These delicious treats are quite easy to make. Grab a bag of apples from the grocery store and a bag of caramel candies. Heat the candies in a large pot until you can stir with a creamy/syrupy consistency and dunk your apples one at a time using a skewer cut in half and poked into the apple as your handle. Let your kids decorate with whatever candy they would like. A few ideas for toppings would be crushed nuts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, rainbow or chocolate sprinkles, crushed cookies and M&Ms.
4. DECORATIONS. The dollar store has some great decorations for next to nothing. What kid doesn’t like to hang fake cobwebs from their doorway? Grab a few pumpkin printed trash bags to hold your leaves, spider webs for the front entryway and paper mice to tape onto your stairwell and you will have the whole neighborhood wanting to come and see your house this Halloween night.
5. FALL BREADS. Pumpkin bread, banana bread, zucchini bread and spice bread are a few of the season’s favorite treats. This is a great way to get your kids to eat breakfast in the morning and they’re getting a nice portion of fruit and vegetables in their bread depending on what you make. Let your little ones help you buy having them measure out the flour and whisking the eggs. They will feel really good about themselves and chances are, they will be more likely to help you with future recipes in the kitchen.
6. CANDY. A bowl of candy corn, peanuts, M&Ms and popcorn is the perfect Halloween mix for any sweet tooth. To turn the candy into a pretty Halloween decoration that will last through the holiday, layer several different types of Halloween candy in a tall, wide mouthed glass container with a lid.
7. COSTUMES. Halloween costumes aren’t just for Halloween night. Let your kids get out their old costumes and dress up to their hearts’ delight before the big night. Save the actual costume they will be wearing this year for the big night but let them have fun, explore and use their imaginations from collective pieces in year’s past.
8. COSTUME SWAP. Now that you have the costumes out, consider swapping with your friends or neighborhood. Pick a date and time to bring the costumes to a central location in your neighborhood and take home the same number of costumes that you brought. Consider donating the leftover costumes to a local agency serving needy families.
9. PARTY EARLY. Schedule your Halloween party for the weekend before and you’ll still be able to go trick or treating with the kids on the actual day. You’ll find a ton of creative party tips at neafamily.com. Just click the Halloween link on the home page.
10. WELCOME GUESTS. A welcome mat can seem like such a simple thing but it is the first thing your visitors will see upon entering your home. Head to your hardware store or department store and pick up a cute, whimsical doormat. Not only will it look nice to have something new and in season outside your home but it will give your place an inviting feel to all who show up for trick or treating.
11. ENTERTAINMENT. Plan a movie night or two with the family. Our top Halloween flicks include: Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (1985); Hocus Pocus (1993); Hotel Transylvania (2012); It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966); Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (2005); Twitches (2005); and Under Wraps (1997).
12. FACE PAINTING. Last but not least, paint that face. Who says face painting is only for carnivals, fairs and festivals? This is the perfect time to whip out your cosmetic skills and draw your little girl a heart or tiara on her plump, soft cheek. Even the clumsiest of artists can draw a simple heart or flower on a child’s cheek and your child will love it!
Meagan Ruffing is a freelance parenting writer living in northwest Arkansas. She looks forward to hearing what her kids want to dress up as this year and letting them eat more candy than they should on Halloween.