Written by Jo Fletcher & Kellie Blinco for Astute
Families around the world are preparing to celebrate Halloween. Some families may embrace the gory traditions or veer towards the more family friendly activities. Some families with children under the age of five may think that Halloween just isn’t for them yet. Well, we have compiled some fun, friendly (but still slightly spooky) ideas for you try!
- Get crafty with your dress up box!
Decorate yourself and your home, prepare the treats (or tricks)! Have a look through your dress up box and find a costume and add a spooky twist to it. Can’t find exactly what you’re looking for? Search for unused house supplies such as pillowcases, pieces of cloth, used clothing, paper, scissors, cardboard, and other fun crafts. When it comes to children under the age of 5 and their imagination, the possibilities are endless. So let them take the lead and see what you can create with your crafty kids!
- It’s dinner time with a Halloween twist!
Halloween can often be thought of as a day filled with sugar and dressing up, but there is more to think about! Consider other food groups, that may be somewhat healthy and fun at the same time! Children love cooking with the parents or adult carer, so here are a few Halloween dinner ideas with a little twist:
- Halloween Fangs (gluten free)
- Frankengreen smoothie
- Pumpkin Pancakes (gluten free)
- Halloween Apple Spiders
These recipes (plus more) can be found online, or get creative and make your own spooky recipes with ideas from:
https://www.kidspot.com.au/kitchen/galleries/ghoulishly-good-halloween-party-recipes/daazfus7?page=8
- Small world play & pumpkin carving
Carving pumpkins doesn’t have to be in the shape of Jack O’Lanterns, it could be anything. For examples, you could carve a pumpkin fairy house or create a home for your child’s favourite animal to explore. This gives you an opportunity to explore what small world play has to offer. Obviously, the actual carving should be done by an adult, but let your child be the interior carving decorators and design their ideal house and enjoy the work of small play!
- Have some fun with Halloween themed games!
No need to reinvent the wheel, mix up an old favourite game with a Halloween twist. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Musical chairs – change it to Halloween Freeze and get your child to make a spooky pose when the music stops
- Decorate a pumpkin that becomes ‘Hello Mr Pumpkin’
- Keepy Uppy in true Bluey style with a white ghost balloon
- Ten Pin Bowling turned into Boo Bowling
All of these games and more can be found online, including the link below. But don’t stop here! Try and make up your own too. Create your own Halloween game that becomes tradition for your family!
https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/59893/halloween-games-for-kids/ .
- Halloween Bedtime Story
There are lots of stories that have a Halloween theme that are not too scary and loved by children under the age of five. One favourite is ‘Room on a Broom’. Have a go at making up one of your Halloween stories where scary is optional but fun and laughter are a must. Or, have a look at these suggestions:
- Ten Little Monsters is a toddler-friendly tale with counting, rhyming and cool illustrations
- Four Silly Skeletonswill get a giggle
- The Itsy Bitsy Pumpkin has a Halloween on The Itsy Bitsy Spider
- Llama Llama Trick or Treat for some fun
- The Spooky Wheels on the Bus becomes a Halloween song we know and love
Let your imagination go wild, we hope you have a fun, spooky and friendly Halloween this year!
