Submitted on behalf of Primrose Schools: child care services and early childhood education by Emily Patterson (@epatt1062)
When the weather begins to change with the dropping temperatures, children and parents often find themselves in need of fun, but affordable activities. As a parent, it can be a full time job to keep your children’s busy little brains and bodies stimulated.
It’s important for parents to encourage their children to use their imaginations year-round. Moreover, using the time your kids have after school to keep their bodies and minds active will keep them healthy. Fortunately, keeping your children entertained doesn’t have to cost a lot and unlimited creativity will inspire your family to make memories that you’ll remember forever.
Here is a list of 10 Halloween suggestions that parents can adapt for their children’s ages, abilities and interests.
1. Halloween cookie night: Mix up your cookie dough the day before and refrigerate it for easy shape cutting. Let your children help mix the frosting and add the black, orange, green and purple food coloring. Then let your kids cut Halloween shaped cookies, bake and decorate them. Also, they’ll enjoy bringing their special cookies to neighbors and family members.
2. Decorate the house: Your children will be delighted when you recruit their help to decorate your home for Halloween. If you don’t have a stockpile of pre-made decorations, then create black bats out of construction paper, window silhouettes in the shape of witches and dangle hand-made lollipop ghosts from your trees.
3. Pumpkin carving contest: Within a few days of Halloween, gather your family and place a pumpkin in front of each family member. Bring a timer and start the contest. It is a good idea to use the saws that are sold in pumpkin carving kits for the safety of your children. The saws are manufactured for children ages 6 and up. Also, these kits are sold for under $10 and are available at most grocery and department stores. You can have a fun Halloween prize for the winner such as a plate size pumpkin sugar cookie. Furthermore, this will give your porch a fun decoration.
4. Binder of fun Halloween activities: The internet is filled with a variety of printable Halloween activities such as mazes, coloring pages and word searches. You can stockpile a file full of these papers for each of your children and then pull them out when your kids are bored or need to be occupied when you’re driving around town running errands.
5. Halloween scrapbook: Gather the pictures that you took of your kids in costume last year along with Halloween stickers, scissors and acid-free paper in black, purple and orange. Allow your children to put together a Halloween scrapbook. Encourage your kids to write down their memories of trick-or-treating and parties that they may have attended. You and your family will appreciate this special Halloween keepsake years later.
6. Enjoy the chilly weather: Sit out on the porch with hot chocolate and blankets. Encourage your children to search for Halloween creatures in the stars.
7. Scavenger hunt for Halloween items: This can be a fun neighborhood activity and your children will be delighted to involve their friends. You’ll need to make up a list ahead of time that includes items such as spider rings, pictures of the most decorated house in the neighborhood and a clove of garlic. You can have an inexpensive prize for the winner like a small cellophane bag of Halloween candy.
8. Camping out in the living room with tents: Pick a Friday or Saturday night just in case your kids stay up past their bedtime and need to sleep late the next morning. A small tent is perfect for this fun and memorable activity. Set the tent up anywhere in your home that has the space and your children will be thrilled if you have battery powered lanterns for their campout. You can microwave s’mores for an evening snack and your family can spend the night scaring one another with the retelling of spooky tales. Your children will be surprised when you show them a few shadow puppets that you’ve learned from the internet and don’t forget to roll out your children’s favorite sleeping bags for their night of fun.
9. Family theatre night with a reenactment of favorite Halloween characters: Locate your left over Halloween make-up from last year and watch your children’s theatrical side come to life. They’ll have fun pretending to be monsters and you’ll have fun trying to guess who they are pretending to be.
10. Take A Family Walk Around Your Neighborhood To Find The Best Decorated House: Some of your neighbors probably go all out for Halloween and decorate their homes to look like haunted houses with headstones in their yards or they may have knives hanging from their porches. You and your kids will have an enjoyable afternoon roaming around your neighborhood to vote on the best home.
As a parent, you can use this list along with your own inspired ideas to kindle your children’s imaginations during the Halloween season. Try to focus on a variety of activities including those that will structure their play along with others that allow them the free time needed for complete creativity. Using this system, you will have the steps to succeed in guiding your children toward their personal individualism.
Also, remember to encourage them with activities that are suitable for their ages. Often, children become disinterested with projects that are too easy or overly complicated for their skill level. Activities need to be enjoyable, but interesting, and should be geared towards their interests.
Children know what they like and every child is unique with their own individual pursuits. Also, it’s a good idea to let them plan their own activities and help them find the materials to follow through. Furthermore, children are happiest when they are given the chance to show the distinct qualities that make them special.
Take these suggestions and have a discussion with your family regarding the Halloween season and how they’d like to celebrate the festivities this year.
