Halloween is one of the most anticipated events of the year for children (and a lot adults too) but this year, as with many other holidays, it is going to be quite different.
With all of us trying to keep own and our children’s mental health in check, now more than ever we need to maintain a sense of normality wherever we can and at the same time – as safely as we can.
Routines and days to look forward to are imperative for children, particularly younger ones, and it is especially vital that we don’t allow Covid to get in the way of special bonding opportunities and memories for families where possible.
Maintaining a sense of normal and keeping days like Halloween on the calendar will help to relax children and also give them what they still need – the fun of childhood.
With traditional trick or treating out of the question, here are a few fun ways to keep your little ones entertained this Halloween:
Petrifying pumpkins
As well as carving the traditional spooky face this Halloween with your kids, why not try something different to bring that pumpkin to life? This is great messy play for younger children.
One thing I love to do is to use black board paint and chalk – you can buy this from any DIY store or online.
Paint the pumpkin and let your little one gets creative with some chalk – as the chalk can be wiped off, they can experiment with all of their ideas and I have seen it create hours of fun. They can have a new pumpkin each day.
Use the whole pumpkin – do not throw out the guts as you can the get cooking with your child make muffins, soup or even a smoothie.
You could also use those guts for some good sensory play with younger children and babies. Nothing more apt for Halloween than handling innards.
Use your left over pumpkin carcass to feed to your garden wildlife. Kids will love this you can help the spot what autumn nature is out and about in their back garden.
You can also toast the pumpkin seeds for the birds. With pumpkins priced as low as £2, you can get endless use out of those classic Halloween globes!
Terrifying treasure hunt
Depending on the weather, you can do this indoors or outdoors. Go all out and decorate your house and garden in full haunted house gear and hide spooky treats and clues.
This is great fun to get siblings to work together to get a final spooky treat it also encourages positive reading for those normally reluctant to pick up a book.
The fun and reward of walking around in a spooky way and being rewarded with a sweet treat is an ideal way to emulate the trick of treat experience, completely safely.
Dress up, sing songs as tasks in the clues, do whatever you think will make your children laugh and get caught up in the theme.
Horrifying haunted house
Work together with you children to build a haunted house in a room or even a sofa – a ‘fort’ haunted house can be surprisingly good fun.
This is great for imagination and bonding with you little one.
Ghastly ghost stories
Turn off that light. Get the torch. Get the snacks and under the blanket and a pile of books and read into the Halloween night.
You could even do a ‘pass the story line’ game where you start with the first part of the story and each child must continue it.
Let them be as silly as they like activities like this all year round are so positive for imagination building.
Spooky cinema
Go full imaginative play on this one. During the day get your children to make tickets, posters and Halloween snacks for your spooky movie night.
Make your living room as scary as possible and plan your (age appropriate) movies beforehand.
It makes that Halloween night movie feel all that more special and feels like an occasion.
Alarming arts and chilling crafts
This is good for leading up to Halloween too. Gather up your recycling the week before. Grab old loo rolls and cereal boxes and paper plates. Stock up on paints and pens and glue and just get messy.
You can make Halloween characters with the paper plates. The scarier the better!
And a cute thing to do with younger children is to do footprint art, which is something to keep forever.
Creepy camp out
This Halloween there is going to be a perfectly timed blue moon. Why not get that tent out and get the cosy warm clothes on and tell scary stories round the campfire.
Wrap up warm as the weather isn’t looking the best but it’s a lovely way of safely being outdoors for Halloween.
Beastly baking
Baking is always a winner for kids because of the pay off weather your experts or new to baking you there’s recipes for everyone.
You could make Halloween style cookies or a good one that kids love is Pumpkin Rice Crispy Cakes
Pumpkin Rice crispy cakes
1/4 cup butter
1 bag large marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies
Red & Yellow Liquid Food Coloring
Mini Rolos
Green M&M’s
1/4 cup cooking oil or melted butter in a small bowl
Instructions
In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted and combined with the butter.
Remove from the heat. Add several drops of yellow food colouring, mix it together, then add red food colouring one drop at a time, mixing as you go. Add red/yellow drops until you reach your desired colour. (I used about 4 drops red and 12 drops yellow). Mix well.
Add the Rice Krispies and stir to combine.
Coat both sides of your hands with a generous amount of cooking oil or butter, and roll the Rice Krispie mixture into small balls. Set on parchment paper. Add oil/butter to your hands after each ball.
While the balls are still warm, gently press a Mini Rolo into the top of each pumpkin for the stem and add a green M&M beside it as the leaf. (Tip: If the pumpkins cool before you’re finished, use the end of a thick marker or apple corer to make a small indent in the top for the chocolate to sit in.)
Allow to cool until firm.
Devilish dress up and fangtastic fashion show
There are so many ways you can do this one.
If you have got years of Halloween costumes get that dress up box out add some extras from around the house that set the challenge of who can dress the scariest and if they want they can show off there designs on their own little catwalk.
I personally recommend The Monster Mash for the fashion show theme tune! Only because it’s quite the Halloween bop.
Deathly disco
Have a little party with your kids. They’re going to be missing out on any Halloween discos that usually happen this time of year.
So, make a spooky playlist, make some Halloween treats. Dress up as scary as possible and have a little family party with your household.
Adults will probably have as much fun as the kids, here.
Frightful face painting
Kids love any excuse to get messy. Get some face paint and turn your little monsters into… monsters.
Then let them do your face. You wont regret it.
Well…providing you don’t forget to clean up before your work’s Zoom meeting the next day.
Bloodcurdling bat watching
Let’s end on something unique.
There are 17 active bat species in the UK. At this time of year they are busy flapping about mating and getting ready for hibernation. They will be most active just after sunset.
Why not find out if you have any active in your area and go on a little bat walk? See what you can spot – even if you don’t find any, the thrill of the adventure is fun and once you’ve all bonded, whether you have seen a bat or not will likely be the least important thing.
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Get in touch: metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/10/29/how-to-entertain-your-children-safely-this-halloween-13495451/
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