Here are some surefire fall activities to get into the Halloween spirit, ranging from Halloween party ideas to easy school games to a movie night at home featuring the best kids Halloween movies on Netflix.
1. Carve a pumpkin
Carving pumpkins is a time-honored tradition. Visit your local pumpkin patch and select a pumpkin together. Carving kits, which are much safer and easier to use than knives, are widely available in supermarkets. Look for printable pumpkin carving stencils online or draw your design directly on them. Don’t want to deal with the mess of carving? Instead, paint the pumpkins. Use your imagination!
2. Make a DIY Halloween costume
If you have the time, making a homemade Halloween costume with your child is an excellent way to bond and be creative. Consider your childhood Halloween costumes: almost everyone was homemade and involved a black bin bag!
Think about what costume your child would like to wear and brainstorm ideas with them. Consider their favorite characters from books and television as a jumping-off point and go with it. You don’t have to be a master dressmaker to make a costume; in fact, wonder web eliminates the need for a sewing needle.
3. Make Halloween decorations and crafts
You’d be surprised how many everyday items can be turned into Halloween decorations. Toilet paper can be transformed into bats, and napkins can be transformed into eerie ghosts. Egg cartons can be used to make bat decorations, and orange and black paper can create a Halloween-themed chain. Almost anything can benefit from googly eyes!
4. Organize a Halloween movie night
Bring the movie theater to your house and host a Halloween movie night. Fill the couch with blankets, make some microwave popcorn, and curl up with your favorite Halloween movie. Has your child seen clαssic Halloween films such as ‘Hocus Pocus,’ ‘Halloween Town,’ and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’? To get the full effect, turn off all the lights.
5. Make candy apples for trick-or-treaters
Candy apples are incredibly simple to make and are sure to please your trick-or-treaters. Dip the apples in melted chocolate using lollipop sticks, then decorate with sprinkles, marshmallows, and whatever else you like. Allow the chocolate to dry before wrapping the apples in greaseproof paper and tying them with a Halloween ribbon. They’ll be a нιт with the kids!
6. Teach about Irish Halloween traditions
Did you know that Halloween originated in Ireland as a Celtic festival called Samhain? Samhain celebrated the lives of the d̾e̾a̾d ̾ and marked the end of summer and the beginning of winter. Many Irish Halloween traditions have survived the years and are still observed today. As an example:
Eating Colcannon: Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish made with mashed potatoes, curly kale, and spring onions. A coin is traditionally hidden within the dish and is kept by the person who finds it on their plate.
Eating Barnbrack: Barnbrack is a fruitcake made with raisins and sultanas. A rag, a ring, and a coin are traditionally placed on the cake. As the cake is distributed among the family members, there is great anticipation to see who’s slice contains one of the items. The rag represents terrible finances, the ring represents romance, and the coin represents prosperity.
Telling ghost stories: Halloween is the best time to tell stories about the banshee and other Irish mythical creatures. Find a storytelling session near you by visiting your local library or children’s center.
