It is already October, which means that Halloween is just around the corner, and so is the half-term! Although this is exciting news for children, some parents might strive to find the right challenges that will keep their kids engaged and entertained this holiday break. Whether you are a working parent or have overly active kids, some alternative suggestions to the regular half-term activities – with the added spooky twist – will fit in just right. Richard Evans, the education expert at The Profs, shares 7 Halloween-themed activity suggestions to inspire you in getting your children busy while also having fun in the Halloween spirit all week long!
1. Make pumpkin guts slime
Save the pumpkin seeds and put them to a good use! You need a container, 5 oz bottle of clear glue, ½ cup water, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tbsp contact lens solution, pumpkin seeds, and orange food colouring. Pour the glue into a bowl, add the water, baking soda, and stir. Mix a few drops of orange food colouring and add the pumpkin seeds. Next, add 1 tbsp contact solution and keep kneading the slime until it is no longer sticky, and store in an airtight container, and there you have it! A Halloween-themed slime to keep your children entertained for hours. Always supervise your children during playtime to ensure the slime is not ingested.
2. Improvise a pumpkin golf field
Pumpkin carving is one of the most popular activities to engage your kids on Halloween, but don’t let the pumpkins go to waste afterwards! Invite your children’s classmates to a competitive Halloween-themed activity from setup to gameplay. First, carve a few jack-o-lanterns with large enough mouths for golf balls. If your child is old enough to carve the pumpkins with you, ensure that you go over the importance of safety precautions when handling knives beforehand. After the pumpkins are carved, bring the mini-golf toy set and spread a red felt runway to create a mini-golf field in the park or your garden. Take extra care in setting up the mini-golf course so it’s not cluttered with extra Halloween decorations that might stand in the way of the little players, and get ready for lots of whiff shots and laughter.
3. Make a Halloween-themed candy wreath
Wreaths are not just for Christmas! A Halloween-themed candy wreath is a fun way to offer Halloween sweets to the children coming for trick or treat. Gather the materials you will need for your wreath, including any decorations or ribbon that you want to use, and get your kids to help create it. Let them pick which sweets to use and help them arrange the candy on the wreath to make it look appealing and get ready to hear the doorbell ring all evening.
4. Organise a Halloween scavenger hunt
Prepare a mysterious scavenger hunt in your area by enticing your kids to get active in the pursuit of little Halloween-themed treasures. To organise a Halloween scavenger hunt, the first thing to do is to plant the clues. Design the game based on your knowledge of Halloween haunt tales and ghoulish legends that will raise their curiosity to participate. Next, set up the tasks that need to be completed for them to get awarded and prepare the prizes. Make sure that the winner awards are on-theme – think Halloween sweets and spooky toys that your kids would love.
5. Read Halloween books together
All kids love a good ghost story because they get the chance to engage their imagination. It’s also a great opportunity for adults and older siblings to read stories together out loud, and you will find that children are not only entertained but also learn a lesson. “Harry Potter”, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” or “Hansel and Gretel” are perfect for this occasion. Regardless of what books you might choose, you can add a bit of fun by giving each of your children a role and letting them act out the narrative.
6. Discover the origins of Halloween
Halloween started as a pagan holiday and evolved into what we celebrate today. Although the traditions vary from one country to another, they are so diverse and captivating that will not only manage to keep your kids entertained but also expand their knowledge. Do some research together about the festival of Samhain in ancient Britain and learn more about the origins of what we now know Halloween represents.
7. DIY your own witch hat ring toss game
No pumpkins? No problem. Why not DIY witch hats, decorate them, and play the ring toss game? Crafting your own witch hat this Halloween can also be a fun activity to get your kids involved with, by drawing together and setting up the game. All you need are some sticks, party hats or cones for witches to wear on their heads, and the tossing rings. Who wins gets to eat sweets, who loses gets to wear the hat. Let the Halloween fun begin!
