| Celebrate the annual Fright Night with these sixteen | | | | can make the scariest mask with a paper plate, |
| fun (and not so scary) ideas, especially for young | | | | construction paper, yarn, and markers or paints. |
| children. | | | | 10. Create a family costume. Come up with a |
| 1. Try your hand at face painting, or allow your | | | | costume theme that the whole family can participate |
| children to paint their own faces with washable face | | | | in. One year, we were all Star Wars characters. |
| paints. | | | | Maybe you will all be people from the Wild West or |
| 2. Make your own goodie bags. Set out some brown | | | | fuzzy forest animals. |
| paper bags with the standard art supplies or embellish | | | | 11. Have a pumpkin seed spitting contest. |
| an old pillowcase with fabric paints. You can even | | | | 12. Roast pumpkin seeds. Clean the pumpkin seeds |
| spring for blank canvas baggies from your local | | | | and toss them in just enough melted butter to lightly |
| discount store or craft store without spending a lot. | | | | cover the seeds. (One tablespoon of butter is |
| 3. Tie dye some T shirts or socks using orange and | | | | generally enough for the seeds from a medium sized |
| black fabric dyes. | | | | pumpkin.) Salt the seeds, then spread them on a |
| 4. Make ghosts. Fold a piece of black construction | | | | baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 250 degrees |
| paper in half and let your child squirt white paint | | | | until golden brown, stirring occasionally. |
| inside. Squish the paint, let dry, then embellish the | | | | 13. Play Pin the Tail on the Black Cat (or Pin the Nose |
| white ghost with paints, markers and other craft | | | | on the Pumpkin.) Any variation of Pin the Tail on the |
| supplies. | | | | Donkey is fun for young kids. |
| 5. Watch a Halloween movie. Make popcorn, cuddle | | | | 14. Make a Scare Tape. Record you and your family |
| up together in blankets, and take in some spooky | | | | members making spooky sounds. All you need is a |
| cinematic sights. Harry Potter, Dracula, or | | | | tape recorder and a little imagination. Include |
| Ghostbusters are great choices. For younger children, | | | | footsteps, slamming doors, creepy howling |
| choose Heffalump Halloween, starring Winnie the | | | | werewolves, and crazy cackles. Play the tape from |
| Pooh or The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad | | | | your front porch on Halloween. |
| by Disney Classics. | | | | 15. Give each child an inexpensive disposable camera |
| 6. Eat creepy cuisine. Cut sandwiches or tortillas into | | | | for the big night. This is a fun way to see what |
| Halloween shapes with cookie cutters. Create a | | | | Halloween looks like from their perspective. I love to |
| ghoulish look with almost anything by mixing in a little | | | | give my kids a blank journal and let them tell the |
| green or red food coloring. | | | | story of memorable events, such as Halloween. This |
| 7. Play "Guess How Many Pumpkin Seeds." Each | | | | is a great tradition and really helps them to tell their |
| family member or party guest gets to take turns | | | | personal stories, which they will cherish for many |
| guessing how many pumpkin seeds are in a jar. The | | | | Halloweens to come. |
| winner gets a prize. | | | | 16. Once Halloween is over, make sure to shop the |
| 8. Go apple bobbing. Fill a bucket or tub with water | | | | post Halloween sales for fun additions to your dress |
| and apples and see how many apples each | | | | up closet, which your young children are sure to |
| contestant can snag. | | | | enjoy year round. |
| 9. Make masks. Set out the art supplies and see who | | | | Happy haunting! |